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These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are easy, healthy, and better than P.F. Chang’s! Tender ground chicken and veggies are cooked in an outrageously addictive, sweet-and-salty Asian sauce, then piled inside crisp lettuce cups.

Best chicken lettuce wraps on plate

Why You’ll Love This Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

  • Simple Ingredients. As with my vegetarian Lettuce Wraps, it was important to me that these chicken lettuce wraps be made of everyday ingredients that are easy to find at most grocery stores. You may even have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!
  • No Muss, No Fuss. Just like my Asian Chicken Wraps, these easy lettuce wraps are flavorful without requiring hours of prep time. 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.
  • Leftovers Are a Dream. Like my Egg Roll in a Bowl, these lettuce wraps yield a generous portion of the filling, and any amount you don’t finish will last in the refrigerator for several days or can be frozen for several months. Simply grab some fresh lettuce leaves and you have a meal prep dream.
  • Healthier Than a Restaurant. As with all my stir fry recipes, these Thai chicken lettuce wraps have the same sweet crunch and addictive taste as the restaurant kind, but they’re so much better for you. Every spoonful provides double-duty servings of both protein and vegetables. 
Asian chicken lettuce wraps

5 Star Review

“These were truly amazing! So delicious! They were a winner with the whole fam. “

— Sarah —

How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The Ingredients

  • Ground Chicken. Ground chicken is quick-cooking, mild, and it will soak up the flavor of the sauce without overpowering it. Perfect!
  • Hoisin + Soy Sauce. The sweet, sticky, salty, and umami base for our sauce. Think of hoisin as sweet Asian BBQ sauce (YUM!). I use low sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium levels lower, but tamari or coconut aminos can also be used.
  • Rice Vinegar. It provides a touch of acidity to balance the sweetness of the hoisin and the saltiness of the soy sauce.
  • Sesame Oil. A richly nutty and toasty counterpart to the sweetness in the sauce for these Asian chicken lettuce wraps. 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.
  • Red Pepper Flakes. Just a little for some heat.
  • Water Chestnuts. The delicious “crunch” factor. They are mild in flavor but so worthwhile.
  • Butter Lettuce. Butter lettuce is the best for lettuce wraps (bibb lettuce works well too). The leaves are tender and slightly sweet, making them the ideal vessel for our filling. The inner hearts of romaine lettuce will also work well, and in a pinch, you can use iceberg lettuce for lettuce wraps, if that’s what you have on hand.

Optional Chicken Lettuce Wrap Toppings

This recipe is ready to enjoy as is, but you can certainly incorporate some toppings if you please. I think chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, or crispy chow mein noodles would be tasty options. Chili crisp is also delicious if you want to add some more heat.

The Directions

Sauce for chicken lettuce wraps
  1. Prepare the Sauce. A liquid measuring cup works well for this.
Cooked ground chicken for lettuce wraps
  1. Brown the Chicken. Add the green onions, ginger, and garlic to the pan.
Filling for Asian chicken lettuce wraps
  1. Cook. Transfer all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.
  2. Serve. Assemble the chicken lettuce wraps and ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

  • Beef Lettuce Wraps. Swap the ground chicken in this recipe for lean ground beef. The flavor will be different but still tasty.
  • Pork Lettuce Wraps. Swap the ground chicken for ground pork. (Love pork in Asian recipes? Don’t miss my Pork Stir Fry with peanut butter.)
  • Turkey Lettuce Wraps. Use ground turkey instead of ground chicken. This swap is nearly imperceptible.
  • Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Since lettuce wrap recipes like this one are designed for cooking ground meat (versus a whole chicken breast), I’d recommend making this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken or this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, then folding it into lettuce cups.
Filling for copycat PF Chang's chicken lettuce wraps

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. You can freeze chicken lettuce wraps filling. 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.

Meal Prep Tip

Up to 1 day in advance, brown the meat as directed with the green onions, ginger, and garlic. Refrigerate the mixture in an airtight storage container until you’re ready to finish the recipe.

Thai chicken lettuce wraps

Leftover Ideas

Leftover lettuce wrap filling is scrumptious served over rice or noodles for an easy meal. You can also turn leftovers into a salad by serving them over lettuce.

What to Serve With Chicken Lettuce Wraps

  • 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 wrap recipes on the stovetop.
  • Measuring Spoons. These are easy to store and can go in the dishwasher.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Cook on Low. I do not recommend cooking the meat for Asian chicken lettuce wraps on high in the slow cooker. Low heat is the best option to ensure a tender, perfectly cooked filling.
  • Don’t Overstuff. If you don’t mind filling slipping out of your lettuce, then feel free to stuff away! However, if you want to serve perfectly portioned, easy-to-eat lettuce wraps (think dinner party), then use less filling per lettuce cup.
  • Keep Your Lettuce Separate. Refrigerate your lettuce separately to help it stay crisp. I wrap my lettuce leaves in a dry towel before placing them in the storage container to help preserve their crunch.
Chicken lettuce wraps made PF Chang's style

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

4.80 from 67 votes
Move over P.F. Chang's, these easy chicken lettuce wraps are even better! With ground chicken, fresh veggies, and a sweet-savory sauce. Yum!

