Chicken Lettuce Wraps: A Global Gastronomic Adventure

Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Craving those amazing chicken lettuce wraps from your favorite restaurant? You can now make them at home! This recipe delivers all the same great taste, but at a fraction of the cost. If you’ve never tried a chicken lettuce wrap, you’re in for a treat! This easy-to-follow recipe makes enjoying them at home incredibly simple.

Each bite is a burst of deliciousness. The ground chicken filling is perfectly balanced with a mix of savory, salty, and tangy flavors. Nestled in crisp lettuce leaves and topped with crunchy wonton strips, these chicken lettuce wraps are seriously addictive.

Don’t let the ingredient list intimidate you; these wraps are remarkably simple to make. With two sauces – one for the filling and one for serving – many ingredients overlap, making the preparation process efficient.

The best part? You can prepare the filling and sauces in advance! This makes them perfect for quick lunches or easy dinners. Just heat up a portion of the filling and assemble your wraps whenever the craving strikes!

Ingredient Notes

• Ground Chicken: Lean and a great source of protein, ground chicken is a fantastic choice. However, feel free to substitute with ground turkey, pork, or beef based on your preference.
• Mushrooms: Finely chopped mushrooms add a savory, meaty texture without adding extra calories or fat.
• Fresh Garlic and Ginger: A powerful combination! Finely minced garlic and ginger, along with a touch of oil and salt, season the meat beautifully.
• Coleslaw Mix: For ease, buy pre-made coleslaw mix. Or, shred your own cabbage finely.
• Water Chestnuts: Make sure you finely mince these for a wonderful crunchy texture in the wraps.
• Green Onions and Fresh Cilantro: Green onions add both color and a subtle onion flavor. Cilantro provides a fresh, herbal note.
• Sauce Ingredients: The flavorful sauce brings all the filling ingredients together. You’ll need soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sriracha.
• Dipping Sauce: Optional, but recommended! The dipping sauce uses more soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and minced ginger, plus a touch of honey for sweetness.
• Lettuce Leaves: Choose large, intact lettuce leaves for wrapping. Romaine, Bibb, butter lettuce, or iceberg lettuce work best. Ensure the leaves are clean and completely dry.
• Chopped Peanuts or Wonton Strips: Optional, but these add a fantastic crunch.

How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Step-by-Step

Prep. Before you start cooking, have everything ready to go. Mince the garlic and ginger. Chop the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and green onions. Mix together the ingredients for both the filling sauce and the dipping sauce (if using).

Sauté. Begin by lightly sautéing the minced garlic and fresh ginger in a large skillet. Add the ground chicken and finely chopped mushrooms, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked.

Add vegetables. Stir in the coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage), chopped water chestnuts, and chopped green onions. Stir-fry until the cabbage just begins to soften.

Stir in sauce. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha to taste. Mix well and heat everything through. Remove from heat, stir in the fresh cilantro, and your filling is ready.

Dipping Sauce (Optional): Decide whether you want to include the dipping sauce. It isn’t strictly necessary, as the filling has a ton of flavor on its own. The dipping sauce is simply a mix of soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, honey, and fresh ginger. It tastes amazing and also works as a great salad dressing!

Recipe Variations & Customizations

• Try Different Meats: Feel free to use ground turkey if you prefer. For a seafood twist, swap in a couple of cans of baby shrimp for the chicken (or check out our
  sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wraps).
• Dipping Sauce Swaps: Sweet chili sauce is a great alternative to the dipping sauce. It complements the wraps beautifully. If you love a bit of heat, add extra sriracha to your sauce.
• Serve on Rice: Instead of lettuce, serve the chicken and vegetable mixture over steamed rice.
  Instant Pot jasmine rice is perfect every time!
• Add a Crispy Side: Serve the wraps with tasty sides such as
  air fryer crab rangoon or
  air fryer egg rolls.

Make-Ahead Tips

Prepare the filling and sauce up to 3 days ahead. Store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Reheat the filling in a skillet on the stove or microwave until heated through. Assemble and serve as directed.