High-protein chicken and black bean wrap
A fast, protein-packed wrap with spiced chicken, black beans, spinach and a zesty yoghurt sauce — perfect for lunches or quick dinners.
This is the sort of lunch that actually fuels you — big on protein, low on fuss. Spiced chicken and black beans give serious staying power, while a lemony yoghurt brightens the whole thing. Make it for a workday pack, a quick dinner or meal-prep: the components hold together and still taste fresh when wrapped. Tweak the cheese or skip it to reduce fat without losing much protein.
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken breast — boneless, skinless
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove — crushed
- 15 ml olive oil — for rub and frying
- 400 g tinned black beans — drained weight about 240 g
- 150 g fat-free Greek yoghurt
- 1 lemon — juice of 1 lemon
- 4 wholewheat wraps
- 100 g baby spinach
- 150 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 1 red onion — thinly sliced
- 50 g reduced-fat mature cheddar — optional, grated
- 15 g fresh parsley — chopped
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
Instructions
Mix smoked paprika, ground cumin, crushed garlic clove, half the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly over both chicken breasts.
Cover and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat a frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the remaining olive oil and, once hot, cook the chicken breasts for 6–7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a board and loosely cover with kitchen paper; rest for 5 minutes.
While the chicken rests, drain the tinned black beans. Return the frying pan to a medium heat, add the drained beans and warm for 2–3 minutes with a small pinch of smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.
Make the yoghurt sauce: stir fat-free Greek yoghurt with the lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Warm the wholewheat wraps briefly in a dry frying pan — about 20–30 seconds each side (allow roughly 4 minutes total for all four).
Slice the rested chicken thinly. To assemble each wrap: spread a spoonful of yoghurt sauce, add a handful of baby spinach, sliced chicken, a spoonful of warmed beans, halved cherry tomatoes and a few slices of red onion. Sprinkle with reduced-fat mature cheddar if using, then roll tightly.
Cut each wrap in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.
Tips
- Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper before rubbing in the spices so the rub sticks and you get a good golden sear.
- If pressed for time, you can use leftover roast chicken — slice and warm briefly in the pan with the beans.
- Make the yoghurt sauce a day ahead and keep chilled; it stops the wrap going soggy and improves flavours.
- Store leftovers unrolled in the fridge for up to 48 hours; reheat chicken and beans separately before assembling for best texture.
Substitutions
chicken breast → turkey breast, same quantity
Stays closetinned black beans → tinned chickpeas, drained (same drained weight)
Stays closechicken breast → firm tofu, 400 g pressed and marinated the same way
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 490
- Calories
- 52 g
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes — use gluten-free wraps of similar size. Check labels on tinned beans and wraps to ensure they are certified gluten-free.
How long will leftovers keep?
Separate components keep best: cooked chicken and beans in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days; assemble wraps just before eating or within 48 hours.
Can I use a microwave to reheat?
You can, but reheat chicken and beans gently to avoid drying: 60–90 seconds on medium power should be enough. Warm wraps briefly in a pan rather than the microwave for better texture.
Can I freeze the chicken?
Yes — cooked sliced chicken freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat before assembling.
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