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours 10 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon, use tamari to make gluten free
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground chicken breast
  • 1 small bunch green onions thinly sliced, white/light green and dark green parts divided
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 8 ounces baby bella cremini mushrooms finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup grated carrots from about 3 large carrots
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes reduce to 1/4 teaspoon or omit if sensitive to spice
  • 2 (8-ounce) cans water chestnuts drained and finely chopped
  • 2 heads butter lettuce

Instructions
 

  • Lightly coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir together the hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add the chicken and brown the meat, breaking it into small pieces. Continue cooking until no longer pink, about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the white and light green parts of the green onions, ginger, and garlic. Cook 30 additional seconds.
  • Transfer the meat mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, carrots, red pepper flakes, and sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours until the mixture is thickened and the chicken is ultra tender. (Do not be tempted to cook on HIGH, as the chicken will become tough.) Stir in the water chestnuts and green parts of the green onions.
  • To serve, separate the butter lettuce leaves and fill with the chicken mixture. Enjoy hot.

Video

Notes

  • TO MAKE ON THE STOVETOP: Prepare the recipe through step 2 in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chopped mushrooms, carrots, red pepper flakes, and sauce.  Reduce the heat to low and let cook until the chicken and mushrooms are very tender and the sauce has thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check and stir periodically. Stir in the water chestnuts and green tops of the green onions. Enjoy!
  • I do not recommend cooking this recipe on high in the slow cooker. The filling does best over low heat so that it becomes nice and tender.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 8), about 1 cup fillingCalories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 28gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 60mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10g

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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Recipe Rating





102 Comments

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  1. I LOVE lettuce wraps and my husband does, too.  I didn’t think about adding water chestnuts at the end and suppose they keep their crunch better that way.  I usually sprinkle chopped peanuts or sliced almonds at the end.  I like that flavor and crunch.  This will be my go-to wrap recipe.  Thank you!

  2. Ooo…lettuce wraps are always welcome in my house. Especially with asian flavors! These look amazing!

  3. I have made your veg Asian lettuce wraps many times and am VERY excited about this version – particularly the scale part of it. Thanks for another great recipe for me to add into my regular mix, Erin!

  4. These Asian lettuce wraps look ahhmazing!! Love that you used the crock pot to make the filling. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner meal prep! So versatile in either the lettuce wraps, over rice or in a salad! WINNING!! 5 stars

  5. These look amazing Erin!! I cannot wait to try! I love the tip for chestnuts! Hope you are having a great week!5 stars

  6. The flavor in these was amazing! Husband could not stop saying how good they were. Unfortunately I forgot to add the water chestnuts and scallions at the end. We had half of it left so I put them all in there. Looking forward to leftovers :)5 stars

  7. Made these for dinner tonight. Super yummy, of course! I thought the sauce would thicken and become a little stickier, but they were still delicious. Another one of your awesome recipes to add to my weeknight menus! Your blog has really added a lot of new yummy meals to our boring staples. Thanks so much!!!5 stars

    1. Jess, I’m thrilled to hear you’ve found some new favorite recipes, and I’m glad you enjoyed this one too. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this review!

  8. These look so amazing! I’m going to try these tonight! Could I make a bit more sauce separately to drizzle on top or should it only be cooked in with the slow cooker?

    1. Caitlyn, you’d be fine to make it separately or you can increase the amount that’s in the slow cooker. Totally up to you!

      1. Erin,
        I had the same question I like things to have more sauce then normal so do you think it would be ok to just double the liquids?

  9. Just found your recipe and it sounds amazing. Definitely going to try it. I had a question though. I like mushrooms, but my boyfriend is allergic, would omitting them change the flavor too much? If so, I’ll just make it for me, myself, and I. ;)

    1. Hi Jennifer! I want to update my prior comment—-I do think the mushrooms add some key flavor to this. THAT SAID, it would still be tasty without, just different. You might try adding a little Worcestershire sauce to recreate the umami, earthy flavor of mushrooms. That way you can both enjoy it!

  10. Thanks Erin! I wondered if it would change it, especially since they’re baby bella’s. I may try it with worchester sauce, but he may just be on his own too. Lol. ;)

  11. I made this tonight. It smells very good but the ingredients were very dry. There wasnt hardly any liquid to cook with. To keep it from burning, I cooked it for only an hour or so. It needed some other form of liquid besides the little bit of sauce mixture that was suppose to cook the meat and thicken. There was nothing there2 stars

    1. Billie, I am sorry to hear this! Other readers have tried it and had success. Could some of the liquid be missing from the sauce or did you use extra chicken or omit the mushrooms, which let off liquid too? Regardless, I know it’s disappointing to try a recipe and not have it it turn out, so I’m sorry that was the case here.

