Why these 20-minute Thai lettuce wraps beat takeout
When life gets a little chaotic it’s nice to know you have a quick, easy, and feel-good go-to meal (like this Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe) in your back pocket.
Whether you are trying to eat better and low-carb, or just like to meal prep a dinner or lunch recipe ready for the week, these chicken lettuce wraps fit the bill.
The ground chicken mixture is combined with a bit of oil and diced carrots. Then, a semi-sweet, kinda’ spicy soy sauce-based sauce is prepared. All of it is tossed together to form the filling in under 20 minutes!
(If you’ve ever had the PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps, this recipe is very similar but with a few less ingredients!)
You can then top with a drizzle of this creamy Peanut Sauce Recipe to kick the flavor up another notch!
My favorite aspect of these ground chicken Thai lettuce wraps… they actually taste good served hot, cold, or anything in between! They are the perfect balance of bold flavor and fresh veggies so many love about Thai food. Serve them for lunch time or a fresh dinner and be amazed.
I have made this so many times without leaving a review. This is so good!! I make a little extra sauce and throw in some pre-shredded coleslaw mix and we love it!
– Cheryl
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Chicken. For the most authentic flavor, stick with ground chicken. You can sub in ground beef or ground turkey, but it won’t taste quite the same.
- Carrots. You’ll want finely diced carrots so they become tender and evenly dispersed.
- Thai sauce. It’s quick and easy to make your own Thai sauce with soy sauce (or Tamari), fresh lime juice, brown sugar or honey, fish sauce (essential for flavor!), Sriracha sauce, and ginger paste.
- Lettuce. You want a sturdy, broad-leaf head of lettuce, like Bibb, Boston, or Iceberg so it will hold the filling without falling apart. You should easily find one that works at the grocery store.
How to Make Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
1. Cook the carrots
Add one tablespoon of oil to a large, non-stick skillet. Add the carrots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the garlic with a wooden spoon and continue to cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. The carrots should be tender and the garlic fragrant.
It saves SO much time!
Since it’s super important to get the garlic pretty small for this recipe, a garlic press like this one is a lifesaver!
It’s easy to use, finely minces the garlic, and does it in a fraction of the time as chopping it up by hand.
2. Add the meat
Push the carrots and garlic to the side of the pan. Drizzle the last tablespoon of oil into the skillet. Stir in the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir occasionally while cooking. When the meat is almost cooked through, crumble the chicken with a potato masher or large fork.
3. Make the sauce and serve
Stir together the soy sauce, fresh lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, Sriracha sauce, and ginger paste. Carefully stir the mixture into the chicken filling.
Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 3 minutes.
Enjoy this Thai chicken right away by scooping some into crisp lettuce leaves or cups, then topping with peanuts, cabbage, and green onions.
Skip the chopping
Grab a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead of slicing the cabbage yourself. It is a real time-saver on a busy weeknight.
FAQs
The best lettuce to use in a lettuce wrap is Boston, bib, Iceberg, or even Romaine or Butter lettuce. You’ll want large leaves that are relatively sturdy.
Easy Thai chicken lettuce wraps are usually made of fresh ingredients in a savory filling of ground chicken, carrots, and seasonings mixed with a soy sauce-based dressing and served in a lettuce wrapping.
Yes! The chicken filling can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Just warm it back up in a skillet before spooning it into the lettuce leaves.
Store the chicken filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet on the stove.
Ground chicken gives the most authentic flavor, but ground turkey or ground beef both work well as a substitute if that’s what you have on hand.
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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Ingredients
Ground Chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup carrots finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 pound ground chicken
Thai Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce or Tamari gluten-free*
- 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar or honey
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce depending on spice
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or fresh, minced
Lettuce Wraps
- 1 head butter leaf lettuce Bibb, Boston, or Iceberg
- ¼ cup peanuts dry roasted, salted
- ½ cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the Veggies: In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of oil and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until carrots become soft. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 30-60 seconds.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup carrots, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the Meat: Push the vegetables to the side and add the remaining tablespoon of oil with the chicken. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until almost cooked through. Crumble ground chicken using a potato masher or the back of a large fork.1 pound ground chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Make the Sauce: In a medium-sized bowl combine Thai sauce ingredients and whisk until combined. Mix sauce into the ground chicken mixture and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 3 minutes.⅓ cup soy sauce or Tamari, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoon fish sauce, 1-2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce, 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- Serve Thai chicken mixture immediately in lettuce wraps or cups with peanuts, cabbage and green onions. Enjoy!1 head butter leaf lettuce, ¼ cup peanuts, ½ cup thinly sliced red cabbage, ¼ cup green onions
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Notes
- Lettuce: Choose large, sturdy leaves like butter, Bibb, or romaine that can hold plenty of filling without tearing.
- Chicken: Break the ground chicken into small crumbles as it cooks so it’s easy to spoon into the lettuce cups.
- Heat: Adjust the Sriracha to taste, starting with less and adding more for extra spice.
- Sauce: Let the filling simmer for a few minutes after adding the sauce so the chicken absorbs the flavor and excess liquid cooks off.
- Toppings: Add shredded cabbage, carrots, green onions, or chopped peanuts just before serving for fresh crunch.
- Prep Ahead: Make the chicken filling 1 to 2 days ahead, then reheat and assemble the wraps just before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate the filling separately from the lettuce for up to 3 to 4 days so the leaves stay crisp.
- Freezing: Freeze the chicken filling for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Chicken Lettuce Wraps?
While these are delicious on their own as a good-for-you lunch or snack, you can easily add any of these sides to round it out.
You can always go with Chicken Fried Rice, Mango Coconut Rice, or White Rice.
Don’t miss out on Thai Quinoa Salad.
Or, add some extra veggies with Asian Cucumber Salad or Honey Roasted Broccoli.
More Lettuce Wrap Recipes
Once you go low-carb and wrapped in lettuce, it is hard to look back. Here are a few more favorites worth putting into the dinner rotation.
What does the asterisk next to the sriracha sauce indicate please?
This meant the Sriracha was optional!
What is the serving size?
This recipe makes 4 servings, the exact amount will vary slightly each time you make it.
I have made this so many times without leaving a review. This is so good!! I make a little extra sauce and throw in some pre-shredded coleslaw mix and we love it!
Yay! I love hearing that you’ve made this so many times. So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Cheryl! That’s a great idea to add coleslaw mix. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I loved these! Made them tonight and they were so tasty.
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and rating 🙂
These were good, except the soy sauce needs to be cut in half. It was almost not edible. And I love salt. I will make again cutting the soy sauce to 1/8. Or even cutting the fish sauce to 1/2 teaspoon.
Thanks for the feedback!
Yes, very salty! I wish I’d seen this comment before I made the recipe. I liked it but would definitely use low-sodium soy sauce next time.
Thanks for the feedback, Melanie! A reduced sodium soy sauce should do the trick!
These look so incredibly good. I will be meal prepping these this week and let you know how they turn out.
Yay!! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