Asian-inspired chicken lettuce wraps that are easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes! The meat and veggies are tossed in a delicious sauce combination for maximum flavor.
This dish is so versatile that you can easily swap out the chicken and make turkey lettuce wraps, or tofu lettuce wraps for a vegetarian option.
Recipe Science
- Cooking ground chicken with high heat ensures quick searing, locking in moisture and developing rich flavors through the Maillard reaction.
- The use of soy sauce and rice vinegar in the seasoning provides umami and acidity, which enhance the overall flavor and help tenderize the chicken.
- Wrapping the savory chicken mixture in crisp lettuce adds a refreshing crunch and contrast in texture, balancing the warm, flavorful filling with a cool, crisp bite.
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Featured Comment 9
“Wow, these were so good! Thank you again for your amazing and easy to prepare delicious recipes!!”—Keith
Why It Works
Chicken lettuce wraps are a must when dining at Chinese restaurants, but making them at home is easier than you might think. Yep, it’s a fast and flavorful meal that comes together in one large pan. The key to making a stir fry is in the ingredient preparation, so you can drop it in the wok and let it cook for 10 minutes.
This healthy, low-carb recipe is perfect for an appetizer for a party and hearty enough to feed a hungry family for dinner. I like to pair it with my favorite Chinese dishes like potstickers and crispy egg rolls for a complete meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: I use lean ground chicken in the recipe as a quick-cooking protein option. You’ll need to purchase a 1-pound package.
- Vegetables: I add colorful vegetables like carrots, water chestnuts, yellow onions, and green onions. Minced ginger and garlic add spice to the dish.
- Seasoning: To make a simple three-ingredient umami-packed sauce for the lettuce wraps, all you need is hoisin, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
- Oil: Use a neutral-tasting high smoke point oil like vegetable oil or olive oil to cook the vegetables and chicken. Sesame oil adds a toasted aroma and flavor to the chicken mixture.
- Lettuce: For tender lettuce for lettuce wraps, butter lettuce is the best choice. The outer and middle leaves make big boats to hold plenty of filling.
- Nuts: Peanuts are added as a crunchy garnish.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
Now that you know how to make this chicken lettuce wrap recipe, it’s easy to customize!
- Chicken: Use pieces of chopped chicken breasts or thighs, but cut them into small, ¼-inch dice for stir-frying.
- Protein: Switch up the meat with ground turkey or ground beef, or go meat-free and use tofu.
- Vegetables: Other types of vegetables can be added, like red bell peppers, brown mushrooms, corn, and bamboo shoots.
- Gluten-Free Sauce: Instead of soy sauce, use coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari. Purchase gluten-free hoisin sauce.
- Spicy: Add red chili flakes, sriracha, or chili oil. Add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon at a time until the desired heat level is reached.
- Lettuce Leaves: Other types of lettuce can be used, like bibb, iceberg, or romaine hearts. They just need to have a large enough bowl shape to hold the chicken filling.
- Nuts: Instead of peanuts, try sliced almonds or cashews.
How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Step 1: Cook the Vegetables
Chicken has a neutral flavor and is low in fat, about 4%. Without mix-ins, the taste will be bland. Add chopped carrots, water chestnuts, yellow onions, and green onions in a wok or large skillet heated over medium-high heat. Cook them in sesame oil and vegetable oil with garlic and ginger to bring out their natural sweetness.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
The ground chicken cooks quickly, especially when using a wok over high heat. To get a flavorful browned surface on the meat, ensure the oil and pan are hot and ready to sear. Quickly break the protein down to make bite-sized pieces.
Let it sear until a golden crust forms, then stir-fry to ensure that the poultry is fully cooked, flavorful, and doesn’t dry out. The process takes about 4 minutes. I season with some salt and pepper before tossing in the sauce.
Step 3: Toss with Flavorful Sauces
Various fermented soybean products like soy sauce and hoisin, balanced with sweet and tangy ingredients, enhance the savory taste of the chicken. Just add it directly to the wok and toss to combine.
