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Home » The Main Course » Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Published on May 31, 2017 by Nicole Last Modified on July 30, 2021 / 6 Comments

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Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Culinary Cool www.culinary-cool.com

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I know what you’re thinking, “ugh, another lettuce wrap recipe?  Really?  Aren’t there, like, 8 million recipes for this online already?”

And yes, it’s true, there are just over 8 million Google hits for “lettuce wraps”, but I’ve tried a few, and I’ve been let down.  Even a recipe in a popular celebrity cookbook was disappointing.  I’ve been tinkering with this recipe for just over a year now, and I’m finally happy with where I landed.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Culinary Cool www.culinary-cool.com

For me, a good lettuce wrap has a few important aspects –  texture (think crunchy bits),  is saucy, big on flavour and is filling.

While we’re used to seeing lettuce wraps on the menu under the appetizer category, I like mine to be the whole meal.  To make them filling enough to be the main course, I load them up with veggies and brown rice, or even green lentils.  You can use whatever veggies you want but I’m impartial to sweet bell peppers (all colours), carrots, cabbage, and water chestnuts.

For texture, I employ chopped peanuts and chow mein noodles. I’m a huge fan of the crunch you get from chow mein.

To make the lettuce wraps big on flavour, I use a ton of garlic and fresh ginger.  I find these two ingredients to be key players in the flavour game.  Chili flakes add a touch of heat, and hoisin adds a bit of salty-sweet umami that keeps you coming back for more.

It’s no exaggeration when I say these Lettuce Wraps give me life!  I’m straight-up addicted to making and eating them on the regular, and I have no doubt you will be too.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Culinary Cool www.culinary-cool.com

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Addictively good, these lettuce wraps are packed full of flavour.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Lettuce Wraps
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup brown rice
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Filling

  • canola oil
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 cup yellow onion fine dice
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 small red pepper diced
  • 1 cup water chestnuts roughly chopped
  • grated carrot
  • green onions sliced
  • peanuts
  • chow mein
  • butter lettuce

Instructions

  • Cook the 1/2 cup rice whichever method you prefer. I like to parboil, which means, I bring about 4 cups of water to a boil, dump in my rice, give it one quick stir, and then set a timer for 25-30 minutes. Drain off excess water and return to pot and cover until needed later.
  • Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough canola oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
  • Once oil is hot, add onions. Sauté onions until soft. Add ground chicken and about 2-3 tbsp of the sauce to the pan and cook through, stirring occasionally.
  • Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Stir in the red pepper and water chestnuts.
  • Add in the rest of the sauce and cook until reduced.
  • Stir in the rice.
  • Serve on butter lettuce leaves, topped with grated carrot, sliced green onions, peanuts and chow mein.

Nutritional calculation was provided by WP Recipe Maker and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator

Did you make this recipe?Mention @culinarycool or tag #culinarycool!
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Filed Under: The Main Course Tagged With: Lettuce Wraps, Low-Carb, PF Changs

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bernice Hill

    June 2, 2017 at 10:19 am

    After all the burgers I’ve been eating…these look like a refreshing change! I’m going to pick up some butter lettuce and make some this weekend when my sister comes to visit.
    Great photos too!

    Reply
  2. Markus Mueller | Earth, Food, and Fire

    June 2, 2017 at 5:52 pm

    Love the idea of using lettuce leaves as a wrap! I’ve always wanted to try it but have never actually done this! Whats the best leaf lettuce to use? Butter lettuce I find in PEI is always ripped and very thin.

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 3, 2017 at 9:55 pm

      If you can’t find a good quality butter lettuce, your next best option would probably be iceberg. I’ve had my fair share of lettuce wraps that use iceberg and it works just fine, but sometimes doesn’t roll the greatest. Iceberg adds a nice crunch that you don’t get with butter lettuce, so that’s a bonus!

      Reply
  3. Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca)

    June 3, 2017 at 9:45 am

    Fresh ginger takes so many recipes to another level – mmm!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 3, 2017 at 9:56 pm

      Completely agree! Fresh ginger is an amazing ingredient.

      Reply
  4. kristy @ she eats

    June 4, 2017 at 9:10 am

    At first I thought you wrote “I’ve been tindering with this recipe for a while” Nicole… I thought, “that can’t be right”..And then I thought, “heck yes it can – I totally want to take these lettuce wraps out and spend some quality time with them” 😉 They look delicious, woman!

    PS. I too, am a lettuce wrap whole meal kinda gal.

    Reply

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I'm Nicole, a cookbook addict, cooking school instructor, travel junkie, and lover of all things sweet.

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