Healthy and easy, these Chicken Lettuce Wraps are so fresh and delicious! They’re ready in under 30 minutes with a juicy chicken filling and crispy butterhead lettuce.
If there’s one thing that always a hit at the dinner table, it’s these chicken lettuce wraps. In fact, we have lots of lettuce wrap recipes on the site including shrimp, Tex-Mex, Asian and turkey lettuce wraps that you should definitely try!
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you are looking for a low-carb, healthy recipe that always delivers and tastes amazing, these Chicken Lettuce Wraps should be on the top of your list. It’s a great way to get protein in, it fills you up but is low on carbs. So you can eat extras. I won’t tell! The filling is really versatile. You can use it with lettuce and serve it as these Chicken Lettuce Wraps, serve it with rice and turn it into an Asian rice bowl or even stuff it in rice paper for fresh and tasty spring rolls.
I also like to add veggies like carrots, bell peppers and mushrooms but that’s completely optional. These chicken lettuce wraps are super easy to customize, and even easier to devour! You’ll want them as an appetizer to go with all of your favorite Asian-inspired meals.
Ingredients for Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This is an easy recipe that doesn’t need a ton of ingredients. You’ll need ground or diced chicken. I prefer ground chicken since it cooks up really fast and doesn’t need any extra prep! In addition to this, you need a few more ingredients:
- Ground Chicken: Ground chicken is the main protein base for the dish. You can also use ground pork, turkey, beef, or tofu for a different protein option.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a nutty flavor to the dish.
- Minced Garlic: Fresh is best!
- Ground Ginger: Adds a spicy and warm flavor to the chicken lettuce wraps.
- Shredded Carrots: Adds natural sweetness and crunch to the filling. You can also use other crunchy vegetables like bell peppers or water chestnuts.
- Green Onion: So the filling has a mild onion flavor.
- Homemade Teriyaki Sauce: A savory and slightly sweet glaze for the chicken. I like using homemade teriyaki sauce, but store-bought works, too! Some other substitutes you can use are soy sauce or hoisin sauce. Coconut aminos also work as a gluten-free alternative.
- Butterhead Lettuce Leaves: Serve as the fresh, crisp wraps for the tasty chicken mixture.
- Fried Rice Noodles and Red Cabbage (for serving): The finishing touch to add some texture to your wraps. Some other toppings you can try are sliced radishes, pickled carrots, bean sprouts, or chopped peanuts.
The Best Lettuce for Lettuce Wraps
The most important ingredient in these chicken lettuce wraps is lettuce, obviously. You need lettuce that allows for a filling and can form a cup or wrap. For this particular purpose, I love butterhead lettuce for its wide leaves that really form the perfect base to hold all that tasty filling. You can also use large romaine lettuce leaves or even iceberg lettuce if you like. Butterhead lettuce also has great flavor which is mild compared to some other varieties of lettuce that can be slightly bitter to taste.
How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Make sure to wash your lettuce well, and then dry it with paper towels to get rid of any extra moisture. Putting together these chicken lettuce wraps is really quick and easy if you have all your prep in place beforehand. You only need a few minutes of cooking time since ground chicken cooks so fast. Be sure not to overcook it so your filling turns out tender and juicy, not dry!
- Cook Chicken: Heat the oil to medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the ground chicken and cook through until no longer pink.
- Add Sauce and Veggies: Stir in the teriyaki sauce, garlic, ground ginger, carrots, and onions.
- Cook: Cook and warm through for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Spoon into butter lettuce, serve with desired toppings, and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
Customizing these wraps is the fun part. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
- Marinate: Consider marinating the ground chicken in the teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes so your meat has even more flavor.
- Make it Spicy: Add chili powder, pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce to your filling to taste.
- Thai Lettuce Wraps: Swap out the teriyaki sauce for sweet chili sauce and prepare some peanut sauce for dipping your wraps in!
- Use Leftover Veggies: With these chicken lettuce wraps, the more texture the better. So throw in any leftovers you may have in your fridge!
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftover butterhead lettuce or that tasty chicken filling, here’s how to keep both fresh:
- In the Refrigerator: Store lettuce and chicken in separate containers. The lettuce will last for about a week, and the chicken filling will last for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy your wraps again, reheat the chicken over the stove on medium heat until warmed through.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
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Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/3 cup green onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Homemade Teriyaki Sauce, or store-bought
- 12 butterhead lettuce leaves, washed
- fried rice noodles and red cabbage, for serving
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the ground chicken and cook through until no longer pink.
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Stir in the teriyaki sauce, garlic, ground ginger, carrots, and onions.
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Cook and warm through for 5 minutes.
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Spoon into butter lettuce, serve with desired toppings, and enjoy!
Notes
Updated on September 26, 2023
