CHIGuide
7 Chicken Caesar Wraps To Eat Because TikTok Told You To
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
Once the sad desk lunch of office drones and a last-ditch option for travelers stranded at O’Hare, chicken caesar wraps (henceforth known as CCW) have been co-opted by the masses—part of a balanced meal, including fries and a Diet Coke.
Are these wraps popping up in cafes and restaurants all over the city a response to the work-from-home movement? Are people trying to recreate the corporate experience of eating a one-handed meal while answering emails because they secretly miss the office? Maybe it’s because of America’s obsession with wrapping things. Whatever the case, we’re on board with a portable salad.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
If the staff goes to Restaurant Depot mid-service for more lettuce and tortillas because there was a run on their wraps (true story), it’s probably a good sign. The CCW at Village Tap lives up to its popularity. Structural integrity is taken seriously at this Roscoe Village bar—the wrap is lightly seared so the tortilla does a good job of holding in the crunchy lettuce, herby croutons, and grilled chicken. The dressing is excellent too, with a hint of garlic for some zing. You can order a flight of cookies from Mindy’s to go with it. Maybe they'll swing by her bakery if they run out of those, too.
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
CCWs are a great hangover food—especially if they're made with fried chicken. That’s what Will’s in Lakeview does, and the crunch factor is high: The croutons and lettuce stay crisp despite being well-dressed, it comes with a pickle, and there’s an extra layer of crunch from the fried chicken. Interestingly, the wrap includes chunks of tomato and comes with so much filling that the extra is served as a side salad. It’s such a great approximation of nutrition you’ll completely forget about those five vodka sodas from last night.
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
The wraps used for the CCWs at Punky’s in Bridgeport aren’t run-of-the-mill tortillas from Jewel’s refrigerated section. No, these thick, freshly grilled masterpieces are like soft flatbread pizza crusts—doughier, softer, and more flavorful than anything else in this guide. The croutons are also housemade, and the little cubes of toasted bread are soaked in garlicky oil so they’re soft. The bready croutons along with juicy grilled chicken and a surprisingly small amount of lettuce make for a heavy CCW that’s not very crunchy, but is still delicious.
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
The CCW at Nohea in the West Loop will be presented to you in what is essentially a gift bag. And once you get through the paper, the CCW will unwrap itself. It’s super stuffed and looks perfect for the brief moment it stays intact: There’s lettuce surrounding croutons, surrounding chicken...surrounding shredded cheese in the middle. But since the cold tortilla is not wrapped tightly, it unfurls and you’re left with a better-than-average caesar salad with a side of tortilla. It’s still a good option, but we’d recommend not eating it one-handed while filming that day’s “spontaneous” TikTok musing.
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
A good CCW starts with a good chicken caesar salad. But the wrap is what can make it great. For example, the spinach tortilla used at Moonwalker Cafe in Avondale. It’s soft—not tough despite being cold—and has a faint, earthy flavor that pairs well with the lightly spiced roasted chicken and well-dressed lettuce. But it might be too much of a good thing, because the tortilla is significantly larger than the amount of filling. Be prepared to eat some plain spinach dough.
We like our CCWs unadulterated, so when we saw that the version from West Loop’s Green Street Local included heirloom tomato halves, a spicy caesar dressing, and parmesan crisps instead of croutons, we were skeptical. But all these enhancements add up to a decent CCW. It comes on a lightly grilled tomato tortilla that's warm and holds together well, and there’s still crunch from the tomatoes and lettuce. In fact, romaine hearts are what make up most of the filling, so you’re practically the owner of a one-acre lettuce farm.
photo credit: Veda Kilaru
Just like fries are mainly a vehicle for ketchup, the CCW at Ain’t She Sweet in Bronzeville is merely a vehicle for cheese and dressing. It’s especially creamy and tangy, which pairs well with the flavorful grilled chicken. And instead of croutons, the wrap gets a bit of crunch from slices of red onion—fine if you’re eating alone, not-so-fine if you’re about to head into an in-person meeting.
