Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps use ground chicken cooked with a fragrant blend of sesame and olive oils, onion, garlic, ginger, and a mix of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Thai red curry paste, and chili garlic sauce. Shredded carrots and fresh herbs like cilantro and green onions add crispness and brightness to the filling. This combination creates a savory, slightly spicy filling that is spooned into fresh butter lettuce leaves for a crisp, refreshing contrast. The wraps offer a balanced mix of textures and flavors, great for light meals or appetizers.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 pound ground chicken I’ve also used ground turkey with great results
- 1 onion diced small, medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or to taste, or 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- ⅓ cup hoisin sauce plus more if necessary
- 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste or to taste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Chili garlic sauce or to taste, Asian
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
- 1 to 1 ½ cups carrot shredded
- green onion sliced into thin rounds; reserve 1 tablespoon for garnishing, about 3
- ¼ cup cilantro finely minced, reserve 1 tablespoon for garnishing
- butter lettuce sometimes called living lettuce, for serving, leaves
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through; stir intermittently to crumble while cooking.
- Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent; stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic, ginger, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Thai curry paste, rice wine vinegar or lime juice, chili garlic sauce, pepper, and stir to combine.
- Add the carrots, green onions, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender. Taste filling and make any necessary flavor adjustments, i.e. more hoisin sauce (add additional if your mixture is on the dry side), soy sauce, Thai curry paste, etc.
- Add 1/4 cup cilantro and stir to combine.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each of the lettuce leaves, evenly garnish with reserved green onions and cilantro, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store filling in an airtight container up to 5 days; reheat before serving for best taste.
- Use butter lettuce leaves as a sturdy yet tender wrap to hold the filling.
- Adjust sauces to taste, adding more hoisin or soy sauce if the mixture feels dry.
- Ground turkey can substitute for chicken with similar results.
- Serve immediately after assembling to maintain crispness of the lettuce.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 440
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 440kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 30g | 60% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 20g | 118% |
| Cholesterol | 122mg | 41% |
| Sodium | 1097mg | 46% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.