Looking for a quick, healthy dinner that's packed with flavor? These chicken lettuce wraps are about to become your new favorite meal! Ready in just 30 minutes, they're perfect for busy weeknights when you want something light but satisfying. Plus, they're naturally low-carb and can easily be made gluten-free!
Why You'll Love These Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you've ever tried PF Chang's famous lettuce wraps, you know how addictively good they are. This homemade version captures all that restaurant-quality taste, but with ingredients you can control. They're budget-friendly too - making them at home costs a fraction of the restaurant price!
These lettuce wraps are perfect for:
- Quick weeknight dinners
- Meal prep lunches
- Party appetizers
- Light but filling meals
- Family-style dining
Jump to:
Ingredients
For the Chicken Filling:
- 2 pounds ground chicken (ground turkey works great too!)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 8 oz water chestnuts, diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
For the Amazing Sauce:
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
For Serving:
- heads butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- Fresh cilantro
- Crispy rice noodles (optional)
- Extra sriracha sauce
- Lime wedges
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Sharp knife for chopping
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Instructions
1. Prep Your Ingredients
Before you start cooking, get everything chopped and ready. This recipe moves quickly once you begin! Dice your onions, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the water chestnuts and carrots.
2. Make the Sauce
Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl until well combined. This can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
3. Cook the Filling
- Heat sesame oil in your skillet over medium-high heat
- Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft
- Toss in garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant
- Add ground chicken, breaking it up as it cooks (5-7 minutes)
- Mix in water chestnuts and carrots
- Pour in the sauce, stirring to coat everything evenly
- Cook 2-3 more minutes until the sauce thickens
- Stir in green onions
4. Prepare the Lettuce
While the filling cooks, carefully separate your lettuce leaves. Wash them well and pat dry. For the perfect lettuce wrap, look for leaves that naturally form a "cup" shape.
5. Serve and Enjoy!
Set everything out family-style and let everyone build their own wraps. Start with a lettuce leaf, add a scoop of filling, and top with peanuts, cilantro, and any other garnishes you like.
Dietary Modifications
Make It Gluten-Free
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce
- Check that your hoisin sauce is gluten-free
- Skip the crispy rice noodles or use rice crackers
Make It Keto
- Skip the honey in the sauce
- Use coconut aminos instead of hoisin sauce
- Add extra vegetables like mushrooms
Make It With Ground Turkey
Simply swap the chicken for ground turkey - the flavor will be just as good!
Storage
- Store the filling in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Keep lettuce leaves separate and dry
- Reheat the filling in a skillet or microwave
- For meal prep, portion the filling into containers and pack lettuce separately
Top Tip
- Choose the right lettuce: Butter lettuce is ideal for its strength and flexibility, but iceberg works too
- Drain excess liquid: If your filling seems too wet, cook it an extra minute to reduce the sauce
- Prep ahead: The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance
- Double the sauce: Make extra to use as a dip or for other recipes
FAQ
What makes the best lettuce wraps?
Butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce work best due to their sturdy, cup-like leaves. The ideal wrap combines crunchy lettuce with hot filling, a flavorful sauce, and textural elements like water chestnuts and chopped peanuts.
How do you keep lettuce wraps from getting soggy?
Store the filling and lettuce separately. Pat lettuce leaves completely dry after washing, and make sure your filling isn't too wet. When serving, keep the filling and lettuce apart until ready to eat.
Where did chicken lettuce wraps originate?
Lettuce wraps originated in China, where they're known as "sang choy bao" or "san choy bow." They were traditionally served as an appetizer in Cantonese restaurants and later became popular worldwide through restaurants like PF Chang's.
What cultures eat lettuce wraps?
Lettuce wraps are popular across many Asian cuisines, particularly Chinese, Korean (ssam), Vietnamese, and Thai. Each culture has its own variations, using different proteins, sauces, and fillings while maintaining the basic concept of wrapping ingredients in lettuce leaves.
These chicken lettuce wraps are a game-changer for quick, healthy meals. They're so good, you might never order takeout again! Give them a try and let us know how they turn out in the comments below.
Tag us in your lettuce wrap photos on social media - we love seeing your creations!
Check out our Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Chicken for more Chicken meal prep.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Sharp knife for chopping
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the Chicken Filling:
- 2 pounds ground chicken (ground turkey works great too!)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 8 oz water chestnuts, diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
For the Amazing Sauce:
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
For Serving:
- 2 heads butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- Fresh cilantro
- Crispy rice noodles (optional)
- Extra sriracha sauce
- Lime wedges
Instructions
1. Prep Your Ingredients
- Before you start cooking, get everything chopped and ready. This recipe moves quickly once you begin! Dice your onions, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the water chestnuts and carrots.
2. Make the Sauce
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl until well combined. This can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
3. Cook the Filling
- Heat sesame oil in your skillet over medium-high heat
- Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft
- Toss in garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant
- Add ground chicken, breaking it up as it cooks (5-7 minutes)
- Mix in water chestnuts and carrots
- Pour in the sauce, stirring to coat everything evenly
- Stir in green onions
4. Prepare the Lettuce
- While the filling cooks, carefully separate your lettuce leaves. Wash them well and pat dry. For the perfect wrap, look for leaves that naturally form a "cup" shape.
5. Serve and Enjoy!
- Set everything out family-style and let everyone build their own wraps. Start with a lettuce leaf, add a scoop of filling, and top with peanuts, cilantro, and any other garnishes you like.
Notes
Recipe Success Tips :
- Don't skip the water chestnuts - they're crucial for texture
- Let your pan get hot before adding the chicken
- Season to taste - add more sriracha if you like heat
- Prep all ingredients before you start cooking
Leave a Reply