These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are seriously a game-changer! An easy healthy dinner on the table in 30 minutes made with fresh ingredients & a perfect balance of sweet & spicy bold flavors. With tender chicken, crunchy veggies and a (DELICIOUS) creamy peanut sauce. Serve it up in lettuce cups and enjoy!
As a dietitian, I am all about helping you make simple healthy recipes for busy weeknights. And these lettuce wraps are great for when you want something light that won't make you so full that you need to unbutton your pants, but still delicious and satisfying!
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my easy & colorful Spring Roll in a Bowl, Egg Roll in a Bowl made with cabbage slaw, or Asian Crunch Salad.
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Key Ingredients and Substitution Ideas
These Thai lettuce wraps are made with simple ingredients. Below are notes & substitutions. The ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Base Ingredients
- Ground Chicken - a budget friendly lean protein. It also provides additional nutrients including iron and zinc.
- Red Bell Peppers & Matchstick Carrots - fresh veggies that add flavor and provide important nutrients including vitamins A and C.
- Water Chestnuts - I love using water chestnuts which is one of the ingredients in the Asian chicken lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang and many Thai food restaurants. They are a low calorie way to bulk up the filling and add crunch. And they provide quite a few nutrients like dietary fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. You can find them in a can in the the Asian food aisle at most grocery stores in the states.
- Green Onions - to add more flavor. Yellow onion or red onion would work too.
- Fresh Garlic & Ginger - two of my favorite ingredients to add tons of flavor and antioxidants. I suggest using fresh and I mince the garlic and grate the ginger root using a citrus zester. If you don't have fresh, you can use garlic and ginger powder. If doing so, use 1 teaspoon of each.
- Cilantro - fresh herbs added at the end for more color and antioxidants.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I use olive oil to cook the chicken in. It's a heart-healthy oil great for sauteeing. Avocado oil would work here too.
- Crisp Lettuce Leaves - I like to use butter lettuce leaves (bibb lettuce). Other options are to tear the leaves of a head of lettuce like romaine lettuce or use iceberg lettuce for a nice crunch. I suggest doubling up on the leaves so the fillings don't fall out.
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce - this serves as the base of the sauce. For a gluten-free option, use coconut aminos.
- Peanut Butter - for adding that popular peanut taste often found in thai food.
- Fresh Lime Juice - for tons of flavor and to balance the strong peanut butter taste.
- Honey - to add a hint of sweetness. You can use maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown sugar in place of honey. Hoisin sauce would even work here.
- Rice Vinegar - or rice wine vinegar for a bit of tang.
- Toasted Sesame Oil - just a tiny amount adds tons of flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes - optional for a bit of heat. I suggest leaving it out if you're serving this recipe to young kids or someone who is sensitive to spice.
How to Make Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Below are the directions for how to make this recipes with some of my best tips. The full recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Prep the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk everything together until it's emulsified. Set aside.
- Step 2: Prep the veggies. Chop the bell pepper, water chestnuts, garlic, and green onion (separate the white part from the green part). Grate the fresh ginger. I use matchstick carrots that are already chopped, but if you are using a whole carrot, chop it into small matchstick sized pieces. Rinse the lettuce leaves.
- Step 3: Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the white part of the green onions. Heat 1-2 minutes until they start to soften. Add the chicken and break it apart with a wooden spoon or masher. Cook 6-7 minutes until it's no longer pink and almost cooked through.
- Step 4: Add the garlic and ginger & then the veggies. Stir in the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Add the red bell pepper, carrots, and water chestnuts. Cook 2-3 minutes until the veggies soften a bit.
5. Step 5: Add the sauce and finishing touches. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cook another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the green part of the green onions and fresh cilantro.
6. Step 6: Assemble. Add a couple scoops of the chicken filling to your lettuce cups and enjoy!
Hint: this recipe moves fast once you start cooking so be sure to make the sauce and chop the vegetables before you turn on the heat!
Dietitian Tip
These lettuce wraps are a low carb meal option. You can balance it out by adding a side of cilantro lime rice or quinoa! This will help you feel more full for longer!
Video of How to Make Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Here's a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the best parts about making Thai chicken lettuce wraps at home is you can customize them to your taste! Below are some ideas.
