Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Published May 26, 2025
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These healthy Asian chicken lettuce wraps are like P.F. Chang’s—but even better! They’re high in protein, easy to make, and packed with delicious flavor.
Let’s talk about P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps — arguably the best thing on the menu, right?! I honestly can’t remember the last time I ate there, but I do remember falling in love with those savory, crunchy chicken lettuce wraps. So I thought, why not recreate a homemade version?
These wraps hit all the right notes: the juicy, umami-packed chicken, the crunch of water chestnuts, the crisp lettuce… it’s the kind of meal that’s light but totally satisfying.
This recipe has three key components: the flavorful chicken filling, a creamy peanut sauce that ties it all together, and, of course, the fresh lettuce wraps. Each part plays a crucial role, so let’s break them down.
Also, fun fact: I’m a huge sauce person. And this peanut sauce? It’s next-level good. Whatever you do, don’t skip it!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve never made lettuce wraps at home before, this is the perfect place to start!
- Quick & easy – Ready in about 30 minutes, this is a weeknight win.
- Flavor-packed – Between the hoisin chicken filling and creamy peanut sauce, these wraps are anything but boring.
- Great for meal prep – The chicken mixture and sauces store well in the fridge, so you can reheat and assemble all week.
- Customizable – Add veggies, swap the protein or change up the toppings to suit your taste.
If you’re into lettuce wrap-style meals, definitely check out my hummus collard wraps too—they’re equally delicious!
Ingredients Needed
You only need a handful of flavorful ingredients to make these Asian chicken lettuce wraps. Everything comes together quickly and most of these are pantry staples!
- ground chicken – I used lean ground chicken, which cooks up fast and soaks in all the flavor from the sauce. You can easily swap for ground turkey or even crumbled tofu for a vegetarian option.
- onion, garlic & fresh ginger – these add depth and loads of flavor to the chicken filling. Don’t skip the fresh ginger—it’s worth it!
- hoisin sauce – sweet, salty and packed with umami. This gives the chicken that classic restaurant-style flavor.
- tamari or soy sauce – tamari keeps the recipe gluten-free, but regular soy sauce works too. Just be mindful of sodium levels.
- rice vinegar – adds brightness and balances the savory elements.
- sriracha – gives a subtle heat. Use more or less depending on how spicy you like things.
- sesame oil – just a splash brings a nutty richness to the sauce.
- avocado or olive oil – used to sauté the aromatics and chicken.
- for serving – butter or Bibb lettuce leaves for wrapping, crushed peanuts for a salty crunch, and green onions for a fresh finishing touch.
- water chestnuts – these add an irresistible crunch to every bite. Just drain and dice before stirring in.
- peanut sauce – a creamy mix of peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, sriracha and a bit of water to thin. This sauce takes things to the next level, especially drizzled over the finished wraps.
Easy Recipe Substitutions
This recipe is super flexible, so don’t stress if you’re missing an ingredient or need to make a swap. Here are a few ways to switch things up:
- Protein flexibility: Don’t have ground chicken? No problem! Ground turkey or beef work great too. For a plant-based version, try crumbled tempeh, tofu, or finely chopped mushrooms — they soak up flavor just as well.
- Umami flavor: Hoisin sauce gives that signature sweet-savory depth, but if you’re out (or avoiding gluten), try a homemade version by mixing tamari, a little almond butter, maple syrup, and Chinese five spice. Or skip it altogether and use extra peanut sauce instead.
- Soy-free option: Swap the tamari for coconut aminos if you need to skip soy altogether. It’s a little sweeter, so you might want to cut back on the maple syrup in the peanut sauce.
- Peanut-free alternative: You can use almond butter or cashew butter in the sauce instead of peanut butter. Or try this tahini dressing for something a little different — it’s creamy, nut-free, and still full of flavor.
How to Make Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Step 1: Whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Step 3: Add ground chicken and cook until opaque and mostly cooked through, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
Step 4: Pour in sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce reduces slightly and chicken is cooked through completely. Turn off heat and stir in water chestnuts.
Step 5: Make peanut sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 6: Serve chicken mixture with lettuce leaves and spoon about ¼ cup into center of each leaf. Top with crushed peanuts and green onions. Serve with peanut sauce.
