If the kids are telling you they're dying of hunger and you've got only 30 minutes before you have to get junior to the soccer game, and you to the PTO meeting, don't panic. You've got time to make chicken wraps, a fast, easy, healthy dinner recipe. Try the Asian chicken wraps accented with hoisin sauce, scallions and shredded cabbage, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

If the kids are telling you they’re dying of hunger and you’ve got only 30 minutes before you have to get junior to the soccer game, and you to the PTO meeting, don’t panic. You’ve got time to make chicken wraps, a fast, easy, healthy dinner recipe. Try the Asian chicken wraps accented with hoisin sauce, scallions and shredded cabbage, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Or perhaps you’d prefer Italian wraps redolent with garlic and onions, tomatoes and basil. Finally there’s South of the Border wraps. Add brown rice topped with peas and carrots to round out the meal. Serve fresh sliced fruit for dessert. Dinner is less than half hour away.

Get Started
Saute 4 ounces of chicken breast for each serving. Slice the breast into 1/2 inch slices for quick cooking. If time is really short, use sliced roast deli chicken instead or shred the meat off a cooked rotisserie chicken.

Asian Wraps
Spread the flour tortilla with about 1 tablespoon of purchased hoisin sauce. Hoisin sauce is a dipping sauce traditionally served with seafood, but goes wonderfully with chicken and pork as well. The flavor is sweet and tangy with a bit of smokiness. Children like it because the flavor isn’t overpowering.

Place about 1/4 cup of shredded cabbage and two thinly sliced scallions in the middle of each tortilla. Top with 2 ounces of the cooked chicken. Roll up burrito style.

Italian
When the chicken has just about finished cooking, add 1/2 thinly sliced onion and 1 small smashed clove of garlic to the pan for each 4 ounces of chicken. The onion and garlic should be cooked long enough to lose that raw taste.

Spread the flour tortilla with 1 tablespoon of purchased pizza sauce or tomato sauce. Add 1/4 cup of raw spinach leaves and the chicken. Top with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Roll up and you’re good to go.

South of the Border
Think of these as fast and easy dinners inspired by the flavors of the Southwest. Chop one green pepper, two tomatoes, and one bunch of scallions for 1 pound of chicken. Add 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice. Mix in 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro. Add from 1/4 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of hot red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like your food. If that’s too much trouble, substitute 1 cup of prepared salsa.

After the chicken has cooked, add the salsa. Cook a few minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated.

Spread the tortillas with 2 or 3 tablespoons of refried beans and top with the chicken-salsa mixture. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on top.

If you’d like to make these wraps ahead of time, make them enchilada style. Put the wraps into a baking dish you’ve sprayed with cooking spray. Top with enough enchilada sauce to cover. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the sauce rather than inside the wraps. Freeze or refrigerate. Defrost about 30 minutes before dinner time and pop into a preheated 350 F oven. Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese has melted and is gooey and the sauce is bubbling.

Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books. Her hobbies include gardening and cooking healthy dinner recipes, http://www.deesdeliciousdinners.com and sharing her grilling tips, http://www.easygourmetgrilling.com. She lives with an Irish Setter and an English Springer Spaniel.

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