Curried Chicken and Apple Wraps

Curried Chicken WrapsWrap It Up
School started this week. Part of me is beyond relieved that we can get back to a normal routine and that the kids will now have their time occupied. The other part is trying to wrap my mind around the reality that I now have two middle school students. Whoa, when did that happen? Wasn’t it last year when one boy was crying at the door to kindergarten because he didn’t want me to go? (By the way, that’s changed…I now have to drop them off a few blocks away, while wearing a wig so no one recognizes me, or them, or me with them.)

Another thing that’s changed? Lunch.

Apparently, the usual is no longer cool. Until now, lunch for my boys has always been turkey and mayo on wheat. That’s it. Every Day. All year. (Zzzzzzzzzz…Sorry, fell asleep there for a minute.) However, when I asked what they wanted for their first day, I got, this as my answer, “Turkey and mayo but only if you have avocado. If not, I’ll have Roast Beef with lettuce and Havarti cheese” Umm…ok. Sure. I applaud their willingness to try something new, especially while channeling characters from When Harry Met Sally. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Full Disclosure: I must give some credit to my nephew who spent quite a bit of time at our house over the summer. He has a more refined palate, and his influence has prompted change. He prefers such bizarre things as sliced red onion on his sandwiches. Rebel.

I know these changes are not ground-breaking concepts in terms of sandwich sophistication—iit is a major step up though. This gives me hope that I can try more stuff like the recipe below which, funny thing, is something I would prefer to make for my own lunch thus cutting down morning kitchen time.

They are growing up, which is both good and bad. Good because I can’t wait to see the adults they become, and bad because I miss the squishy, drooling kids that used to laugh when I blew on their tummies. Oh well. I still have The Rocket Dog…she still likes that…

Curried Chicken and Apple Wraps
Adapted from the Giada De Laurentis and The Food Network
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/3 cup mango chutney
1/3 cup 2-percent plain Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3/4 cup diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (adjust or omit depending on taste)
1 small head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced to yield about 4 cups
1 unpeeled apple, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
Four 12-inch-diameter whole wheat (or your favorite) wraps

Directions
Make the sauce in a large bowl, combine the chutney, yogurt, curry powder, oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until everything is combined.

Add the other ingredients: garbanzo beans, goat cheese, green onions, mint, chicken, raisins, hot sauce (we omit for younger kids), lettuce and apples. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon one fourth of the filing into the center of each wrap, leaving a approximately 3-inch border. Fold the flap nearest you up and over the filling. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly to enclose the filling. You are basically making a burrito. If you want to watch a video of how it is done, there is one here.

We like to serve it at home cut in half, but find wrapping it in foil, burrito-style, is better for traveling lunches.

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