Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a healthy comfort food recipe the whole family will love! An easy dinner idea that’s on the table in less than 30-minutes! This recipe is also gluten-free and dairy-free. Some say it’s even better than PF Chang’s version!
Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Thai Chicken Quinoa Bowls with an amazing peanut sauce are also Asian favorites!
We have a family tradition in our house. Each week one of the kids plans, shops for, and cooks a healthy dinner. We started this tradition a few years ago for several reasons….and not so that we could get out of cooking!
One of the important reasons is to teach our kids how important it is to eat healthily and make good choices when it comes to food. A recipe they came up with is Chicken Lettuce Wraps – the perfect dinner.
Fresh and delicious!
Other Healthy Family Favorites are Crock Pot Taco Soup, Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken, and Mexican Chicken, Rice and Veggie Casserole. A recent favorite is Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies because it’s so flavorful and easy.
Table of Contents
Natural and Fresh Ingredients for Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Since we try to eat healthy food recipes, especially when it’s a family meal, this recipe is perfect!
We try to instill in the kids that it’s nice to know what’s in your food and where it comes from.
This recipe is very flexible, too. Just add some fresh veggies and whole grain, like brown rice, to go with your Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and you’ve got yourself a hearty and healthy meal that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes!
The Recipe for Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Grab a pan, and let’s get started.
Step 1
Cut your chicken into small chunks. Heat your pan to medium-high heat. Place chicken in the pan with the sesame oil. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes.
Tip: if you don’t have sesame oil, you can substitute olive oil. We recommend extra virgin olive oil.
Step 2
Stir in minced garlic, minced onion, and ginger, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha (optional).
Cook 1-2 minutes more.
Step 3
Stir in diced chestnuts, cut green onions, and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
Now, spoon a large scoop (about 1/4 cup) of chicken mixture into the center of each washed and dried lettuce leaf.
Serve immediately while hot.
You’ll see. Your family will like this recipe so much; they’ll go back for seconds and maybe even thirds!
Tips for Making Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- We like using chicken thighs in this recipe, but chicken breast would also be good. Just make sure to watch it as it will cook fast!
- Ground chicken is also an option for these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps.
- You can use a Wok, Sauté pan, or a cast-iron skillet to cook the chicken and sauce.
- If you don’t have Hoisan sauce, readers have substituted sweet chili sauce with good results.
- In a pinch, you can use dried ginger, but the flavor is enhanced with fresh ginger.
- Bell peppers, cut into small pieces, can also be added to this recipe.
- The Sriracha sauce is optional. Use it if you like a little kick.
What Lettuce is Used for Wraps?
So, it’s a somewhat personal preference, but Iceberg, Boston, green leaf, and butter lettuce seem to be the most popular, our favorites being iceberg and butter.
Asian wraps seemed to use iceberg lettuce a bit more. This type of lettuce does give them a nice crispness, but we think it can be hard to roll and fall apart a bit. Hence, why some of the softer lettuces — like butter lettuce are used more regularly.
Some say this recipe is just like PF Chang’s lettuce wraps. Since this recipe is healthy and delicious with fresh ingredients, we think it might be better, and the kiddos agree!
How to Serve Chicken Lettuce Wraps
We love these wraps with just the lettuce to eat them. However, this Asian chicken recipe would also be good over brown rice or noodles. For little kids, this might be better since the wraps can be hard to handle.
How to Store Asian Chicken Wraps
If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
How Kids Can Help
If your kids want to help in the kitchen, have them wash the lettuce and other vegetables. Of course, they can also help set the table!
We Love to Hear From You!
If you try this Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe or any other recipe on Suburban Simplicity, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let us know how it went in the comments below; we love hearing from you! Better yet, use the hashtag #suburbansimplicity if you make the recipe.
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Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 pound chicken thighs
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha (optional)
- 1/2 cup whole water chestnuts (drained and diced)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Butter or leafy green lettuce (for serving)
Instructions
- Cut chicken into small chunks. Heat pan to medium-high heat. Place chicken in the pan with the sesame oil. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, onion, and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha (optional). Cook 1-2 minutes more.
- Stir in chestnuts and green onions and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spoon a large scoop (about 1/4 cup) of chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf. Serve immediately.
Notes
- We like using chicken thighs in this recipe, but chicken breast would also be good. Just make sure to watch it as it will cook fast!
- If you don't have Hoisan sauce, readers have substituted sweet chili sauce with good results.
- In a pinch, you can use dried ginger, but the flavor is enhanced with fresh ginger.
- The Sriracha sauce is optional. Use it if you like a little kick.
Nutrition
The recipe was originally published on October 23, 2016. We updated it with enhanced instructions on February 20, 2020.
Ann says
Mmm… I’m definitely saving this healthy comfort food recipe! I like that it’s gluten and dairy free and is ready in just 30 minutes. I’m planning to make these chicken lettuce wraps for our next friend’s gathering. Thank you for sharing the recipe and all of your useful tips on how to make these. I’ll definitely keep them in mind when I make mine. Looking forward to your new awesome ideas!
Erin Henry says
Thanks for stopping by, Ann. We love this recipe both for its flavor and how easy it is to make. Enjoy it with your friends!
Krissy Allori says
I love these! So good and so easy to make on a busy weeknight. Thanks!
Erin says
Lettuce wraps are a go to for easy dinners, and this is so full of flavor and easy to make.
Stephanie says
These are my absolute favorite! I order these all the time when we go out but now I don’t have to! Love the sauce with this recipe, it’s incredible!
Erin Henry says
Yes, the sauce is incredible! We love that the recipe is so easy to make!
Crab Dynasty says
Wow!! Made this for dinner tonight! Did not have the Gochujang sauce so used sweet chili sauce and used Royal blend specialty rice with flax seed!! Fantastic flavor!
Erin says
Sounds like a great substitution!
Nikki says
Erin, I love this! Bruce and I are usually the only ones home for dinner these days. Having something quick is the goal, I’m usually working on the blog or the pillows, and so we sit down together and watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy together during dinner. This would be a great meal for us. We love all the ingredients, sesame, hoisin, ginger. These would even be great for me to take to work as a snack while I input endless numbers into the computer. It’s mind numbing and I need a bit of pick me up! Love this!
Erin says
This recipe is easy to make and you could even use ground chicken to make it even faster to throw together. You’d both enjoy it. I think it’s cute you guys watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy together.
A Narrow-Minded Woman says
Yum. I love lettuce cups. I have a difficult time digesting carbs like bread and tortillas and love that using lettuce as a substitute. 😀
Erin says
Great! You’ll really like this recipe than. I’m trying to cook with less gluten and more natural, so this recipe works well! Let me know if you give it a try!
Linda at Mixed Kreations says
The hubby and I both love lettuce wraps. Sometimes we take them in our lunches to work, with some fruit for a healthy lunch.