Step 4: Add the Vegetables Back In
Add the reserved vegetables back to the wok and stir them evenly into the ground chicken.
Step 5: Garnish and Serve
Fill one lettuce cup with the stir-fry mixture, then top with fresh slices of green onion and crunchy cashews or peanuts. You can double up on the lettuce to make a thicker or larger wrap if needed. The taste is best when served warm.
Make Ahead Tip: Chill the filling after cooking to meal prep for a quick lunch or dinner. If you have leftover filling, serve it on top of steamed rice with extra vegetables like bok choy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground chicken meat stir-fried with a mixture of vegetables, then tossed in a savory soy sauce. The filling is served wrapped inside lettuce cups, topped with chopped nuts and green onions, and enjoyed as an appetizer or light meal.
For sturdy and foldable lettuce wraps, butter leaf lettuce works best. The leaves are curved to hold the filling and are pliable to cover it up, making it easy to eat. If you prefer a crisp option, iceberg or romaine are excellent choices but are much more rigid.
Add dried red chili flakes, chili oil, or chili paste like sriracha to make the chicken filling spicy. Add it at the end of cooking, using a tiny amount, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon at a time, to gradually increase the heat.
In traditional Chinese stir-fry dishes, garlic and ginger add aromatics and intensity. When using minced pieces, they can burn quickly in the wok and oil. Saute the vegetables first so there is residual moisture in the pan. Add aromatics, and it will gently infuse.
Serve This With
If you tried these Chicken Lettuce Wraps, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup finely diced carrots
- ½ cup minced yellow onions
- ½ cup finely chopped water chestnuts
- ½ cup sliced green onion, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, optional
- 1 head butter leaf lettuce, washed and dried, 12 leaves
Instructions
- Cook the Vegetables – Heat a large wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sesame oil. Once hot, add the carrots and onions, and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the water chestnuts, ¼ cup green onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken – Return the wok to the stovetop, and heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over high heat. Add the ground chicken, break it into smaller chunks, and stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes—season with salt and pepper.
- Toss with Sauces – Stir in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
- Warm the Vegetables – Add the stir-fried vegetables and mix evenly wiith chicken—season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To Serve – Evenly divide the chicken filling among the lettuce cups. Garnish with peanuts (if using) and remaining green onions. Top with additional hoisin sauce if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: 3 cups of filling
- Serving: 1 wrap
- Storing: Store cooked chicken filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Cover and cook on high heat in 15 to 30-second intervals until hot.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use coconut aminos or tamari and gluten-free hoisin sauce.
- Make it Spicy: Stir in red chili flakes, sriracha, or chili oil. Add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon at a time until the desired heat level is reached.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Larry Vaught says
Hey…this was great. Very easy to fix and tastes awesome. Did all the cooking in a large non-stick skillet. Worked great! Thanks a bunch!
Jessica Gavin says
Great job making the lettuce wraps, Larry!
JJ says
Delicious as written. We actually used this as a main, without the lettuce. I took a couple cups camping, and found it delicious as a cool lunch. Very versatile, not too many ingredients, easy peezy. What’s more to ask?? 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you made the lettuce wraps into a main dish!
David Flatt says
I made your cook book version of this yesterday. My family completely loved it. I did add a half of a red pepper, just cause it was in the fridge, other wise it was from the book. I used your times, and that helped me from overcooking it, a charastic of mine.
The peanuts added the salt that I crave, but not too much.
thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for purchasing my cookbook! I love the addition of red pepper to the filling.
Keith Kase says
Wow, these were so good! Thank you again for your amazing and easy to prepare delicious recipes!!
Mary Caffrey says
Hi Jessica
Hoisen sauce is not usually gluten free. Is there a GF brand that you suggest, or another substitute?
Thank you
Mary C.
Jessica Gavin says
I saw that san-j and kikkoman sells gluten free hoisen sauce. You may have to order online if your local grocery stores does not carry it.