Wraps with chicken lettuce

This Wraps with chicken lettuce are easy, healthy and better than PF Chang’s! Tender ground chicken and vegetables are cooked in an insanely addictive sweet-salty Asian sauce and then piled into crispy lettuce cups.

Why you’ll love this Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe

• Simple ingredients. As with my vegetarian lettuce wraps, I felt it was important that these chicken lettuce wraps be made from everyday ingredients that are easily found in most grocery stores. You might even have all the ingredients in your kitchen now!
• No fuss, no fuss. Just like my Asian Chicken Wraps, these easy lettuce wraps are flavorful without requiring hours of prep time. They can be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Each option is equally delicious, so choose the one that best suits your schedule.
• Leftovers are a dream. Like my spring roll in a bowlthis Lettuce wraps yield a generous helping of the filling, and any amount you don’t eat will keep in the refrigerator for several days or can be frozen for several months. Just grab some fresh lettuce leaves and you have a meal prep dream.
• Healthier than a restaurant. Like all my stir-fry recipes, these Thai chicken lettuce wraps have the same sweet crunch and addictive flavor as the restaurant version, but they’re so much better for you. Each scoop provides double servings of both protein and vegetables.

How do you make chicken lettuce wraps?

The ingredients

• Ground chicken. Ground chicken cooks quickly, is mild, and absorbs the flavor of the sauce without overpowering it. Perfect!
• Hoisin + Soy Sauce. The sweet, sticky, salty and umami base for our sauce. Think of hoisin as a sweet Asian BBQ sauce (YUM!). I use low sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium content lower, but tamari or coconut aminos can also be used.
• Rice vinegar. It provides a touch of acidity to balance the sweetness of the hoisin and the saltiness of the soy sauce.
• Sesame oil. A richly nutty and toasty counterpart to the sweetness in the sauce for these Asian chicken lettuce wraps. This one is difficult to trade; If you cook Asian food often (or strive to), you’ll love having it on hand.
• Ginger + Garlic. Double flavor bombs in Asian cuisine. Fresh ginger is best, but you can add a third of the amount of ground ginger in a pinch.
• Mushrooms + Grated Carrots. Even if you don’t like mushrooms, I highly doubt you’ll notice them here! They are cut super small and their flavor deepens the sauce without making it taste like mushrooms.
• Red pepper flakes. Just a little for some warmth.
• Water chestnuts. The delicious ‘crunch’ factor. They have a mild taste but are so worth it.
• Butter lettuce. Butter lettuce is best for lettuce wraps (lettuce works well too). The leaves are soft and slightly sweet, making them the ideal vessel for our filling. The inner hearts of romaine lettuce will also work well, and in a pinch, you can use iceberg lettuce for lettuce wraps if you have it on hand.

Optional toppings with chicken lettuce wrap

This recipe is ready to enjoy as is, but you can certainly add some toppings if you like. I think chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, or crispy chow mein noodles are tasty options. Chili crisp is also delicious if you want to add a little more spice.

The direction

1. Prepare the sauce. A liquid measuring cup works well for this.

2. Brown the chicken. Add the green onions, ginger and garlic to the pan.

3. Cook. Transfer all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Serve. Assemble the chicken lettuce wraps and ENJOY!

Recipe variations

• Wraps with beef lettuce. Swap the ground chicken in this recipe for lean ground beef. The taste will be different, but still tasty.
• Wraps with pork lettuce. Swap the ground chicken for ground pork. (Love pork in Asian recipes? Don’t miss my peanut butter pork stir fry.)
• Wraps with turkey lettuce. Use ground turkey instead of ground chicken. This exchange is almost unnoticeable.
• Wraps with grated chicken lettuce. Because lettuce wrap recipes like this one are designed for cooking ground meat (rather than a whole chicken breast), I recommend making this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken or this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and then folding them into lettuce cups.

Storage tips

• Save. Leftover filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store your lettuce separately in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the refrigerator. I like to wrap my lettuce leaves in dry paper towels or a clean tea towel before putting them in the container/bag to keep them crispy.
• Heat up. Gently reheat the filling in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. You can also reheat this recipe in the microwave. Fill the lettuce cups just before serving.
• To freeze. You can freeze the filling of chicken lettuce wraps. Place the leftover filling in an airtight freezer container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and serve with fresh lettuce cups.

What to serve with chicken lettuce wraps

• Slow cooker. I love that it switches to “keep warm” at the end of cooking time so my food rarely overcooks.
• Dutch Oven. This is perfect for browning meat and preparing lettuce wrap recipes on the stovetop.
• Measuring spoons. These are easy to store and can be put in the dishwasher.

Recipe tips and tricks

• Cook on low. I don’t recommend cooking the meat for Asian chicken lettuce wraps on high in the slow cooker. Low heat is the best option to ensure a tender, perfectly cooked filling.
• Do not exaggerate. If you don’t mind the filling sliding out of your lettuce, feel free to throw it away! However, if you want to serve perfectly portioned, easy-to-eat lettuce wraps (think of a dinner party), use less filling per lettuce cup.
• Keep your lettuce aside. Store your lettuce separately in the refrigerator so that it stays crispy. I wrap my lettuce leaves in a dry towel before placing them in the storage container so they stay crispy.