Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps are a fresh, lighter take on Taco Tuesday—perfect for satisfying cravings while keeping your New Year’s healthy eating goals on track.
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Healthy Taco Lettuce Wraps
This is the time of year many of us try to return to healthier habits, and these lettuce wraps make it easy and delicious. They use lean ground chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and seasoned black beans to create a filling, nutrient-forward meal that still tastes like a treat.
Life can pull routines out from under you—job changes, moves, big milestones and family logistics make it easy to default to eating out or grabbing convenience meals. We still enjoy restaurants and trying new dishes, but cooking at home more often has become a priority. These wraps are a great way to bring variety and flavor back to weeknight dinners without a lot of fuss.
The chicken is seasoned simply with cumin, chili and a touch of chipotle powder for warmth. Roasted sweet potatoes add natural sweetness and heartiness, while canned black beans (I used Bush’s Cocina Latina Frijoles Cubanos) contribute flavor, fiber and protein. Butter lettuce makes a perfect vessel—its broad, tender leaves are sturdier and more flexible than iceberg or romaine, so they hold fillings well while keeping the dish light.
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These wraps are family-friendly—kids enjoy the sweet potatoes and flavorful beans—yet they’re substantial enough for adults. You can easily adapt the seasoning level to taste, swap ground turkey if you prefer, and prepare components ahead for quick assembly on busy nights.
Taco Lettuce Wraps Ingredients
Although the recipe includes several components, it’s straightforward to prepare. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sweet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ground chicken (or turkey)
- Spices: ground cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, salt and pepper
- Fresh cilantro
- Bush’s Cocina Latina Frijoles Cubanos (or your favorite black beans)
- Butter lettuce
- Red bell pepper
For a printable ingredient list and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Best Lettuce for Wraps
Butter lettuce is recommended because its wide, flexible leaves hold fillings well and are easy to eat. Romaine can work in a pinch, but iceberg tends to be stiffer and less forgiving.
How to Make Taco Lettuce Wraps
These wraps come together quickly when you break the work into simple steps:
- Dice and roast sweet potatoes until tender and lightly browned.
- Cook the chicken with onion, garlic and spices until browned, then stir in cilantro and keep warm.
- Warm the black beans.
- Assemble: spoon chicken into a lettuce leaf, add beans and roasted sweet potatoes, then top with garnishes of choice.
What to Serve with Lettuce Wraps
These wraps pair nicely with classic Mexican-inspired sides. Try one of these options:
- Mango salsa with grilled corn
- Cilantro-lime kale slaw
- Chips and restaurant-style salsa
- Rice or seasoned quinoa
- Refried beans or a simple corn salad
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Substitutions and Make-Ahead Tips
You can easily use ground turkey instead of chicken. The taco meat and roasted sweet potatoes both reheat well; make them ahead and store separately in the refrigerator or freeze the cooked meat in portions for quick weeknight dinners.
Tips for Success
Adjust the chipotle powder to control heat, or add diced jalapeño for fresh spice. If you prefer, use a premade taco seasoning blend to simplify the chicken. Top your wraps with diced red bell pepper, sliced green onions, roasted corn, crumbled Cotija cheese, avocado or a quick guacamole for extra flavor and texture.
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More Healthy Chicken Dinners
If you like these wraps, try other lean chicken meals such as baked honey mustard chicken, a chicken quinoa bowl with walnut-sherry vinaigrette, buffalo chicken Cobb salad, or an Italian chicken, mushroom and zucchini skillet. Ground chicken also works great in Asian-style lettuce wraps for a different flavor profile.
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Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These lettuce wraps combine seasoned ground chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and flavorful black beans for a healthier, family-friendly taco night.
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 16 ounces 1/2 inch cubed sweet potatoes, skin on
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Chicken Taco Meat
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lbs ground chicken (or turkey)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8–1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
For the Lettuce Wraps
- Prepared ground chicken
- Prepared sweet potatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans such as Bush’s Cocina Latina Frijoles Cubanos, heated through
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- Optional garnishes: sliced green onions, roasted corn, lime wedges, avocado or guacamole, crumbled cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- For the sweet potatoes: toss cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper in an oven-safe pan and roast 15–20 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, prepare the taco meat: heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion 3–5 minutes until translucent, add garlic and cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add ground chicken and spices (cumin, chili powder, chipotle, salt and pepper). Break the meat into crumbles and cook until no longer pink. Stir in cilantro, cover and keep warm on low, stirring occasionally.
- Warm the canned beans.
- To assemble: spoon chicken into a lettuce leaf, top with beans and roasted sweet potatoes, then add diced red pepper and any other garnishes. Fold the leaf and eat like a taco. Avoid overstuffing; leaf size varies.
Notes
If you prefer, use a store-bought taco seasoning blend. The cooked taco meat freezes well—cool completely, seal in freezer bags and freeze flat for easy reheating.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 420
Total Fat: 23g
Cholesterol: 138mg
Sodium: 416mg
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 33g
Nutrition information is an estimate provided for convenience.
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Click HERE to save this recipe for Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps!
I enjoy using Bush’s® Beans and have partnered with them on this recipe; I was compensated for creating this post but the opinions here are my own.