COOKING ON DEADLINE: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

Chicken Caesar Salad is one of the world’s greatest lunches, but it isn’t the prettiest thing to eat with your hands while on the go. That’s why some exceedingly smart person thought to put it into a wrap.

My family is in universal accord that this is an excellent sandwich, so now instead of picking it up at Le Something Or Other, I figured out how to make it at home.

The chicken can be made ahead of time, and leftover chicken can be tossed into salads, either green salads or grain or pasta salads. Make a double batch if you’re looking for some nice, flavorful grilled chicken to have around. The Caesar dressing can be made ahead and hang out in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you don’t have time to let the chicken marinate, don’t worry — the Caesar dressing is plenty flavorful. If you were really pinched for time, you could just brush the chicken with olive oil, give it a sprinkle of salt and pepper and grill it without the lemony marinade. I’m a big fan of the shortcut.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare (not including optional marinating time) and makes 6 wraps.

Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Caesar Dressing

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon very finely minced garlic

1 finely minced anchovy filet or ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)

Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Salad

2 hearts of romaine, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 red onion, thinly slivered

6 9- to 10-inch whole wheat or spinach wraps

For the chicken: In a shallow container, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. If you have the time, marinate the chicken in the fridge for 2 to 6 hours before grilling — no worries if not.

For the Caesar dressing: In a container with a lid, put the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, anchovy (if using), salt and pepper. Cover tightly and shake to combine well. Add half the Parmesan and shake again to combine.

Preheat the grill to medium high. Grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until cooked through, with nice grill marks on each side. Let the chicken cool slightly, then cut into small bite-size pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, romaine, and red onion with the dressing. Add the remaining Parmesan and toss again. Fill each wrap with about 1 1/2 cups of the salad, and roll closed.