Best Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
These easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps are fresh, flavorful, and ready in just 20 minutes! Made with juicy ground chicken, crunchy water chestnuts, sautéed veggies, and a savory Asian-inspired sauce, they’re the perfect healthy weeknight dinner or crowd-pleasing appetizer. Low-carb, gluten-free friendly, and totally customizable, these lettuce wraps are a lighter, better-than-takeout meal you’ll make again and again.
Servings: 4
Cost: $12
Equipment
- skillet
- cutting board
- chef's knife
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha or chili-garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
For the Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken 93–98% lean
- 1 small yellow onion very finely chopped
- 6 oz mushrooms finely chopped (shiitake or cremini)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 cup canned water chestnuts finely diced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced (divided: whites for cooking, greens for garnish)
To serve
- 1 large head butter Boston/Bibb lettuce, separated into cups
- Sesame seeds optional
- Shredded carrots or cucumber matchsticks optional crunch
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine hoisin, soy, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, brown sugar, and broth. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken; cook 4–5 minutes, breaking into small crumbles, until no longer pink.
- Add onion, mushrooms, and the white/light-green parts of the green onions. Cook 3–4 minutes until tender and most moisture cooks off.
- Stir in garlic and ginger, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sauce to the skillet, simmer 2–3 minutes, stirring, until glossy and slightly reduced.
- Stir in water chestnuts and cook 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasonings, to taste. (more sriracha or soy, if needed).
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with remaining green onions and sesame seeds. Spoon into lettuce cups. Squeeze with lime, add veggies if you like, and serve with sprouts, sesame seeds and chili paste.
Notes
- Lettuce Options: Butter lettuce is ideal for tender, flexible wraps, while romaine offers a sturdier, crunchier option. Avoid iceberg, which tends to tear easily.
- Sauce Adjustments: Love extra saucy wraps? Increase the sauce ingredients by 1.5x. Add a splash of hoisin for sweetness or sriracha for heat.
- Make Ahead: The filling can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
- Serving Tip: These wraps are great on their own or served with steamed jasmine rice, noodles, or a fresh cucumber salad.
- Storage: Leftover filling keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Store lettuce separately to keep it crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 920mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg