The Pickle Barrel Lettuce Wrap

This is a recipe I modified from a Better Homes and Garden recipe I ripped out of May 2015. Less than the ingredients, I modified the steps, yielding a “make ahead”, more family-friendly version.

It’s probably more aptly titled Chicken and Avocado Wraps, but when Greg took his first bite, he yelled out, “Pickle Barrel!!!” And it WAS, so very Pickle-Barrel-y, our favorite sandwich shop in the years Greg was stationed at Cape Canaveral. It only took me 10 years to accidentally recreate our favorite sandwich. That’s a lot of avocado you’all.

1 lb. chicken tenderloins

2 avocados, peeled and chopped (not so new that it’s rock hard, but not so mushy that it’s guacamole)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 lime

Romaine Leaves, separated and washed

1/2 cup sour cream

Bunch of sliced green onions

8 oz. of grape tomatoes, each grape chopped into sixths

Crushed tortilla strips

Broil the chicken on low, brushed (barely!) with olive oil and salt and pepper, until thermometer reads 165 (flipping once). Cool.

Put chopped avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and green onions into a food processor. Pulse until it’s coarse, but not mush. Transfer to a large bowl, and start to salt and pepper to taste (the original recipe omits seasoning, which makes no sense. Without salt, this recipe is bland to the point of oblivion. With salt, it’s amazing).

Mix in the tomatoes and sour cream. Taste again. Salt and pepper. Chop up the chicken in a very fine dice. Mix in. Serve on lettuce leaves as “taco shells”, and sprinkle with coarsely crushed tortilla chips at serving.

I made this entire thing in advance and put it in the fridge. I put the lettuce leaves on a plate to dry in the fridge. I pulled it all out a dinnertime, spooned it into the lettuce, and topped with the chips. I put the extras on the table’s edge. Huge hit. HUGE.