These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a fresh, interactive meal that’s both fun to eat and surprisingly simple to make. Tender ground chicken is cooked with water chestnuts and mushrooms in a glossy, sweet-savory sauce, then scooped into cool, crisp lettuce cups. This recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor in under 30 minutes.
Love Chicken Lettuce Wraps? So do we! If you're into Chicken Recipes or curious about Dinner Ideas, you'll find plenty of inspiration below.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Fresh & Light: Crisp lettuce cups make every bite hydrating and vibrant.
- Addictive Flavor: Sweet-savory sauce clings perfectly to the savory filling.
- Crowd-Pleasing Fun: Interactive assembly is a guaranteed conversation starter.
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes for a sophisticated weeknight meal.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 lb ground chicken (a mix of dark and light meat is ideal for flavor)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (like avocado or canola)
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 8 oz can of water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
- 4 oz shiitake or cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1-2 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional, for heat)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 head of butter lettuce, Boston Bibb, or iceberg, leaves separated
Tools: A large skillet or wok, a wooden spoon or spatula, and a small bowl for mixing the sauce.
Notes: Don’t skip the water chestnuts—they provide an essential, satisfying crunch. Fresh ginger and garlic make a world of difference.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 285 kcal |
| Protein: | 24 g |
| Fat: | 12 g |
| Carbs: | 18 g |
| Fiber: | 3 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Choose your lettuce wisely. Butter lettuce or Boston Bibb are my top choices because their cups are pliable and have a lovely, mild flavor. Iceberg works too for its extreme crunch, but the cups can be more fragile.
- Don’t skip the prep. Have all your vegetables chopped and your sauce mixed before you start cooking. Things move quickly once the chicken hits the pan, and you won’t have time to mince garlic while managing the heat.
- Embrace the fine chop. You want all your filling ingredients—the onion, water chestnuts, mushrooms—to be finely diced. This ensures every scoop into the lettuce cup has a bit of everything and makes the filling easier to eat.
- Consider the mushroom swap. If you’re not a mushroom fan, you can leave them out, but they add a wonderful, meaty umami depth. Finely chopped celery can be a decent textural substitute if you must.
How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Step 1: Prepare all your components. This is your mise en place moment. Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the water chestnuts and mushrooms. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha (if using). Set this all aside near your stove. Gently wash your lettuce leaves and pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel—this helps them stay crisp and not get soggy. Arrange them on a large platter.
Step 2: Cook the aromatics. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until it becomes translucent and fragrant. You’ll notice the sharpness fading and a sweeter aroma taking over. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and stir constantly for just 30 seconds to one minute. Be careful not to burn them—you just want to wake up their flavors and fill your kitchen with that incredible smell.
Step 3: Brown the chicken. Add the ground chicken to the skillet. Use your wooden spoon to break it up into small, crumbly pieces. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through. You should see some nice browning on some of the pieces, which adds great flavor. If there’s a lot of excess liquid in the pan, you can drain a little off, but a bit is fine as the sauce will incorporate.
Step 4: Add the vegetables and sauce. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened slightly. Now, pour your pre-mixed sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir everything together to coat evenly. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. You’ll see the sauce thicken slightly and become glossy, clinging perfectly to the filling. The whole mixture should look rich and inviting.
Step 5: Finish and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in most of the sliced green onions, saving a few for a fresh garnish on top. Give the filling a final taste—you can adjust with a splash more soy sauce for saltiness or a drizzle of sriracha for heat. To serve, transfer the warm filling to a bowl and place it alongside your platter of crisp lettuce leaves. Let everyone assemble their own wraps at the table, spooning the filling into the lettuce cups and topping with the reserved green onions.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store filling in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze filling for up to 3 months; thaw in fridge before reheating.
- Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to refresh the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Jasmine Rice — A small bowl of fluffy jasmine rice on the side is perfect for anyone who wants to make their wrap a bit heartier or simply enjoy the extra filling with a spoon.
- Quick-Pickled Vegetables — Thinly sliced carrots, cucumbers, or radishes quick-pickled in rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar add a fantastic, bright, and acidic crunch that cuts through the richness.
- Steamed Edamame — Lightly salted, steamed edamame pods are a simple, healthy, and fun side that everyone can snack on while assembling their wraps.
Drinks
- Iced Green Tea — The clean, slightly grassy notes of a chilled green tea are a wonderful, non-alcoholic palate cleanser that complements the savory-sweet flavors without overpowering them.
- Crisp Lager — A light, easy-drinking lager with its subtle carbonation and clean finish helps balance the umami and slight spice of the filling beautifully.
- Gewürztraminer — This aromatic white wine, with its notes of lychee and slight sweetness, is a classic pairing for Asian-inspired dishes and works magically with the hoisin and ginger.
Something Sweet
- Mango Sorbet — The bright, tropical fruitiness of a simple mango sorbet feels incredibly refreshing after the savory wraps and cleanses the palate perfectly.
- Fortune Cookies — It’s a little cliché, but it’s also genuinely fun. The sweet, vanilla-like crunch is a lovely, light way to end the meal on a playful note.
- Lychee Fruit — Serving fresh, chilled lychees to peel and eat is a unique, light, and naturally sweet dessert that feels special and continues the theme.
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Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Make delicious Chicken Lettuce Wraps at home in under 30 minutes! This easy recipe features a savory ground chicken filling. Get the step-by-step guide now!
Ingredients
For the filling:
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1 lb ground chicken
-
1 tbsp neutral oil
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1 yellow onion (finely diced)
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3 cloves garlic (minced)
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1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
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8 oz can of water chestnuts (drained and finely chopped)
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4 oz shiitake or cremini mushrooms (finely chopped)
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3 tbsp hoisin sauce
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2 tbsp soy sauce
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1 tbsp rice vinegar
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1 tsp sesame oil
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1-2 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce
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2 green onions (thinly sliced)
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1 head butter lettuce, Boston Bibb, or iceberg (leaves separated)
Instructions
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Prepare all your components. Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the water chestnuts and mushrooms. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha (if using). Set this all aside near your stove. Gently wash your lettuce leaves and pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel—this helps them stay crisp and not get soggy. Arrange them on a large platter.01
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Cook the aromatics. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until it becomes translucent and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and stir constantly for just 30 seconds to one minute. Be careful not to burn them—you just want to wake up their flavors and fill your kitchen with that incredible smell.02
-
Brown the chicken. Add the ground chicken to the skillet. Use your wooden spoon to break it up into small, crumbly pieces. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through. You should see some nice browning on some of the pieces, which adds great flavor. If there's a lot of excess liquid in the pan, you can drain a little off, but a bit is fine as the sauce will incorporate.03
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Add the vegetables and sauce. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened slightly. Now, pour your pre-mixed sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir everything together to coat evenly. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. You'll see the sauce thicken slightly and become glossy, clinging perfectly to the filling. The whole mixture should look rich and inviting.04
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Finish and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in most of the sliced green onions, saving a few for a fresh garnish on top. Give the filling a final taste—you can adjust with a splash more soy sauce for saltiness or a drizzle of sriracha for heat. To serve, transfer the warm filling to a bowl and place it alongside your platter of crisp lettuce leaves. Let everyone assemble their own wraps at the table, spooning the filling into the lettuce cups and topping with the reserved green onions.05
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