  12. Hi, could I  use ginger paste instead of fresh ginger ?  If so how much paste what are use ?  this looks absolutely delicious !

    1. Susan, do you mean the kind that comes refrigerated or frozen (so it’s fresh but pre-ground?). If yes, that’s totally fine! Follow the substitution amount on your package.

  13. ME OH MY! I made these lettuce wraps yesterday and they were DELICIOUS! I omitted the water chestnuts and the ginger but I did add sriracha at the very end, right before devouring my delicious lettuce wraps. Thank you for the great recipe! I love love love it!5 stars

  14. Hello! This recipe sounds amazing! I’d like to prepare it for a larger crowd. How would you recommend adjusting the recipe with 10 pounds of chicken? 

    1. Hi Diane! I’ve never more than doubled the recipe, so it’d be an experiment to do 5 times the recipe for 10 pounds. You’ll definitely need more than one pan and should cook it in batches to make sure that everything can saute properly/evenly.

  15. My family really loved this dish! I even got a dad joke out of it, “are you sure you’re not Chinese or something?” Terrible I know, but delicious and will definitely make again and again!5 stars

  16. This sounds like a perfect light dinner option. I would like to make for a work event that would be about 4 pm -but work all day too – how would you recommend cooking for that situation? Also would like to double recipe? 

    1. Hi Virginia, I’d recommend making the filling ahead and then warming it up for your work event and setting out the lettuce cups separately. I think doubling the recipe should work fine! I hope you enjoy!

  17. I had something similar in AZ last week and I can’t wait to try these. They look and the ingredients sound delicious. :-)

  18. My family and I liked this recipe very much. I made it over the stove rather than crock pot, simmered it for about 20 minutes, added a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Since chicken is very bland, there is a lot of sodium in the hoisin sauce and “low sodium” soy sauce to balance out the other ingredients. A plus is the amount of vegies in the recipe, making it a little healthier. Fresh water chestnuts would be great, but if not available, use a chopped up jicama. Jicama has more crunch and freshness than canned water chestnuts. Overall tasty recipe, makes a large amount for company dinner appetizer.5 stars

  19. Erin, these were fabulous!  Again, another well made recipe.  I brought these to work for my office staff and were quickly gobbled up. I love lettuce wraps but absolutely hate ginger. Instead of buying ginger to chop up, since I could never imagine myself buying ginger EVER, I used the ground ginger in the squeeze bottle. That way I can use in other stir fry recipes where it isn’t over bearing. One word of caution with this…….there wasn’t enough!  Cannot imagine that I’m saying this. If anyone is going to use the ginger paste then much more needs to be used. They were simple to make and the ease of the recipe yielded a great healthy success (minus not enough ginger on my own behalf). Thank you again for another fabulous recipe that I will make again. 5 stars

    1. Thank you SO much for leaving this kind review, Diane! I’m glad this recipe was a success for you and your office staff!

  20. Hi Erin, planning on making this for my daughter’s former college roommates gathering. I doesn’t say how many this recipe makes or how many it feeds. Please advise, there will be 7 people.

    Thank you,

    1. Hi Paula! This recipe yields 8 cups of filling, and a serving is about 1 cup of filling. This recipe should yield enough for 8 people, but you could always double the recipe if you’d like extra. I hope this helps and that everyone enjoys it!

      1. Thanks Erin – I did it 1 1/2 times, we had plenty (even some yummy leftovers). It was a HUGE success, a definite keeper & you now have 7 new fans!!

        1. You MADE my day! I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit, Paula! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!

  21. Hi Erin, I love your blog! This recipe looks so tempting. Are you able to provide nutrition information for the sodium content? Thanks!

    1. Hi Becky! Sodium content can vary so much based on the brands of ingredients used. I recommend using an online calculator like MyFitnessPal, which you can customize based on the ingredients you have to get a more accurate number. I hope this helps!

  22. These were truly amazing! So delicious! They were a winner with the whole fam. We switched to iceberg lettuce, it made a better vehicle in my opinion than the butter lettuce and had better flavor. My sauce never thickened up, though. Any ideas to help with that?? 5 stars

    1. Hi Sarah! Did you add anything that might’ve let off excess liquid during cooking? Next time, you could try adding a cornstarch slurry to help further thicken the sauce. I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!

