These Thai chicken lettuce wraps make a delicious appetizer or lighter main dish that you can make at home. They are full of flavor!
I love making my restaurant faves at home. These were inspired by the lettuce wraps at PF Chang, and they are absolutely delicious.
Side note: If you like Asian-restaurant-inspired recipes, you may also want to check out chicken fried rice and Thai coconut tofu soup. 😉👌🏻
And if you need a vegan/ vegetarian version of these lettuce wraps, check out my tofu lettuce wraps recipe.
Ingredients
For tastiest results, always use the highest quality ingredients you have access to.
To make this Thai chicken lettuce wraps recipe, you will need the following:
- sesame oil
- onion
- garlic
- ginger
- ground chicken
- Tamari (low sodium) or soy sauce, coconut aminos
- Thai sweet red chili sauce (we love Trader Joe’s)
- lime juice
- maple syrup or honey, agave
- cashews
- scallions/ green onion
- cilantro
- shredded carrots
- Sesame seeds (optional, for topping)
- butter lettuce
Butter lettuce is my favorite, and it is what I highly recommend and am using here. Feel free to substitute with your favorite large leaf lettuce.
You can use soy sauce, Tamari (gluten free), or coconut aminos. I prefer low sodium, but again, any type works. As well as the sweetener of your choice (honey, maple syrup or agave).
Making Thai chicken lettuce wraps
Here is how you can make Thai chicken lettuce wraps. It is super simple, y’all.
Make the garlic, ginger pan sauce. Heat up a pan to medium high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onions. Toss and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions start to brown and turn translucent. Then add in the garlic and ginger. Toss that all together and let it cook for 2 minutes.
Cook the chicken. Add the ground chicken to the pan, tossing it in the pan sauce while breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown and there is no more pink, about 3-4 minutes.
Make the Thai chili sauce. Meanwhile, add the soy sauce, chili sauce, lime juice, and honey to a small bowl and mix to combine.
Add the sauce to the chicken. Sprinkle the chopped cashews over the chicken in the pan and pour in the sauce. Toss that all together, reduce the heat to low and let that all cook for 2 more minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the carrots, chopped scallions and cilantro.
Assemble the Thai chicken lettuce wraps
To assemble the lettuce wraps, open one of the lettuce leaves and add a large spoonful of the chicken mixture into the wrap and top it with some of the pan sauce and sesame seeds.
Continue until you have made all of the lettuce wraps. Y’all enjoy, and let me know if you try it!
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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These Thai chicken lettuce wraps make a delicious appetizer or lighter main dish that you can make at home. They are full of flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup onion diced, I used yellow. White onion works too.
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger or ginger paste
- 10 oz ground chicken
- ¼ cup Tamari (low sodium) or soy sauce, coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce (we love Trader Joe's)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey, agave
- ⅓ cup cashews chopped – raw or roasted/salted
- ¼ cup scallions chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- ¼-½ cup carrots shredded
- Sesame seeds for topping
- 1 head butter lettuce – leaves removed rinsed and dried – see notes
Instructions
-
Make the garlic, ginger pan sauce. Heat up a pan to medium high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onions. Toss and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions start to brown and turn translucent. Then add in the garlic and ginger. Toss that all together and let it cook for 2 minutes.
-
Cook the chicken. Add the ground chicken to the pan, tossing it in the pan sauce while breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown and there is no more pink, about 3-4 minutes.
-
Make the thai chili sauce. Meanwhile, add the soy sauce, chili sauce, lime juice, and honey to a small bowl and mix to combine.
-
Add the sauce to the chicken. Sprinkle the chopped cashews over the chicken in the pan and pour in the sauce. Toss that all together, reduce the heat to low and let that all cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the carrots, chopped scallions and cilantro.
-
Assemble the lettuce wraps. To assemble the lettuce wraps, open one of the lettuce leaves and add a large spoonful of the chicken mixture into the wrap and top it with some of the pan sauce and sesame seeds. Continue until you have made all of the lettuce wraps.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. It will vary, based on how much filling you put in your wraps, but info is for approximately 2 wraps.
Notes
To prepare the lettuce, carefully tear each leaf away from the bulb and rinse each leaf carefully under light running water. Then place the clean leaves on a clean paper towel to dry before using them to assemble the wraps.
Laurel says
This is so good! Even my picky eater loved it! Thank you for this recipe!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So happy to hear this Laurel!🙌🏻
Lois O’Neill says
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yes it is gluten free, Lois🙌🏻 As long as you use Tamari instead of soy sauce (regular soy sauce has gluten). I have no dietary restrictions, and Tamari is my go-to…so no flavor difference. Enjoy!
Jan says
Awesome recipe! It will be a regular for me. I did add diced water chestnuts. Thanks for the recipe!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Jan! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it🙌🏻
Hayley says
Made this tonight for dinner for my husband who is doing a low carb thing. So delicious. He has asked for this to be added to our regular meal rotation. Thank you for such a flavorful, easy and healthy meal!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay Hayley! So happy to hear this.
Hayley says
Made this tonight for my husband who is doing a low carb thing. So delicious. He has asked for this to be added to our regular meal rotation. Thank you for such a flavorful, easy and healthy meal 🙂
Bells says
Delicious!!! I made mine with spicy sweet chili and it was so yummy
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Glad you enjoyed it!❤️
Caré de Wet says
Delicious! I added a pineapple and chilli salsa on top and a a dollop of yoghurt and mint! Amazing combo
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yum! So glad you enjoyed it🙌🏻
Laurie says
Soooo delicious! I love garlic, ginger, soy sauce recipes…I used ground turkey. Love the flavors and all the healthy veggies! Thank you
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay Laurie!! So glad you are enjoying it💕
Karen Oliver says
I haven’t tried this yet but I know it will delicious. I am curious if this could be made in a crock pot and what adjustments would be needed.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Karen! I have never tried to make this in a crock pot, so I could not say for sure.
Pauline O’Neill says
I made this for dinner so used chicken breast cut into small pieces and served on rice. Also I omitted the carrot and used lemmon instead of lime and honey rather than maple. As we are heading towards summer (Australia) I think this will be a favourite either hot or cold as it is a delicious meal. I will make it again and again. Thank you for the recipe. 💐
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad you enjoyed it Pauline!
Caroline Klas Chang says
oh my! Didn’t start out great because my ground chicken was frozen, BUT I handled that and this was a great recipe! I didn’t have green onion or Sriracha, but added some chopped celery, and shredded carrots, and it was GREAT! Definitely will be added to my RECIPES TO TRY AGAIN folder. Very tasty, and so fast!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it.