Asian Lettuce Wraps With Chicken Wellplated Com

I first wrote about the start of my love affair with Asian lettuce wraps back when I shared this recipe for copycat P.F. Chang’s vegetarian Lettuce Wraps. My love for them hasn’t dwindled in the slightest since then. P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps are made of less accessible ingredients that I’m not as likely to have around, like mirin and shiitake mushrooms and are packed with sugar (a reason why lettuce wraps are high in carbs). When I set out to create a copycat version, it was important to me that they be made with simple ingredients that are easy to find at most grocery stores. You may even have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!

Just like my Asian Chicken Wraps, these easy lettuce wraps are fancy without being fussy and flavorful without requiring hours of work.They can be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Each option is equally as delicious, so choose whichever fits best with your schedule.Whether you’re looking for a simple recipe that will impress anyone you serve it to, an easy weeknight dinner with wholesome ingredients, or a nutritious stand-in for your weekly takeout order, these Asian lettuce wraps are for you.

These healthy lettuce wraps have the same sweet crunch and addictive taste as my original vegetarian recipe, but they’re made with ground chicken instead of tofu. They also offer a few other advantages over the original. While a clean plate is the most sincere of compliments for any home cook, as a lover of meal prep (and anytime I can cook once and eat more than once), I also recognize the benefit of having leftovers. Today’s recipe for healthy Asian lettuce wraps yields a more generous portion of the filling. Any amount you don’t finish tonight will last in the refrigerator for several days and can be frozen for several months, making them a meal prep dream.

How to Make Asian Lettuce Wraps

What makes this recipe special is its blend of nuanced flavors and textures, along with a well-balanced incorporation of healthy food groups. Every spoonful provides double-duty servings of both protein and vegetables. From the “Why can I not stop eating this???” tasty sauce, to the crunch of the water chestnuts, the ingredients blend together beautifully. Every bite delivers.

The Ingredients

Ground Chicken. Ground chicken is quick-cooking, mild, and it will soak up the flavor of the sauce without overpowering it. Perfect! Plus, it’s packed with filling protein.

Hoisin + Soy Sauce. The sweet, sticky, salty, and umami base for our sauce. Think of hoisin as sweet Asian BBQ sauce (YUM!).

Rice Vinegar. It provides a touch of acidity to balance the sweetness of the hoisin and saltiness of the soy sauce. It’s a staple in Asian-style recipes like this one. You can also use it in any of these recipes that use rice vinegar.Sesame Oil. A richly nutty and toasty counterpart to the sweetness in our sauce. This one is hard to swap; if you cook Asian food often (or aspire to), you’ll love having it on hand.Ginger + Garlic. Twin flavor bombs in Asian cooking. Fresh ginger is best but you can swap in one-third the amount of ground ginger in a pinch.Mushrooms + Grated Carrots. Even if you don’t like mushrooms, I highly doubt you will notice them here! They are chopped super small, and their flavor deepens the sauce without making it taste like mushrooms. Plus, the added veggies help make this dish more nutritious. Mushrooms bring antioxidants and vitamins, and carrots are packed with fiber. Red Pepper Flakes. Just a little for some heat.Water Chestnuts. The delicious “crunch” factor. They are mild but oh so worthwhile.Butter Lettuce. Butter lettuce is the kind of lettuce used for lettuce wraps. The leaves are tender and slightly sweet, making them the ideal vessel for our filling.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Leftover filling can be stored in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store your lettuce separately in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the refrigerator. I like to wrap my lettuce leaves in a dry paper towel or clean kitchen towel before placing them in the container/bag to help preserve their crunch.To Reheat. Gently rewarm the filling in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this recipe in the microwave. Fill lettuce cups just before serving.To Freeze. Place leftover filling in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and serve with fresh lettuce cups.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Slow Cooker. I love that it switches to “keep warm” at the end of the cooking time so my food rarely overcooks.Dutch Oven. This one is perfect for browning the meat and preparing lettuce wraps recipes on the stovetop.Measuring Spoons. These are easy to store and can go in the dishwasher.

Whether you’re new to lettuce wraps or consider yourself a lettuce wrap connoisseur, I hope you’ll give this tasty recipe a try!

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