My healthy chicken lettuce wraps feature juicy ground chicken and tender veggies swimming in an umami-forward Asian sauce and piled on crisp lettuce leaves. It’s a quick, low carb weeknight meal!
Need more Asian appetizer ideas? Try my Asian cucumber salad, summer rolls, or crab rangoon next.
It’s been years since I last went to P.F. Chang’s, but I can still remember their chicken lettuce wraps. I used to polish off an entire ‘appetizer’ by myself. Now that I think about it, do they even have this on their menu anymore?
Anyway, in an effort to recreate my favorite Asian recipes, I figured, why not start with the creme de la creme of Asian apps? I tried it with my family recently, and let’s just say they were fighting over the last one!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Low-carb, high-protein. By using lettuce to wrap the chicken, we shave off most of the carbs.
- A breeze to whip up. Just cook the chicken, sauté the veggies, and pile everything in your lettuce cups. From prep to plate, it takes only 15 minutes–or less.
- Customize it endlessly. Swap the protein, use different veggies, or follow my lead and cook everything separately so everyone can build their wraps.
- Surprisingly meal-prep friendly. So long as you keep the lettuce and fillings separate, this is actually one of the more meal-prep-friendly dishes you can make.
Ingredients needed
- Ground chicken. I prefer lean ground chicken, but standard ground chicken works just as well.
- Oil. Use any neutral cooking oil, like avocado or canola oil.
- Water chestnuts. You’ll need one can, diced. I usually find these in the Asian aisle of my mainstream grocery store.
- Bell pepper. Chopped. I used red bell pepper for extra color.
- Garlic cloves and ginger. Preferably fresh, peeled, and minced.
- Onion. Finely chopped.
- Salt and black pepper. Added to taste.
- Lettuce leaves. Look for a fresh head of romaine lettuce or butter lettuce. They should have large leaves with no bruising. Discard any wilted or browning leaves. Avoid iceberg lettuce or bibb lettuce, as I found them to be a bit too fragile.
For the sauce:
- Hoisin sauce. I refer to this as an Asian BBQ sauce. A little goes a long way and adds sweet and umami flavor.
- Soy sauce. For added savory flavor. Use low sodium soy sauce if desired.
- Rice vinegar. For acidity and subtle sweetness. It’s sometimes referred to as rice wine vinegar.
- Sesame oil. My secret ingredient for any Asian recipe. Avoid using this as your cooking oil, as it would be too overpowering.
- Cornstarch. To thicken the sauce.
How to make ground chicken lettuce wraps
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the sauce. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 2- Cook the chicken. Add chicken to a hot, well-oiled large skillet and cook until no pink remains. Push the chicken to the side of the pan.
Step 3- Sauté the veggies. Add the vegetables and stir fry until vibrant and tender. Add the sauce and toss to coat.
Step 4- Assemble. Simmer until warm, then pile the chicken mixture into the lettuce cups and serve immediately.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t assemble until the last minute. Or else the filling will make the lettuce soggy.
- Swap the protein. Use ground turkey, ground pork, or lean ground beef.
- Gluten-free. Use gluten-free hoisin sauce and coconut aminos.
- Garnish. Sprinkle the wraps with green onions or crushed peanuts for extra crunch.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the chicken filling in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. The filling should last 3-4 days. Store the lettuce separately for 1-2 days.
To freeze: Freeze the filling in a freezer-safe container for 3 months.
Reheating: Warm the chicken in a hot pan or microwave for 30-40 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Any type of large leafy green will be good as a wrap, but I often find that romaine or bibb lettuce works best because they hold lots of toppings without breaking up.
It depends on the size of the leaves, but generally, 3-4 large lettuce leaves per serving is a good amount to start with.
If I can’t find lettuce leaves sturdy or large enough to hold the filling, I often use collard greens instead.
More ground chicken recipes
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In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch, until combined.
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Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken, break it apart, and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until no longer pink.
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Push the chicken to one side of the pan, add the chestnuts, bell pepper, garlic and onion and stir fry for several minutes.
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Add the sauce and cook everything together for 1-2 minutes, until everything is evenly coated.
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Place the filling in the lettuce cups and serve immediately.
TO FREEZE: Freeze the filling in a freezer-safe container for 3 months.
TO REHEAT: Warm the chicken in a hot pan or microwave for 30-40 seconds.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 12gFat: 8gSodium: 518mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 3gVitamin A: 7106IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 11g
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished October 2024
