Hummus Chicken Pinwheels (Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups)

These hummus chicken pinwheels are a scrumptious appetizer which makes them perfect for parties, game day, picnics or your lunchbox. Grilled chicken breast, creamy hummus and crisp lettuce are wrapped in a soft flour tortilla and sliced into delicious bite-sized pieces. Quick and easy to prepare ahead makes them ideal for busy weekdays, lazy weekends or when entertaining guests.

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Tortilla pinwheel sandwiches or tortilla roll-ups are easy, versatile bite-sized appetizers that come together in no time. Using soft flour tortillas instead of pastry makes them a quick, no-bake alternative to classic roll-ups. Just layer your ingredients, roll, chill, slice and serve.

Perfect for any buffet, party, game day or picnic, they’re easy to customize and always a crowd-pleaser, because who doesn’t love tasty finger food?

Pair these hummus and chicken roll ups with other flavor combinations like ham and cheese, roasted peppers with pesto or tuna salad pinwheels.

Chicken tortilla wraps ingredients

The ingredients listed here are how I like to make my chicken pinwheels, but feel free to omit, swap or add your favorite ingredients that you love:

• Flour tortillas: Large flour tortillas are best for this recipe. Tortillas measuring 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) are much easier to fill and roll than smaller ones. For the best results, choose thick, good-quality tortillas to avoid sogginess, especially when preparing the pinwheels in advance.
• Chicken: Both chicken breast and thighs work well for this recipe, and even leftover rotisserie chicken is a great option. I used grilled chicken breast cut into thin strips, which I prefer over pulled or shredded chicken, as it allows the flavor of the chicken to really shine.
• Hummus: You can use either store-bought hummus, however I prefer making and using my own hummus.
• Lettuce: Any lettuce or leafy green will work. I have used crips Iceberg lettuce for extra crunch.
• Onion: Thinly sliced onion adds a flavor boost and complements the chicken and hummus. You can use any type of onion you prefer.
• Seasoning: I use salt and pepper to season the chicken. Feel free to add herbs, like oregano or basil or to spice things up with cayenne pepper and chili flakes according to taste.

Homemade hummus

While there are plenty of delicious and tastyl store-bought hummus options, I love making my own. Making a hummus recipe is really quick and easy if you already have the ingredients, so you’ll make it in no time from scratch, especially when using canned chickpeas.

You can also tweak the ingredients to suit your own taste. If you are keen on making hummus yourself, take a look at my easy homemade hummus recipe or at this roasted red pepper hummus recipe for a different twist.

How to make chicken pinwheels – step by step

• Cook the chicken: Use a non-stick skillet or grill pan to cook the chicken. Add a bit of olive oil in the pan and heat over medium to high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and your favorite seasoning. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, on one side for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Then flip the chicken over and cook for another 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Depending on the thickness, this may take longer.
• Cut the chicken: When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and leave to cool for a few minutes. Then cut in thin strips.
• Prepare the ingredients: Shred or finely cut the lettuce. Peel the onion, cut in half and finely slice in half moons. Make the hummus, when using homemade hummus.

• Assemble the tortilla: Evenly spread a thin layer of hummus over the whole tortilla. Don’t spread too thick otherwise it will ooze out of the edges when rolling. Divide the lettuce, onion and chicken strips evenly over the tortillas.

• Roll the tortilla wraps and refrigerate: Roll the tortilla wraps firm and tightly. Wrap the rolled tortilla firmly with plastic cling wrap, close the edges and place in the fridge for later use.

• Cut and serve: Remove the wraps from the fridge just before serving. Unwrap and trim the ends where there’s no filling, then slice into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces with a sharp knife. If serving right away, you can slice them immediately after rolling.

Useful tips & tricks

• Refrigerate: You can serve these chicken pinwheels immediately but it’s best if you can refrigerate them for at least 1 hour as they’ll then be easier to cut without being flattened.
• Make in advance: This chicken appetizer is great to make in advance. Leave wrapped up in plastic for up to 24 hours in the fridge and cut just before serving. This way they’ll stay fresher for longer.
• Hummus variations: If you don’t like hummus or don’t have the ingredients at home to make it you can substitute with mayonnaise, pesto, cream cheese and even mustard.
• Cheese: Add grated cheese, whichever type you like, for some extra flavor.

How to serve

Serve these pinwheels on a large plate as part of a party platter or for game day and combine with other appetizers like crunchy chickpeas, marinated mozzarella, grilled Padrón peppers or ham and pesto puff pastry pinwheels or any other festive appetizers.

Add the pinwheels to your lunchbox or bring them for a potluck party or picnic.