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Chicken Lettuce Wraps (PF Chang's Copycat)
4.9 from 318 votes

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (PF Chang's Copycat)

Chicken Lettuce Wraps replicate a popular appetizer with finely chopped chicken thighs cooked with rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, garlic, ginger, and a sauce blend of soy, oyster, hoisin, and mirin. Served in fresh butter lettuce leaves, these wraps are a light yet savory dish with layers of texture from the crunchy vegetables and tender meat. The dipping sauce adds tangy, sweet, and spicy notes to finish the experience.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Sitting Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 4
Calories: 552 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

For the chicken filling
  • 2 & 1/2 tablespoons canola oil divided
  • 2 & 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil divided
  • 1 pound chicken thighs chopped into very small pieces
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt for seasoning chicken
  • black pepper to season chicken
  • 2 ounces shiitake mushroom dried
  • water for rehydrating mushrooms, hot
  • 1 (8-oz) can water chestnut chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic smashed and minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced, fresh
  • 4 green onions chopped and divided
For frying rice sticks
  • 2 inches cooking oil canola oil, vegetable, etc, for frying
  • 1 (6.75-oz) package rice sticks maifun variety
For the sauce to go in chicken filling
  • 1/4 cup water cold
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons mirin rice wine, aji brand
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the dipping sauce
  • 1/4 cup water warm
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Chili garlic sauce I used Sambal Oelek
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot mustard Chinese-style
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
To assemble
  • 2 heads butter lettuce or iceberg

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prep the chicken. First things first, if you are using thawed chicken, place it in the freezer so that it is easier to chop later. If you have completely frozen chicken, take it out of the freezer to start thawing. You want to chop partially-thawed chicken.
  2. Rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms.* Add 2 ounces DRIED mushrooms to a medium bowl and cover with very hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Once they are softened, squeeze out as much water as you can and place on a cutting board. Chop off the stems and discard (they are too tough). Chop the mushrooms into small pieces, see photos. You should end up with about 1 and 3/4 cup mushrooms, about 7-8 ounces. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the vegetables. Meanwhile, drain the 8 ounce can of water chestnuts and chop them into small pieces. Smash and mince 1 tablespoon garlic. Peel a knob of ginger with a spoon (it’s easier than a peeler) and mince 1 tablespoon. Set aside.
  4. Assemble the filling sauce. In a small bowl add 1/4 cup cold water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons aji mirin**, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir together and set aside.
  5. Chop the chicken. Once your chicken is partially frozen (if it's still rock hard, you can put it in the microwave in 30-second increments until it is chop-able), use a chef's knife to chop the chicken into very small pieces. Smaller than you have ever chopped chicken before, probably. See photos. You want them to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice. It doesn't need to be perfect, but the smaller your chicken pieces, the more homogenous your wrap filling will be. It's all about the texture in this recipe. Seal the still-partially frozen chicken pieces in a ziplock, place in a medium bowl, and cover with water. The chicken should be thawed out within 10-20 minutes. Do not cook the chicken until it's completely thaw.
  6. While the chicken thaws, fry the rice sticks. This step is optional but delicious. In a 3 quart pot, heat 2 inches frying oil to about 400 degrees (I set my burner to just above medium heat.) It will take several minutes for the oil to come to temperature. Use a thermometer to see the temperature.
  7. Break off a small handful of rice sticks and carefully drop it into the oil. Within 2-3 seconds, they will rise to the top of the oil. They will be puffy and huge compared to what you dropped in. It's so fun! Remove the puffed rice sticks to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Continue the process until you have as much as you think you will want to eat on your wraps. Set the oil on a back burner to cool.***
  8. Cook the filling. Heat a wok (best), cast iron skillet (better), or large skillet (ok) over medium high heat. (You want to cook over very high heat; woks are best for this. I don't have one, so I used cast iron). Drain the chicken well. Once the pan is very hot, add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil and 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil.
  9. Drain the chicken. Add the diced chicken and stir constantly until thoroughly cooked. Season with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. It will only take 2-3 minutes to cook. Remove the chicken to a plate.
  10. Keep the heat on medium high. Add another 1 tablespoon neutral oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. When hot, add in the mushrooms and water chestnuts. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger and saute for another 1 minute.
  11. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Add the prepared sauce to the chicken and mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes.
  12. Chop 4 green onions. Set aside a small amount to add as a fresh garnish to each wrap. Add the remaining green onions to the pan and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  13. Make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chinese hot mustard, 1 to 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (taste it!) and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Whisk it together.
  14. Assemble the wraps. Carefully remove the core of the butter lettuce from the head, and clean each butter lettuce leaf. There is a LOT of debris in butter lettuce, so take your time washing each leaf. Lay on paper towels to dry. (You can also try iceberg lettuce.)
  15. Place a handful of fried rice sticks in each lettuce leaf. Top with a spoonful of warm chicken and mushroom filling. Sprinkle with fresh green onions.  Devour!

Notes

  • Dried shiitake mushrooms add key flavor; rehydrate and chop finely before cooking.
  • If fresh mushrooms are unavailable, substitute cremini or baby portabellas, using equal amounts and chopping similarly.
  • For the missing sweetness if using rice vinegar instead of mirin, add extra sugar to the sauce.
  • Cool frying oil can be strained and stored for reuse 2-3 times; use a funnel and mesh strainer when returning to container.
  • Ground chicken can substitute chopped chicken thighs for easier preparation, though it alters texture.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 552kcal (28%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 8g (47%) Monounsaturated Fat 15g (75%) Trans Fat 0.1g (5%) Cholesterol 111mg (37%) Potassium 867mg (18%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 16g (32%) Vitamin A 2908IU (58%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 69mg (7%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 552

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 552kcal 28%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g 47%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Potassium 867mg 18%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 16g 32%
Vitamin A 2908IU 58%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 69mg 7%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.