Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a quick and easy recipe the whole family will love! It's a super tasty dinner idea that's on the table in less than 30 minutes! This one-pan recipe is also gluten-free and dairy-free. Some say it's even better than PF Chang's version!
Other one-pan family favorites are sheet pan chicken fajitas, sheet pan honey garlic chicken, Mexican chicken, and rice and casserole.
This Asian Chicken Wrap recipe is so delicious and very flexible. I just add some fresh veggies (your choice) and a whole grain, like brown rice, and dinner is done. A hearty and healthy one-pan meal is on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Other one-pan family favorites are Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken, and Mexican Chicken, Rice and Veggie Casserole.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy
- Family Friendly
- One Pan
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Low-Carb
- Weeknight Favorite
Natural and Fresh Ingredients
Since I try to eat healthy food recipes, especially when it's a family meal, this Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe is perfect! They do not have questionable ingredients or added sugar.
Chicken
- Boneless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts): Chicken is a lean protein that pairs perfectly with the sauce in this recipe. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Sesame oil: To saute your chicken, use sesame oil. Extra virgin olive oil can be substituted.
Sauce
- Garlic cloves: When cooked, this aromatic gives the sauce a lovely, nutty, sweet flavor.
- Onion: Diced onion enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Hoisin and soy sauce: The two ingredients form the base of the yummy sauce.
- Rice vinegar: Vinegar gives the dish a slight acidity and brings the other flavors together.
- Freshly grated ginger: Ginger provides a little spicy flavor to the sauce.
- Sriracha: If you like spice, add a bit of Sriracha; if not, leave it out.
Veggies
- Water chestnuts: You'll drain and diced water chestnuts, which add a little crunchy texture to the chicken filling.
- Green onions
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Butter or leafy green lettuce: You'll serve the chicken in lettuce cups.
- Garnish: Top with sesame seeds if you'd like.
Find the full recipe and instructions in the printable recipe card below.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Grab your favorite pan, and let's get started.
- Prep Chicken: Cut your chicken into small chunks. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Then, place the chicken in the pan with the sesame oil. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Add Sauce Ingredients and Cook: 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 for 1-2 minutes more.
- Add Remaining Ingredients (besides lettuce): Stir in diced chestnuts, cut green onions, and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes—finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble: Now, spoon a large scoop (about ¼ cup) of chicken filling into the center of each washed and dried lettuce leaf. Serve your Asian lettuce wraps immediately with rice while hot.
Pro Tip: If you don't have sesame oil, you can substitute olive oil. I recommend extra virgin olive oil.
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- Meat: 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, ground turkey, or leftover rotisserie chicken are options for these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. We also love this recipe with ground pork!
- Pan: You can cook the chicken and sauce with a Wok, Sauté pan, or a cast-iron skillet.
- Sauce: If you don't have Hoisan sauce, readers have substituted sweet chili sauce with good results. However, it's usually easy to find in the Asian section of the grocery store.
- Ginger: In a pinch, you can use dried ginger, but the flavor is enhanced with fresh ginger.
- Soy Sauce: You can use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for your easy lettuce wraps
- Other Vegetables: Bell pepper, cut into small pieces, or mushrooms can also be added to this recipe.
- Make it Hot or Not: The Sriracha sauce is optional. Use it if you like a little kick. Red pepper flakes are also a good option to take up the heat.
- Make-Ahead: This PF Chang copycat recipe is also a great make-ahead meal. Make your chicken mixture and then assemble when ready to eat.
What Lettuce is Used for Wraps?
So, it's a somewhat personal preference, but Iceberg, Boston, romaine lettuce, and butter lettuce seem to be the most popular, my favorites being iceberg and butter.
Asian wraps seemed to use iceberg lettuce a bit more. This type of lettuce gives them a nice crispness but can be hard to roll and fall apart, hence why some softer lettuces — like butter lettuce are used more regularly.
Some say this recipe is just like PF Changs lettuce wraps. Since this recipe is healthy and delicious with fresh ingredients, our family thinks it's better!
Serving Suggestions
We love these healthy lettuce wraps with just the lettuce to eat them. However, this Asian chicken recipe would also be good over brown rice, quinoa, noodles, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb dinner. This easy recipe also works as an appetizer.
How to Store
Refrigerator: If you have leftovers, store the chicken meat separately from the lettuce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Freezing: The chicken filling can be frozen for 2-3 months if stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container or ziploc bags sealed tightly.
More 30-Minute Easy Recipes
Do you love this Chicken Lettuce Wrap recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.
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Printable Recipe
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- pan
- Spatula or cooking spoon
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts, ground chicken or turkey)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- ¼ cup Hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha (optional)
Veggies
- ½ cup whole water chestnuts (drained and diced)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 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 ¼ cup) of chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf. Serve immediately.
Notes
-
- Chicken: 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, ground turkey, or leftover rotisserie chicken are also options for these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps.
- Pan: 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.
- Ginger: In a pinch, you can use dried ginger, but the flavor is enhanced with fresh ginger.
- Other Vegetables: Bell peppers, cut into small pieces, or mushrooms, can also be added to this recipe.
- Make it Hot or Not: 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, and again on February 19, 2024.
Erin Henry says
So easy and good flavor!
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.