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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

4.75 from 8 votes
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posted: 06/11/20

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the perfect easy dinner recipe! They are ready in under 30 minutes, and have the best flavor – better than take out!

close up of a chicken lettuce wrap garnished with fresh diced green onions on a white plate

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you because it is two things that I love most – simple and delicious!

This is one of those recipes that once you make it you will think to yourself, “I can’t believe how easy that was . . . I am a rock star in the kitchen!” I can’t be the only one who talks like that in my head.

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are better than what you get at your favorite Asian restaurant, and they are truly easy to make. The ingredients are easy to find, and last in your refrigerator and pantry for ages, so you can make these all the time.

Maybe best of all, these are healthy chicken lettuce wraps. You will feel great after reading them.

Chicken Lettuce Wrap Ingredients

Before you stress about the ingredients in this recipe, I want you to keep in mind that they really are easy to find – no special trips needed. Not only that, but these ingredients keep in the refrigerator for a long time.

I’m also going to give you other recipes you can use them in.

  • Bibb or Boston Lettuce (more on this below)
  • Ground Chicken: This is is the foundation of the recipe, but you can also use ground turkey here.
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Hoisin Sauce: This dark thick sauce has a salty sweet taste to it. I also use it in my Stir Fry Noodles.
  • Soy Sauce: A staple in my house, I buy soy sauce in bulk because I love it in so many recipes. Most recently I used it making Chicken Fried Rice.
  • Rice Wine Vinegar: This vinegar has a unique flavor to it that is perfect in this recipe. I highly recommend investing in a bottle. It is also perfect for making my Teriyaki Chicken Thighs.
  • Minced Ginger: You can buy a ginger root and grate it or you can buy a tube if pre grated ginger that will last in your refrigerator. Use it in my Beef and Broccoli recipe!
  • Chili Paste: I love keeping a bottle of chili paste in the refrigerator. It is a simple way to give a nice kick to your recipes. If your family loves spice double it! If they don’t, you can leave it out. Try it in my Easy Ramen Bowls.
  • Water Chestnuts: Do not skip these! They are what give Lettuce Wraps their signature crunch. I also love them in Szechuan Chicken.
  • Green Onions
overhead of a pan on a cutting board holding the filling to chicken lettuce wraps with two heads of Bibb lettuce next to it

What is Bibb Lettuce

Bibb Lettuce is a lettuce that matures early in really small tight heads. The tightness of the heads makes for the perfect size lettuce cups for chicken lettuce wraps.

Bibb Lettuce also has a great texture for this recipe. The leaves are hearty enough to hold the ingredients, but it also has this beautiful soft buttery texture. I also love this lettuce on sandwiches and burgers.

You could also use Boston Lettuce.

close up of a spoon dishing up the filling for pf Changs chicken lettuce wraps

How To Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps

As mentioned above, this recipe is very simple to make. I’m going to break down the steps here so you can see how easy it is. Make sure you scroll to the bottom to get more detailed printable instructions.

  1. Cook the garlic and onion until tender.
  2. Add the ground chicken, breaking it up and cooking it.
  3. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the sauce.
  4. Finally add the sauce, green onions, and water chestnuts and cook for another minute.
  5. Serve in Bibb Lettuce cups.
overhead view of a pan with the filling for healthy chicken lettuce wraps garnished with raw diced green onion

Servings

This recipe works really well for an appetizer or a meal for four. It makes roughly 3 cups of filling, meaning you can make 12 Chicken Lettuce Wraps using 1/4 cup for each one.

Make Ahead

You can make the filling of this recipe the day before. Before serving, put it in a skillet over low heat, covered. Stir occasionally until it heats through.

If your mixture is too dry, whisk together:

  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Stir this in to make the mixture more saucey.

three asian chicken lettuce wraps sitting on a white plate garnished with fresh green onions

Other Appetizers for Dinner

You know how much I love appetizers. And you also know that I would love to make a meal out of them. If you are like me, try some of these other appetizers that do double duty as dinners.

If you make this Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you, and other readers love knowing someone else has tried it!

close up of a chicken lettuce wrap garnished with fresh diced green onions on a white plate
4.75 from 8 votes

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Serves: 4 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the perfect easy dinner recipe! They are ready in under 30 minutes, and have the best flavor – better than take out!

Ingredients

  • 12 leaves Bibb Lettuce or Boston Lettuce (1 head should be enough)
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or sesame oil)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (you can substitute apple cider vinegar in a pinch)
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste (more for a spicier recipe)
  • 8 ounces water chestnuts drained and diced
  • 4 green onions diced 3 inches into the green

Instructions

  • Place a skillet over medium heat and cook olive oil. Add in the garlic and diced yellow onion and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Add the ground chicken, cooking and breaking it up.
  • While the chicken is cooking whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and chile paste to make the sauce.
  • Once the chicken is cooked, stir in the sauce, water chestnuts, and 1/2 of the diced green onions. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Serve in Bibb Lettuce and top with the remaning scallions and sesame seeds.
Calories: 314kcal (16%) Carbohydrates: 25g (8%) Protein: 24g (48%) Fat: 17g (26%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 68mg (23%) Sodium: 1284mg (56%) Potassium: 177mg (5%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 16g (18%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: asian
close up of a chicken lettuce wrap garnished with fresh diced green onions on a white plate

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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Matt Robinson says

    5 stars
    I was looking for an easy dinner recipe tonight and so glad I came across this. Thanks!

  2. Trish Gillogly says

    5 stars
    Made for dinner this evening; so delicious and healthy!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Trish!

  3. Marcy says

    5 stars
    Lisa,
    Brian and I made this delicious recipe and loved it. Really, really good!!!!

    • Lisa Longley says

      Awww, this makes me so happy!! I’ms o glad you guys liked it.

  4. Michelle U. says

    I would like to omit the soy sauce. Would it make a difference to the recipe? If so, what would be a good substitute? Allergy to soy. Thank you. Looks delish and would love to try this!!!

    • Lisa Longley says

      Have you ever tried coconut aminos? I have heard really good things about them as an alternative to soy sauce. I would caution you to use a little less at first and taste to adjust for salt.

  5. Gloria says

    Thanks for the recipe. I will be making it.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I hope you love it!

  6. Milann Ruddy says

    I have made this before and one time I had forgotten the water chestnuts but I did have fresh jicama so I minced it up and used it as a substitute and it was just as crunchy and delicious as using the water chestnuts.

    • Lisa Longley says

      What a great substitute! I wouldn’t have thought of that.

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