Brittany’s Recipe Tips!
These chicken lettuce wraps are super simple, but a few little tricks can really take them to the next level:
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Ground chicken can dry out quickly, so keep an eye on it and pull it off the heat as soon as it’s fully cooked through. The sauce will add moisture, so no need to overdo it.
- Thin the sauce slowly: If your peanut sauce is too thick, add water just 1 tablespoon at a time. A little goes a long way and you want it drizzleable, not watery.
How to Store and Prep Chicken Wraps
These lettuce wraps are great for meal prep as long as you store everything separately!
- Chicken filling – Let the chicken cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Lettuce + toppings – Keep the lettuce leaves, green onions, and crushed peanuts in separate containers in the fridge. This keeps everything crisp and fresh.
- Peanut sauce – Store in a sealed jar or container for up to 5 days. It may thicken a bit in the fridge, so just add a splash of water and stir before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Butter lettuce, Bibb, and Iceberg all work well. You want something sturdy enough to hold the filling, but soft enough to fold easily.
Yes, just be sure to use tamari instead of soy sauce and double check that your hoisin sauce is gluten-free. Some brands sneak in wheat!
Totally! Swap the ground chicken for finely chopped mushrooms, crumbled tempeh, or cooked lentils. The texture will be different, but still so tasty.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes to Try:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Chicken Mixture
- 3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- ½ cup water chestnuts, drained and finely diced
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Wraps
- Butter, Bibb or Iceberg lettuce (leaves separated), for serving
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for serving
- ¼ cup crushed peanuts, for serving
Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- Water, as needed
Instructions
- Whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
- Add ground chicken and cook until opaque and mostly cooked through, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
- Pour in sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces slightly and chicken is cooked through completely. Turn off heat and stir in water chestnuts. Taste mixture and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- While chicken is cooking make peanut sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl. For a thinner sauce, add water 1 Tablespoon at a time to create the desired consistency.
- Serve chicken mixture with lettuce leaves and spoon about ¼ cup into center of each leaf. Top with crushed peanuts and green onions. Serve with peanut sauce.
Notes
- Storage: Let the chicken cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over the stovetop. Add a splash of water if needed while reheating. Keep the lettuce leaves, green onions, and crushed peanuts in separate containers in the fridge. This keeps everything crisp and fresh. Store the peanut sauce in a sealed jar or container for up to 5 days. It may thicken a bit in the fridge, so just add a splash of water and stir before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious 😋 My husband was skeptical but amazed at how the flavors came together! Hands down, better than P.F. Changs. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
Omg yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for giving this recipe a try and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
So good! I doubled the recipe and then added some chopped mushrooms and grated carrots. Big hit with everyone and my son even said “this is my new favorite Asian chicken” ☺️
That makes me so happy to hear—especially that your son gave it the stamp of approval! Love the addition of mushrooms and carrots too. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your tweaks!
These are definitely going in the dinner rotation! Easy, healthy, quick, and delicious!
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe, Ayla. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it.
REALLY GOOD!!!
Woo! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christina. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Wooowie these are good! They feel so indulgent, and for the macros, they are great! I followed the recipe exactly, the only thing I would do differently is double it because it was SOOOO good! Thanks!
Ahh this is the best, Annie. I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it is a hit for you. Thanks for taking the time to share your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
I just made this for lunch and it is so good. I can’t believe I made it! Thank you for the recipe. I have also bought your cookbook and love it!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, DeAnna. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
These turned out so good! The peanut sauce is on point. Delicious!!!
Woo!! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Dilusha. Thanks so much for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Wow! These lettuce wraps tasted awesome!! Even my very picky red-meat-eating husband enjoyed them. I’m new to cooking so it took me longer(an hour) to make it, but it turned out perfectly so that was very satisfying. Thanks for writing a recipe that even a newbie could follow!
Woo!! So glad this recipe was a success, Amy! Thanks so much for trying it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
These were DELICIOUS!!! Best lettuce wrap recipe I’ve ever made!
Ahh yay!! So glad you loved these wraps, Linda! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it. 🙂