I’ve been crazy about chicken lettuce wraps ever since I tried them at a restaurant nearby. Cupped in crispy lettuce leaves and topped with crunchy wonton strips, the chicken filling is just the right balance of spicy, salty, and tangy. How long it takes: 25 minutes Equipment you’ll need: skillet, sharp knife, measuring utensils Servings: makes 14-16 wraps Of course, I immediately thought to myself, Why can’t I make these at home? and this recipe is the result. If you haven’t experienced chicken lettuce wraps yet, please don’t wait any longer. Now you don’t even have to leave the house to try them. You’re going to love the fact that the filling and sauce can be prepared a few days in advance. Whenever you get the craving for a lettuce wrap, simply heat up a portion of the filling and wrap it up. Perfect for lunches!
About this Recipe
Even though the list of ingredients looks kinda long, don’t be intimidated. These wraps are really easy to make. There are two sauces, one to mix into the filling, and one for serving. A lot of the same ingredients are in both sauces.
What You’ll Need
Ground Chicken: Lean and light, ground chicken is a good alternative to turkey, pork, and beef. Mushrooms: Finely chopped mushrooms add meatiness but not calories or fat. Fresh Garlic and Ginger: A power packed duo, finely minced garlic and ginger, along with a bit of oil and salt, season the meat. Coleslaw Mix: Buy read-to-use coleslaw mix or buy a cabbage and shred it finely. Water Chestnuts: You’ll want to finely mince these crunchy little nuggets. They add great texture to the wraps. Green Onions/Scallions: Not only add color but also a subtle onion flavor. Cilantro adds herbal notes. Sauce: The flavorful sauce pulls all the filling ingredients together. It consists of Soy Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, Toasted Sesame Oil, and Sriracha. Dipping Sauce: You’ll need more Soy Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, and minced ginger, and also a bit of Honey. Lettuce Leaves: You’ll want a large leafed lettuce for wrapping. Romaine, Bibb, butter lettuce, or iceberg are good choices. Make sure the lettuce is clean and dry. Chopped Peanuts or Wonton Strips: These are optional but I love the crunch they add.
How to Make the Wraps
Begin by very briefly sautéing minced garlic and fresh ginger. Add ground chicken and finely chopped mushrooms, and sauté until the chicken is done. Stir in 4 cups of finely shredded cabbage (or use pre-made coleslaw mix), chopped canned water chestnuts, and chopped green onions. Stir fry until the cabbage begins to wilt. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and Sriracha to taste. Stir well and heat through. Remove from heat, add a little chopped fresh cilantro and your filling is ready. Other than a little chopping, this recipe is pretty easy, right? Dipping sauce is optional. You decide whether you want it or not. The sauce isn’t totally necessary because the filling is really flavorful on its own. This dipping sauce is simply soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, honey, and fresh ginger stirred together. It tastes great and actually makes a good salad dressing, too.
Make it your own
Use ground turkey if you prefer. Another variation is lamb lettuce wraps. Like seafood? You could substitute a couple cans of baby shrimp for the chicken (or try sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wraps). Buy or make a different dipping sauce. Sweet chili sauce is really good with these wraps. Instead of lettuce, serve the chicken and vegetables on steamed rice. Try Instant Pot jasmine rice for perfect rice every time. Looking for a crispy wrap? Try air fryer crab rangoon or air fryer egg rolls.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Prepare the filling and sauce up to 3 days in advance. Refrigerate in tightly covered containers until ready to serve. Reheat the filling in skillet on stove or microwave it until warmed. Serve as directed. Interested in a weekly meal plan (it’s free!) that includes these chicken lettuce wraps? Take a look at my Meal Plan #34. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week! We’ll be adding a new meal plan weekly. If you’re interested, browse all of our meal plans.
Do you have any restaurant favorites that you would like to re-create at home? I’d love to hear from you!
