Are filled with seasoned ground chicken, tender vegetables and a delicious savory Asian sauce served on crisp lettuce leaves. Prepared in less than 30 minutes, they’re perfect for a busy weeknight meal or hearty appetizer.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Who needs Chinese takeout when you can make delicious chicken lettuce wraps that taste even better right at home? They are loaded with so much flavor they can easily be served as a light dinner or lunch, but they also make the perfect party appetizers. The best part is that you can make the filling in advance. Then, when you’re ready to serve them just reheat it and add it to lettuce cups and garnish.

If you’ve ever had PF Chang’s lettuce wraps, then you’ll understand why this recipe always gets rave reviews. It has a lot of those same delicious flavors as the restaurant version, but because you control how much of the ingredients you add, you can tailor them perfectly to your own taste. If you love Asian-inspired food as much as we do, you should also try these Asian Noodle Shrimp Bowls and this incredible Mongolian Beef Stir Fry.

Why We Love This Recipe

• Basic ingredients – No need for a trip to a specialty market. This recipe uses all simple ingredients you can get at any grocery store.
• Versatile – You can serve these wraps any time of the day. From a delicious lunch or light dinner to a great appetizer at your next dinner party, they are always a huge hit.
• Easy to tailor to your taste – You control the amount and what type seasonings you use. This is perfect for when you’re serving kids and adults.
• Delectable Sauce – The sauce for these wraps is so delicious, you can make extra and serve over ramen noodles or rice as a savory side dish that’s sure to be a family favorite. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders or grilled shrimp.

What’s in Asian Lettuce Wraps?

For the Chicken

• Olive oil
• White or yellow onion
• Ground chicken
• Red bell pepper
• Green bell pepper
• Canned water chestnuts, drained and diced
• Salt
• Black pepper

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

• Soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
• Hoisin sauce
• Sesame oil
• Minced garlic
• Minced ginger
• Peanut butter
• Sriracha (optional but recommended)

For Serving

• Sesame seeds
• Chopped spring onions (green onions)
• Romaine lettuce leaves

How to Make Asian Chicken Wraps

Step One: Sauté the Onion

• In a large skillet add olive or vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until onion softens and becomes translucent.

Step Two: Cook the Chicken

• Add ground chicken and cook until browned around 6-7 minutes.

Step Three: Add the Vegetables

• Add in the water chestnuts and the sliced bell peppers. Cook them on medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the peppers soften a little.

Step Four: Make the Asian Peanut Sauce

• In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients given under sauce.
• Drizzle the savory sauce into the chicken mixture until the chicken and veggies are well coated with the sauce.
• Let it simmer in the same large pan on low heat until nice and warm.
• Season with salt and pepper if preferred.

Step Five: Assemble and Serve

• To serve, spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the cooked chicken mixture into the center of the lettuce leaf.
• Top it with some chopped spring onions and sesame seeds.

Asian Lettuce Wrap Variations

• Chicken – Instead of ground chicken, you can use finely chopped chicken breast. You can also swap it up and use a mixture of ground pork, ground turkey or ground beef along with or in place of the chicken.
• Peanut butter – You can replace peanut butter with almond butter or cashew butter if you prefer. If you have a nut allergy, you can use seed butter like Sunbutter, which is made from sunflower seeds.
• Veggies – Feel free to add other veggies. Sliced shiitake mushrooms, matchstick carrots, bean sprouts even thin slices of sautéed zucchini are popular choices.
• Heat level – if you like your lettuce wraps with a kick of heat, try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce. If you want a sweeter sauce, you can add a little brown sugar to the sauce and allow it to heat until dissolved.
• Crunch factor – Add a little crunch to these wraps by using crunchy peanut butter or by adding in chopped roasted peanuts or cashews.

How to Store Leftover Asian Chicken Wrap Filling

• Refrigerator – You can store the cooked and cooled filling in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezer – Cool the mixture to room temperature and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Label the outside with the date you prepared it. For best results, you should eat it within 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• To reheat – You can simply reheat the chicken mixture in the microwave or in a large skillet over medium-high heat. If it seems a little thick, just add a little water until it’s at the desired consistency.

What is the Best Lettuce to use for Wraps?

For this Asian lettuce wrap recipe, we recommend using romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce or butter lettuce leaves. You can use any type of leafy green you prefer, like Chinese lettuce or Bok choy, as long as the leaves are large enough and are sturdy enough to support the filling.

Other Ways to Serve the Filling

Lettuce wraps are a great low carb and very healthy way to serve the chicken mixture. But for other creative ways to serve leftovers, you can just spoon mixture over a bed of Jasmine Rice, cauliflower rice, on top of a garden salad or wrapped in flour tortillas. You can even serve the chicken filling by itself or alongside of your favorite side dishes.