WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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COOK TIME
10 min
TOTAL TIME
20 min
SERVINGS
6-8 lettuce cups
These simple Chicken Lettuce Wraps are made with ground chicken, crunchy vegetables, and a homemade sweet and savory sauce, all piled into crisp butter lettuce. They come together in just 20 minutes, making them an easy dinner for weeknights when you need something quick that still packs in the flavor!
Is anyone actually skilled at eating lettuce wraps? Because I am not. I usually have sauce running down my hands and chicken falling out everywhere, while my daughter has been eating them like a pro since she was a toddler. She would tear off a piece of lettuce, grab some chicken, and pop it right into her mouth without making nearly the mess I did. These really aren’t a messy food. I’m just a messy eater who also happens to like a lot of sauce!
I LOVE these lettuce ground chicken wraps because they’re quick, easy, and filled with so many good things. Ground chicken cooks in a sweet and savory sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice wine vinegar, while carrots and water chestnuts add crunch.Spoon everything into crisp butter lettuce and dinner is ready in about 20 minutes.
The ingredients are simple, and the filling is easy to customize with whatever you have on hand. Add extra vegetables, make the sauce a little spicy, or swap the lettuce for tortillas. The leftover chicken is also really good over a salad for an easy lunch the next day!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Olive Oil – Helps brown the ground chicken and keeps it from sticking to the skillet. Any neutral cooking oil will also work such as avocado oil.
Ground Chicken – The base of the filling and a lean protein that cooks in just a few minutes without any excess oil. Break it into small crumbles as it cooks so it is easier to spoon into the lettuce leaves.
Garlic – Adds a savory flavor that balances the sweetness of the hoisin sauce. Freshly minced garlic gives the filling the best flavor.
Onion – Adds flavor and a little texture to the chicken mixture. Dice it fairly small so it softens quickly and fits easily inside the lettuce cups.
Hoisin Sauce – Gives the chicken its sweet, salty, and slightly tangy flavor. Keep a little extra nearby if you like your lettuce wraps saucy like I do.
Soy Sauce – Adds saltiness and savory flavor to the sauce. Use low sodium soy sauce if you want more control over the amount of salt.
Rice Wine Vinegar – Adds acidity that cuts through the sweetness of the hoisin sauce. Make sure you use rice wine vinegar and not seasoned rice vinegar, which contains added sugar and salt.
Fresh Ginger – Adds a warm, slightly spicy flavor that works especially well with the garlic and soy sauce. Grating it helps it blend evenly into the filling without leaving behind large spicy pieces.
Sriracha – Adds heat without overpowering the other flavors. It is completely optional, or you can serve it on the side so everyone can choose how spicy they want their wraps.
Shredded Carrots – Add color, a little sweetness, and extra texture.
Water Chestnuts – Give the filling its crunch and stay crisp even after being heated. Drain them well and dice them into small pieces before adding them to the skillet.
Green Onions – Add a mild onion flavor and a fresh finish to the chicken mixture. Thinly slice both the white and green portions.
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – Bring out the flavors in the chicken and vegetables. Taste the filling before adding much salt since the soy sauce and hoisin sauce are already salty.
Butter Lettuce – Its soft, flexible leaves make the best cups for holding the chicken filling. Gently separate, rinse, and thoroughly dry the leaves so the wraps do not become watery.
How To Make Crunchy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Cook the ground chicken: Add the olive oil to a large skillet and warm it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground chicken and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring until it is browned and no longer pink.
Add the sauce and aromatics: Stir in the minced garlic, diced onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, and Sriracha if using. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the onion begins to soften and the chicken is evenly coated in the sauce.
Add the vegetables: Stir in the diced water chestnuts, shredded carrots, and sliced green onions. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the vegetables are warmed through but still have some crunch, then taste the filling and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
Assemble the lettuce wraps: Separate the butter lettuce leaves and place them on a serving plate. Spoon the ground chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf, then serve with extra soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or Sriracha if desired. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Separate the butter lettuce leaves before you start cooking so they are ready when the filling is hot. Work from the outside of the head inward and gently pull each leaf away from the base to keep it from tearing.
Dry the lettuce leaves very well with a salad spinner or clean kitchen towel after washing them. Water left on the lettuce dilutes the sauce and makes an already slippery wrap even harder to hold.
