After gnawing on some big, pink heartburn chews yesterday, I realized why the strawberry-flavored medication tasted so good: corn syrup. The dreaded sugar substitute.
I think that effictively kicked me out of ketosis because as of testing a few minutes ago, I was only showing trace amounts of ketones. Great. So that’s why I’ve been feeling like crap today.
Enough weird keto diet talk, and let’s dive right into this delicious recipe. I’ve made a name for myself making lettuce wraps, and it’s not a new thing either. I’ve done Thai style ones and ones that rival P.F. Chang’s famous wraps. I decided to make a super-keto-friendly version by grilling up some chicken and throwing a bunch of crumbled, crispy bacon inside. Add avocado, ranch, and tomatoes—and you’ve got yourself a delicious little lunch.
If you live near or in Texas, try to find some Whataburger jalapeno-ranch in your supermarket. You won’t be disappointed. That creamy, spicy sauce has been sent straight from the heavens.
Also, little known pro-tip: can’t tell if your avocado is ripe? No need squishing it to oblivion. Look to see if the little stem has fallen off the top, leaving a round indention. Boom! Ripe avocado. If not, give it some more time.
I don’t have any little tips on trying to see if tomatoes are ripe, though. I haven’t the slightest clue. I think the squish test works in that instance? I don’t know. I just choose whichever tomato feels nice in my hand and is a nice, bright orange-red.
I made up a semi-homemade dry ranch seasoning for the chicken, but you could use a pre-packaged version instead to save you some time. Ranch is pretty much all the same: dill, garlic, onion, and I add a little bit of paprika and cayenne for a kick.
For the bacon, I just put those puppies in a foil-lined baking sheet and baked at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. I don’t hardly make bacon any other way; baking it is easy cooking and easy clean-up. No more wiping down your stove (and fridge) because of grease splatter.
Iceberg lettuce leaves are my favorites for wraps because of the crunch. I’ve used romaine and butter lettuce before, but you don’t get that same crispiness like iceberg. And I know, I know…iceberg has zero nutritional value. But I’m pretty sure ranch dressing doesn’t either…
Choose your lettuce wisely and fill it with these toppings. Enjoy!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Lettuce Wraps
Ranch chicken, bacon, avocado and tomatoes stuffed into fresh iceberg leaves.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast
- 2 TBS. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. dill
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne
- salt & pepper
- 2 avocados, cubed
- 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3 roma tomatoes, cubed
- Iceberg lettuce leaves
- Ranch dressing, for topping
Directions
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, dill, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Let cool. Chop into bite-size pieces.
- Make the wraps: Take a lettuce leaf and add some chicken, crumbled bacon, tomatoes, and avocado cubes. Top with ranch dressing.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, dill, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through.
Let cool.
Chop into bite-size pieces.
Make the wraps: Take a lettuce leaf and add some chicken, crumbled bacon, tomatoes, and avocado cubes. Top with ranch dressing.
Very appealing. 👁👁🍃 I like the plate. 😍
Thank you!