  23. Awesome, As always :D I did this as a one pot recipe by sauteeing in the instant pot and using its slow cook option. So happy!5 stars

    1. Hi Donna! I haven’t tried the recipe this way, but ground turkey meat should work fine. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      1. This was delish! However, I should have drained the meat first. A bit watery compared to others. I will be making these again. Thank you.5 stars

  24. Easy to make, tasted wonderful! We served with brown rice and avocado. Great healthy meal! Thanks for sharing. 5 stars

    1. I’m so pleased to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Andrea! Thank you for sharing this kind review!

  25. These are by far one of my absolute favorite things to make and it’s the only way that I will eat leftover chicken! I just add the mixture over lettuce cold the next and you have a perfect lunch!5 stars

  26. This looks so good! Lettuce wraps are such a great way to reduce carb intake but still get lots of good nutrients!

  27. Thank you so much for this recipe! It was really easy, I did most of the chopping in the food processor. This is definitely going in all our meal plans from now on.5 stars

  28. AMAZING!!!
    I’ve made these a few times now and this recipe by far is the best!
    I don’t use mushrooms only because I don’t like them.  I also fry some rice noodles which makes it feel like that famous restaurant, only better!  Thank you thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe!5 stars

  29. Your recipe looks good, but all the ads on your page keep changing the location of the recipe and the page doesn’t stay still, just keeps reloading ads and pushing the page back up to the paragraph above the recipe. I know you need to monetize, but consider that frustration could turn readers away. I only tell you so you can make a correction to keep your readers’ attention.

    1. Hi Jane, I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you! I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. I do truly appreciate your feedback and apologize again for the inconvenience!

    1. Hi Christine! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so you’d be experimenting. If you omit it, the sauce won’t be as thick. If you decide to play around with a swap, I’d love to hear how it goes!

  30. This is under your Whole 30…but hoisin is not a Whole 30 compliant ingredient. Do you have a different recipe or a substitute? Maybe re-categorize this recipe if not, was super disappointed to see that ingredient. :-(

    1. Hi Wendy! If you need the recipe to be Whole30, you could use a Whole30 compliant hoisin sauce recipe (there are some good ones online) or omit it altogether. The sauce may not be as thick, but the recipe will still be tasty. I hope this helps!

  31. This was very good! I wanted to cook it using the stovetop instructions— it says prepare the recipe through step 2 but steps 1 & 2 do not say when to add the mushrooms, sauce, carrots, and pepper flakes. I felt a little lost! Maybe you can fix the instructions… It was my first time to cook with ginger. I didn’t buy enough or the right part. It was very stringy! But it all turned out and was very good!5 stars

  32. My friend recommended this recipe and am I glad that she did! It’s perfect as is, but also very customizable and still comes out great. Last time I made it, I added zucchini and used cabbage leaves in place of lettuce as a wrap and it was so yummy.5 stars

  33. Super easy, fast & delicious. Made it right on the stove top in under 15 minutes. The sauce was perfectly savory & a little sweetness. I would absolutely make this again.

    Did have some difficulty with the website glitching a lot, lots of pop ups.5 stars

    1. HI Brianna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! Sorry to hear about it glitching, we will definitely take a look at it.

  34. Absolutely Fabulous!
    Made this for Mother’s Day dinner. The prep was easy and done the night before. Everyone was very impressed and enjoyed the meal. Who knew this could be done in the slow cooker! This recipe is a keeper!
    Thanks!5 stars

  35. If you are going to brown the meat fully on the stove top, what is the point of moving it tothe slow cooker?! Just finish the dish on the stove by adding sauce and and let it reduce foe a few minutes

    1. Hi Beth! You can do it both ways, which I have both options listed in the recipe card. Some people like the convenience of the slow cooker. It helps marry the flavors together and keeps it warm for you, for when you want to serve it later. Hope this helps!

  36. These were amazing! I followed the instructions exactly but left out the water chestnuts. My family loved them and I will be making these again!5 stars

  37. I made this for dinner the other night, and it was SUCH a hit! It made enough for leftovers for us to enjoy a healthy lunch throughout the week, too! Another plus- it’s a slow cooker meal! With back to school upon us and my kids’ busy sports schedule, I am so excited to be able to add this to our rotation! Thanks, Erin! 🙂5 stars

  38. Oh my goodness. This was so good. PERFECTLY DELICIOUS! Just what I was craving and my husband loved it also. My whole family loves it even more than the original served at the chain restaurant. I doubled the recipe to have leftovers or to freeze. Thank you so much for the time and work you put in to make and share it!5 stars

  39. Loved this! I followed the recipe exactly with the exception that I used a diced up leftover rotisserie chicken breast instead of ground because I wanted to use it up. Served with egg rolls and chicken-veggie rice for a complete meal. The sauce was spot on. Thank you, I will make this again!5 stars

  40. These are delicious! My son is a picky eater, so I cut the veggies up really small. Luckily he approved of this recipe. The balance of flavors in the filling was spot on – the sweetness from the hoisin sauce, the tanginess from the rice vinegar, and the heat from the red pepper flakes all came together beautifully.5 stars