Chill the cleaned lettuce leaves while you prepare the filling. Cold, crisp lettuce holds its shape better against the warm chicken and gives the wraps a much better texture.
Dice the onion and water chestnuts into small, similar-sized pieces. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the ground chicken and are less likely to fall out with every bite.
Let the skillet get hot before adding the ground chicken. Starting with a properly heated pan helps the chicken brown instead of releasing too much liquid and steaming.
Use a wide skillet so the ground chicken has enough room to cook in a single layer. An overcrowded pan traps moisture, which can leave the filling watery and prevent the chicken from browning.
Leave the chicken alone for a minute before breaking it apart. That brief contact with the hot skillet develops more browning and gives the filling a deeper savory flavor.
Drain excess liquid from the skillet before adding the sauce if the chicken releases a lot of moisture. The finished filling should be saucy enough to coat the chicken without pooling in the bottom of the lettuce cups.
Keep the carrots and water chestnuts slightly crisp by cooking them only until warmed through. That crunch is an important!
Let the filling rest for 2 to 3 minutes before assembling the wraps. The sauce will thicken slightly as it sits and will be much less likely to run.
Ways To Customize
One of the best things about making lettuce wraps of any kind is that you can make them your own! You can change up the protein, veggies, sauce, and even the eating vehicle to whatever you enjoy!
Protein: Crumbled tofu, ground beef, chickpeas, ground turkey, ground pork, shredded chicken, finely chopped shrimp, lentils, tempeh, plant-based ground meat
Wrap: Flour tortillas, corn tortillas, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, cabbage leaves, collard green leaves, rice paper wrappers, pita bread, naan
Veggies: Bell peppers, mushrooms, shredded cabbage, zucchini, broccoli slaw, snap peas, bean sprouts, edamame, cucumbers, celery, corn, bok choy
Sauce: Teriyaki sauce, sweet chili sauce, peanut sauce, General Tso’s sauce, orange sauce, Korean barbecue sauce, sesame ginger sauce, spicy mayo, yum yum sauce, garlic chili sauce, coconut aminos, tamari
Storage Instructions
Storing: Store the cooked chicken filling and lettuce leaves separately so the lettuce stays crisp. Allow the filling to cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The filling can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months, but the lettuce should not be frozen because it will become watery and wilted. Thaw the filling overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm the chicken filling in a skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated throughout. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. The filling can also be enjoyed cold straight from the refrigerator in a lettuce wrap or over a salad.
FAQ
How much filling should I add to each lettuce leaf?
Start with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken filling per leaf. Overfilling makes the wraps much harder to fold and usually ends with half the chicken landing back on the plate.
How do I separate the lettuce leaves without tearing them?
Cut the base from the head of lettuce and gently loosen the leaves under cold running water. The water works its way between the layers and helps the leaves release without as much pulling.
Can I use two lettuce leaves for one wrap?
Yes, layering two smaller or thinner leaves creates a sturdier lettuce cup and helps catch any filling that falls through. This is especially helpful with the smaller leaves near the center of the head.
Do canned water chestnuts need to be cooked first?
Canned water chestnuts are ready to eat once drained, so they only need to be warmed in the skillet. Adding them near the end keeps them crisp instead of softening them too much.
Is rice wine vinegar the same as rice vinegar?
Rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar are generally two names for the same type of vinegar and either can be used here. Avoid seasoned rice vinegar because it contains added sugar and salt that can change the flavor of the sauce.
Can I prepare the chicken filling ahead of time?
Yes, the filling can be fully cooked ahead and reheated when you are ready to eat. Keep the cleaned lettuce leaves in a separate container lined with paper towels so they stay cold and crisp.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
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Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I LOVE these chicken lettuce wraps! They are really easy, quick and a healthy meal to throw together on a busy weekend night. It’s literally just browning some chicken, adding sauce, then filling up a large lettuce leaf.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha, optional
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 head butter lettuce
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium to high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in water chestnuts, shredded carrots and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon chicken mixture into the lettuce and eat taco style. Add soy sauce or hoisin sauce to taste as well. Enjoy!
Notes
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4 Responses
So delicious!! Made these tonight and have to double the recipe next time for sure!!
So happy you liked them! Love how easy they are too! I agree, doubling the recipe is a GREAT idea!
I see carrots in the picture but not in your recipe…?
You are right! I forgot to include those, I will add it now. Thank you for letting me know!