These Chinese lettuce wraps are a quick, healthy, and delicious dinner. Packed with savoury chicken, crisp vegetables, and a tangy peanut sauce, they are delicious and easy.
You'll love my pork lettuce wraps, easy Asian chicken noodles, spicy Korean chicken and, Chinese lemon chicken.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Quick Preparation: Ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Healthy and Low-Carb: Lettuce wraps replace traditional carb-heavy wraps, making this a light and nutritious recipe.
- Flavorful Sauce: The combination of peanut butter, soy sauce, and Sriracha adds a rich, savory, and slightly spicy taste.
- Versatile Ingredients: Can be customized with various vegetables and proteins based on preference.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Ideal for parties or family dinners, allowing everyone to create their own wraps.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Chicken breast: This lean protein acts as the base for our filling.
- Lettuce(Butterhead, Green Leaf, or Romaine): Offering a fresh and crunchy wrap, lettuce provides a healthy and low-carb alternative to traditional bread wraps.
- Fresh Vegetables: These bring colour, texture, and an extra dose of nutrients, adding a satisfying crunch and freshness to every bite.
- Peanut butter: The creamy and flavourful base of our sauce, adds depth and a hint of nuttiness.
- Soy Sauce: Lends a rich, savoury, umami flavour to our sauce, accentuating the taste of the chicken and vegetables.
- Sriracha Sauce: Infuses a spicy kick into our dish, balancing the creamy peanut butter and savoury soy sauce.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic & fresh ginger: Adds a depth of flavour to the dish and a warm spicy undertone to the chicken.
- Garnishes: Use them all, or pick your favourites- green onions, fresh coriander, crushed peanuts, lime wedges
- Optional add-ins: water chestnuts, mushrooms, baby corn and sugar snap peas.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Chinese Lettuce Wraps recipe step-by-step
- Make the Asian-style peanut sauce
- Begin by whisking together the sauce ingredients. This key step brings together flavours that define our chicken lettuce wraps. *Add in some chilli flakes or an extra spicy kick.
- For a sweeter sauce use a combination of hoisin sauce and sweet chilli sauce until you have the flavour and consistency that you're looking for.
- Cook the chicken lettuce wrap filling
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Use a wok or skillet over medium heat to brown the chicken. Ensure thorough cooking. *A cast iron skillet is a great choice here. They help create crispy chicken.
- Dice the fresh vegetables quite small so that they blend well into the chicken. We don't want large, chunky vegetables here.
- Stir in the prepared sauce to the chicken and vegetables mix. Let it simmer until everything is well-coated.
- Serving the Asian lettuce wraps
- Make sure that the lettuce has been washed, dried and trimmed. Scoop a large spoon full of the saucy chicken and vegetable mixture and place it in a lettuce cup.
- Top with chopped peanuts, spring onions and freshly chopped coriander. Serve with lime wedges.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
If you're unable to use some ingredients, consider these options:
- Protein: You can use chicken mince (ground chicken), ground turkey, or ground beef in place of the chicken breast.
- Oil: Peanut, olive, or avocado oil can be used as per your preference.
- Sauce: For a soy or wheat allergy, coconut aminos or tamari can replace soy sauce.
- Other nut or seed butter can be used instead of peanut butter.
- Serving: If you would like to add some carbs to this recipe you can add some noodles or rice to the lettuce wrap before filling it with the saucy chicken.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Crisping the Lettuce: Soak lettuce leaves in ice water for 10 minutes before serving to make them extra crisp.
- Caramelizing Soy Sauce: When adding soy sauce to the chicken, allow it to caramelize slightly in the pan for a richer, deeper flavor.
- Lime Zest: Add some lime zest into the filling for a burst of citrus flavor that brightens the dish without adding extra liquid.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftovers in the fridge by separating lettuce and filling to prevent sogginess.
- Freezer: Although best eaten fresh, the chicken filling can be frozen for future use for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat the chicken filling in a skillet or microwave before serving.
❓Recipe FAQ's
What is the best lettuce for lettuce wraps?
Butterhead, baby gem, and romaine lettuce varieties work well for their crisp texture and pliability.
Can I use other meats instead of chicken?
Absolutely! You can replace ground chicken with diced chicken breasts, ground turkey, or ground beef.
Can I store leftovers for later?
Yes, you can. However, remember to store the lettuce and filling separately to maintain the best texture.
Looking for more Asian-inspired recipes? Try these:
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Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
These Chinese Lettuce Wraps are a delicious, healthy option for a quick lunch or dinner. The combination of savoury chicken, crisp vegetables, and a tangy peanut sauce makes for a bold flavour profile.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) ground chicken or boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 head of Butterhead, Green Leaf, or Romaine lettuce, leaves separated
- 75-100 g (1 cup) mixed vegetables, carrots and bell peppers, finely diced
- 60 ml (¼ cups) peanut butter, *see notes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil, peanut, olive, or avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Crushed peanuts for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Making the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, and Sriracha sauce until smooth. Set aside.
Cooking the Chicken:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and ginger, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until fully cooked and browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the mixed vegetables. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly tender.
- Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Serving the Lettuce Wraps:
- Spoon the chicken and vegetable mixture into the lettuce leaves.
- Garnish with green onions, fresh cilantro, and crushed peanuts.
- Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, replace soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the ground chicken with tofu or tempeh.
- For added crunch, include chopped water chestnuts or bean sprouts in the chicken mixture.
- Avoid overcooking the vegetables; they should retain a slight crunch.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, keeping the filling and lettuce separate to avoid sogginess. Reheat the filling before assembling the wraps.
- If peanut butter is thick, microwave it for 10 seconds to loosen the consistency.
Nutrition
Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
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Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
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