- Spicy - these have a little spice if you add the red pepper flakes. But if you want them more spicy, double or triple the amount of red pepper flakes or add 1-2 tablespoon of sriracha.
- Gluten-Free - replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or low sodium gluten-free tamari to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Different Vegetables - feel free to substitute with your favorite vegetables in place of (or in addition to) the ones listed in the recipe! Some great additions would be shredded cabbage and mushrooms.
Equipment
You'll need a good nonstick skillet for this recipe. I use my Caraway skillet which is a non-toxic PFOA and PTFE free saute pan.
Meal Prep & Storage for Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Meal prep - a make ahead tip is to chop the vegetables in advance so that when you're ready to cook the wraps, this cuts down on prep time so that everything comes together super quickly in 20 minutes or less. You can also prep the sauce in advance and give it another good stir before using it.
- Refrigerator Storage - store leftover chicken mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer Storage - let the chicken mixture cool completely and store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then re-heat in the skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Experts Tips
- Chop the red pepper and water chestnuts into small pieces to help them cook evenly and get a little crunch in every bite.
- Whisk the sauce really well. It will take a bit of stirring to get the peanut butter to emulsify with the other ingredients!
- I suggest doing 2 leaves of lettuce per wrap to make it extra sturdy.
- Feel free to double up on the sauce if you like things very saucy.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone based on health goals, this is a nutrient-rich option. It contains high quality protein from the chicken which also provides important nutrients like vitamin B12 and iron. The variety of vegetables in this recipe provide several different nutrients including dietary fiber for gut health, antioxidants + vitamins, C and A. And the sauce contains peanut butter which provides heart-healthy fats. This is a low-carb recipe. To balance it out, I suggest serving it with rice.
I personally use butter lettuce leaves! If you want a more sturdy option, romaine lettuce is a great option.
For sure! Just make the filling in advance and when you're ready to serve all you need to do is get the lettuce rinsed and assemble.
Absolutely! Ground turkey or ground pork would work too.
No, this is not a gluten-free recipe because soy sauce contains gluten. You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the soy sauce with coconut aminos or gf low sodium tamari.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 3 green onions
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 (8 oz can) water chestnuts
- 4 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 in ginger root (or ~2 teaspoon when grated) ( or 1 teaspoon ginger powder)
- ¼ cup cilantro
- butter lettuce leaves for serving
For Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter
- 2-3 tablespoon lime juice (~1 lime)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoon water (as needed to thin sauce out)
Instructions
- Prep the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk everything together until it's emulsified. Set aside.
- Prep the veggies. Chop the bell pepper, water chestnuts, garlic, and green onion (separate the white part from the green part). Grate the fresh ginger. I use matchstick carrots that are already chopped, but if you are using a whole carrot, chop it into small matchstick sized pieces. Rinse the lettuce leaves.
- Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and once hot, add the white part of the green onions. Heat 1-2 minutes until they start to soften. Add the chicken and break it apart with a wooden spoon or masher. Cook 6-7 minutes until it's no longer pink and almost cooked through.
- Add the garlic and ginger & then the veggies. Stir in the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Add the red bell pepper, carrots, and water chestnuts. Cook 2-3 minutes until the veggies soften a bit.
- Add the sauce and finishing touches. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cook another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Sitr in the green part of the green onions and fresh cilantro.
- Assemble. Add a couple scoops of the chicken filling to your lettuce cups and enjoy!
- Hint: this recipe moves fast once you start cooking so be sure to make the sauce and chop the vegetables before you turn on the heat!
Video
Notes
- Chop the red pepper and water chestnuts into small pieces to help them cook evenly and get a little crunch in every bite.
- Whisk the sauce really well. It will take a bit of stirring to get the peanut butter to emulsify with the other ingredients!
- I suggest doing 2 leaves of lettuce per wrap to make it extra sturdy.
- Feel free to double up on the sauce if you like things very saucy.
- Meal prep - a make ahead tip is to chop the vegetables in advance so that when you're ready to cook the wraps, this cuts down on prep time so that everything comes together super quickly in 20 minutes or less. You can also prep the sauce in advance and give it another good stir before using it.
- Refrigerator Storage - store leftover chicken mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer Storage - let the chicken mixture cool completely and store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then re-heat in the skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave.
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