Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps offer a flavorful, healthy meal featuring lean ground chicken stir-fried with vibrant vegetables and a tangy, savory sauce. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for a light lunch or dinner, served by scooping the delicious filling into crisp lettuce leaves and optionally topped with hot sauce or peanut sauce for an extra kick.
- Author: Sienna
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Low Fat
Sauce
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 ½ tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Filling
- 5 green onions, sliced (keep light and green parts separate)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 ½ lbs 92% lean ground chicken or turkey
- 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 ½ cups matchstick carrots, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts
- Lettuce leaves (e.g., Romaine hearts, artisan Romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce)
- Hot sauce and/or peanut sauce (optional, for serving)
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Cook the Filling: Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the light parts of the green onions, minced garlic, and ginger; sauté for about 30 seconds to release their aromas.
- Add Ground Chicken: Add the ground chicken to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until it is nearly done.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the diced red bell pepper and cook for about 2 minutes until it softens slightly. Then add the chopped carrots and mix well.
- Add the Sauce: Whisk the sauce again briefly and pour over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Toss everything together and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and the chicken is fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little salt if needed.
- Finish the Dish: Remove from heat and stir in chopped cilantro, the green parts of the green onions, and chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts to add freshness and crunch.
- Serve: Spoon the chicken mixture into fresh lettuce leaves, folding them like cups. Top with optional hot sauce and/or peanut sauce to taste, and additional peanuts if desired.
Notes
- Use Romaine, butter, or iceberg lettuce for the best crunch and wrap ability.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground chicken with crumbled tofu or tempeh.
- Add extra crunch with chopped water chestnuts or bean sprouts.
- Adjust the hot sauce and peanut sauce to suit your spice and flavor preferences.
- Make sure to keep the cornstarch in the sauce for thickening to bind the ingredients nicely.
Keywords: Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, low-fat chicken wraps, Thai lettuce wraps, healthy chicken recipe, Asian chicken wraps, fresh lettuce wraps, quick Thai dinners