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Chicken Taco Pinwheels: A Quick and Easy Appetizer

Chicken Taco Pinwheels are a delicious, easy appetizer that take almost no time to prepare. They’re always a hit at any party!

Chicken Taco Pinwheels sliced and plated to be served

Pinwheel Sandwiches Are Popular

We all probably have been to some function where they served pinwheel sandwiches. Family get-togethers, holiday parties, weddings, funerals, anniversary parties – you likely will run into this appetizer as it’s a great finger food. And, no matter your particular version, it’s a pretty easy appetizer recipe and usually uses simple ingredients often found in your house or at the local grocery store.

I myself, am a big fan of the pinwheel sandwich. It’s probably a result of all the family get-togethers I attended when I was younger. Those little guys seemed to always be around!

Now, my recollection was that they were pretty simple appetizers and at times, might have been a little boring. But, in my continued search for quick and easy appetizers, I definitely wanted to give the pinwheel sandwich a chance.

I Always Keep Cooked Chicken on Hand

Over the years, I have found that there are so many dishes you can whip up quickly if you have cooked chicken on hand. These easy chicken taco pinwheels are one of those recipes as well as my chicken salad and these baked chicken taquitos.

So, my best advice to you is to always keep cooked or leftover chicken on hand in your freezer. If you’re picking up a rotisserie chicken for dinner, pick up two. Shred the second one to keep on hand for quick and easy recipes. Or, if you’re cooking chicken breasts, cook a few extras to keep in the freezer.

Making The Chicken Taco Pinwheels Filling

These pinwheels couldn’t be easier to prepare. They are the perfect appetizer to whip up when you need something last minute. They only have a few ingredients, which are easy to keep on hand, and they take just minutes to put together. 

First, I wanted to make a delicious filling. It really is the most important thing!

To make the creamy spread, I started with light, or low-fat cream cheese. That is the base. From there, I added in shredded chicken I had stocked in my freezer.

I could have stopped there, but I thought it would be fun to put in a little twist and make these a sort of Tex-Mex or Mexican pinwheels. I love Mexican food so thought I would give a little shout-out to those wonderful Mexican spices. For that, I decided to add in some basic taco seasoning.

Taco seasoning is what gives these roll-ups their delicious flavor. If you want a lot of heat, a little heat, or somewhere in between, you can easily adjust the level by how much seasoning you add to the chicken and cream cheese mixture. 

I typically have Trader Joe’s taco seasoning on hand, which is what I used. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try making your own homemade taco seasoning.

Assembling the Chicken Taco Pinwheels

At this point, you grab your flatbread and spread a layer of the cream cheese and chicken mixture. I do add a layer of fresh spinach on top of the mixture. I like the fresh spinach both for how it freshens up the taste as well as gives the pinwheels a little bit of color they otherwise would be lacking!

Once that’s been assembled, roll it up. For best results, use a sharp knife, cut into 3/4 inch slices and you are ready to serve.

You can also easily double or even triple the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd. Once you set them out, you will see them disappear in no time!

Pinwheels in process. topped with chicken mixture and spinach, ready to be rolled up.

Can You Substitute Tortillas for the Flatbread?

Many of us have corn tortillas or flour tortillas around the house. So, the question becomes – can I make a taco pinwheel recipe or taco tortilla roll-ups with these tortillas?

While the concept is basically the same as using the flatbread, the size of most tortillas (6 to 8 inch tortillas) makes the pinwheels too small and difficult to keep from unraveling. Using the flatbread simply makes the chicken pinwheels more of the right size for an appetizer and provides more integrity. You don’t want a great appetizer that falls apart before you can even eat it!

Definitely stick with the flatbread.

A Great Appetizer for so Many Occasions 

So, the next time you need a simple, delicious appetizer for party time, these chicken taco pinwheels are perfect. But, let’s not stop there!

They can also be a tasty quick lunch, an afternoon snack, or maybe even a good choice for a school snack for the kids. They’re great any time of year and the possibilities are endless. So, grab this chicken taco pinwheels recipe and let’s get started!

Enjoy!

Plated Chicken Taco Pinwheels

Tips and Tricks

  • Trader’s Joe’s taco seasoning is my favorite brand. I like it because its only ingredients are spices. It’s fairly spicy, so if you don’t want your pinwheels to be too spicy, you’ll want to use it sparingly.
  • I like to use Flatout Flatbread for this recipe.
  • These can be made up to a day ahead of time and then refrigerated. If you make them ahead, I would wait to slice them until you’re ready to serve. 
  • When you’re ready to slice and serve, a serrated knife works great for slicing.

Ingredients Needed to Make Chicken Taco Pinwheels

Full instructions can be found below in the recipe card

  • Shredded chicken breast – A rotisserie chicken works well.
  • Light cream cheese – You could also use full fat. I like to use light to keep the calorie count down a bit.
  • Taco seasoning – My favorite brand is Trader Joe’s, but any brand will work.
  • Fresh spinach
  • Flatbread wraps – Such as the Flatout brand. You want to make sure whatever flatbread you use is thin and pliable so it can be rolled up.

How to Make Chicken Taco Pinwheels

  • Stir chicken, cream cheese and taco seasoning together until well combined.
  • Spread a fairly thin layer of the chicken mixture onto the flatbreads, leaving about a 1/2 inch border.
  • Top with a layer of spinach.
  • Roll flatbread up, lengthwise.
  • Cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

More Easy Party Appetizers

Close up of sliced Chicken Taco Pinwheels

 

Yield: 18 pieces

Chicken Taco Pinwheels: A Quick and Easy Appetizer

Chicken Taco Pinwheels: A Quick and Easy Appetizer

Chicken Taco Pinwheels are a delicious, easy appetizer that take almost no time to prepare. They're always a hit at any party!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz cooked, shredded chicken breast
  • 1 - 8 oz package light cream cheese
  • 1/2 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 package fresh spinach
  • 3 flatbreads

Instructions

  1. Stir chicken, cream cheese and taco seasoning together until well combined.
  2. Spread a fairly thin layer of the chicken mixture onto the flatbreads, leaving about a 1/2 inch border.
  3. Top with a layer of spinach.
  4. Roll flatbread up, lengthwise.
  5. Cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

Notes

  • My favorite taco seasoning is Trader Joe's. I like it because the only ingredients are spices. It is fairly spicy, so if you use it, I would add a little at a time until it's the right amount of spice for you.
  • I like to use the Flatout flatbreads in this recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 199mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g

 

ENJOY!

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