Chicken Lettuce Wraps (2024)

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are easy, healthy, and better than P.F. Chang’s! Tender ground chicken and veggies are cooked in an outrageously addictive, sweet-and-salty Asian sauce, then piled inside crisp lettuce cups.

Why You’ll Love This Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

• Simple Ingredients. As with my vegetarian Lettuce Wraps, it was important to me that these chicken lettuce wraps be made of everyday ingredients that are easy to find at most grocery stores. You may even have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!
• No Muss, No Fuss. Just like my Asian Chicken Wraps, these easy lettuce wraps are flavorful without requiring hours of prep time. They can be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Each option is equally as delicious, so choose whichever fits best with your schedule.
• Leftovers Are a Dream. Like my Egg Roll in a Bowl, these lettuce wraps yield a generous portion of the filling, and any amount you don’t finish will last in the refrigerator for several days or can be frozen for several months. Simply grab some fresh lettuce leaves and you have a meal prep dream.
• Healthier Than a Restaurant. As with all my stir fry recipes, these Thai chicken lettuce wraps have the same sweet crunch and addictive taste as the restaurant kind, but they’re so much better for you. Every spoonful provides double-duty servings of both protein and vegetables.

How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The Ingredients

• Ground Chicken. Ground chicken is quick-cooking, mild, and it will soak up the flavor of the sauce without overpowering it. Perfect!
• Hoisin + Soy Sauce. The sweet, sticky, salty, and umami base for our sauce. Think of hoisin as sweet Asian BBQ sauce (YUM!). I use low sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium levels lower, but tamari or coconut aminos can also be used.
• Rice Vinegar. It provides a touch of acidity to balance the sweetness of the hoisin and the saltiness of the soy sauce.
• Sesame Oil. A richly nutty and toasty counterpart to the sweetness in the sauce for these Asian chicken lettuce wraps. This one is hard to swap; if you cook Asian food often (or aspire to), you’ll love having it on hand.
• Ginger + Garlic. Twin flavor bombs in Asian cooking. Fresh ginger is best but you can swap in one-third the amount of ground ginger in a pinch.
• Mushrooms + Grated Carrots. Even if you don’t like mushrooms, I highly doubt you will notice them here! They are chopped super small, and their flavor deepens the sauce without making it taste like mushrooms.
• Red Pepper Flakes. Just a little for some heat.
• Water Chestnuts. The delicious “crunch” factor. They are mild in flavor but so worthwhile.
• Butter Lettuce. Butter lettuce is the best for lettuce wraps (bibb lettuce works well too). The leaves are tender and slightly sweet, making them the ideal vessel for our filling. The inner hearts of romaine lettuce will also work well, and in a pinch, you can use iceberg lettuce for lettuce wraps, if that’s what you have on hand.

Optional Chicken Lettuce Wrap Toppings

This recipe is ready to enjoy as is, but you can certainly incorporate some toppings if you please. I think chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, or crispy chow mein noodles would be tasty options. Chili crisp is also delicious if you want to add some more heat.

The Directions

1. Prepare the Sauce. A liquid measuring cup works well for this.

2. Brown the Chicken. Add the green onions, ginger, and garlic to the pan.

3. Cook. Transfer all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Serve. Assemble the chicken lettuce wraps and ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Beef Lettuce Wraps. Swap the ground chicken in this recipe for lean ground beef. The flavor will be different but still tasty.
• Pork Lettuce Wraps. Swap the ground chicken for ground pork. (Love pork in Asian recipes? Don’t miss my Pork Stir Fry with peanut butter.)
• Turkey Lettuce Wraps. Use ground turkey instead of ground chicken. This swap is nearly imperceptible.
• Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Since lettuce wrap recipes like this one are designed for cooking ground meat (versus a whole chicken breast), I’d recommend making this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken or this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, then folding it into lettuce cups.

Storage Tips

• To Store. Leftover filling can be stored in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store your lettuce separately in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the refrigerator. I like to wrap my lettuce leaves in a dry paper towel or clean kitchen towel before placing them in the container/bag to help preserve their crunch.
• To Reheat. Gently rewarm the filling in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this recipe in the microwave. Fill lettuce cups just before serving.
• To Freeze. You can freeze chicken lettuce wraps filling. Place leftover filling in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and serve with fresh lettuce cups.

What to Serve With Chicken Lettuce Wraps

• Salad. Salad goes well with chicken lettuce wraps. Asian Cabbage Salad and Asian Cucumber Salad would both be tasty.
• Veggies. Pair lettuce wraps with Roasted Frozen Broccoli, Air Fryer Green Beans, or Roasted Eggplant.
• Noodles. Vegetable Lo Mein would be delicious with lettuce wraps for dinner.
• Rice. Keep it simple with white rice or brown rice, or pair these lettuce wraps with Egg Fried Rice.

• Slow Cooker. I love that it switches to “keep warm” at the end of the cooking time so my food rarely overcooks.
• Dutch Oven. This one is perfect for browning the meat and preparing lettuce wrap recipes on the stovetop.
• Measuring Spoons. These are easy to store and can go in the dishwasher.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Cook on Low. I do not recommend cooking the meat for Asian chicken lettuce wraps on high in the slow cooker. Low heat is the best option to ensure a tender, perfectly cooked filling.
• Don’t Overstuff. If you don’t mind filling slipping out of your lettuce, then feel free to stuff away! However, if you want to serve perfectly portioned, easy-to-eat lettuce wraps (think dinner party), then use less filling per lettuce cup.
• Keep Your Lettuce Separate. Refrigerate your lettuce separately to help it stay crisp. I wrap my lettuce leaves in a dry towel before placing them in the storage container to help preserve their crunch.