Chicken Lettuce Wraps

By Updated on

These healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps taste just like the PF Chang's version we all know and love but are healthy and can be made at home! Ready in just 15 minutes for an easy dinner and perfect for meal prep.

269 CAL 8g CARBS 11g FAT 33g PROTEIN 1
3 Comments

Asian-inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps may be one of my favorite takeout dishes. If they are on the menu, I am going to order them without fail. It's reasonably healthy and low-carb and it's a dish that makes me hungry just thinking about it.

But, I can't always go out to eat and sometimes takeout food is a little more caloric (lettuce wrap or no) due to added oils and fats. So for a long time, I have been working on finding an at-home version I love.

Luckily, a friend was kind enough to give me this recipe, which is seriously good. Packed full of flavorful ground chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts for crunch, and the perfect blend of soy, Hoisin, ginger, and garlic. And, if you are anything like me, you will add all kinds of Sriracha or other kinds of hot sauce and take the spice level over the top.

If you are not a fan of spice, don't worry, you can make this dish as mild or spicy as you want. And, there are many easy ways to make this dish your own. Speaking of, I would love to give credit to the original creator of this recipe so if you know who it is, send it my way!

Also if you are a fan of lettuce wraps, you will also want to check out these Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps and Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps.

Ingredients for chicken lettuce wraps on a marble background including chicken, lettuce, mushrooms, and red peppers.

Ideas for Customizing Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Speaking of making these mild or spicy, veggies or no, or really, however you want to eat them, here are some of my favorite ways to customize this recipe.

  • Swap the lettuce for tortillas — sometimes you just want the real deal.
  • Sub ground chicken out for any lean, ground meat or use tofu or chickpeas for a meatless option.
  • Skip the green onion or add diced red or sweet yellow if you are not a fan of green onions.
  • You can use any bell pepper you have on hand if you don't have a red one. Or use a variety of those little peppers for added color.
  • Leave out the mushrooms if you don't care for them and add another veggie instead — edamame would work well here.
  • Use any lettuce you have on hand — but remember it has to have bigger leaves and be substantial enough to hold all the ingredients.

Three healthy chicken lettuce wraps with ground chicken wrapped in butter lettuce.

What makes these Chicken Lettuce Wraps healthy?

  • Ground chicken is a great source of lean protein and is low in fat. You need protein for your muscles to perform at their best and to build and repair tissues. Every cell in your body needs protein to function at its best.
  • Sesame oil is an excellent source of unsaturated fat. It also contains zinc, which is good for your skin. It can lower your blood pressure, is high in antioxidants, and has antibacterial properties.
  • Green onions are low in calories, and are also good for your eyes because they contain carotenoids like vitamin A and lutein. Green onions are also good for your bones with the vitamins C and K that they also contain.
  • Garlic has known antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It's also great for your heart, can help lower your cholesterol and helps your blood flow adequately.
  • Ginger is great for upset stomach and motion sickness. It's also good at treating muscle soreness and pain.
  • Red peppers (and bell peppers in general) are high in vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C can also help you absorb more iron if eaten with a food containing iron. They are also a good source of folate and vitamin B6.
  • Water chestnuts are more nutritious than you think. They are low calorie and contain a lot of fiber, which is good for your digestive system. They are also high in riboflavin, copper, potassium, manganese, and vitamin B6.
  • Another low-calorie food, mushrooms are also a good source of fiber, protein, B vitamins, selenium, copper, and vitamin D.
  • Soy sauce is another good source of antioxidant properties. It's also a source of tryptophan (an amino acid) as well as protein and vitamin B3.
  • Hoisin sauce is fat free and low in calories, but it does contain sugar and salt. Just a little bit really goes a long way though, so don't be afraid to try it in your recipes.
  • Lettuce all forms of lettuce are low-calorie, high fiber, and hydrating, which means they can fill you up and keep you feeling fuller, longer.

What lettuce do you use for wraps?

For these wraps, I used butter lettuce, but other types of lettuce also work well, including iceberg, green and red leaf and Boston lettuce. Butter lettuce is what is typically Crispy lettuce always wins in my house though, because I like the added texture and crunch.

Are these similar to PF Changs chicken lettuce wraps?

Yes! These have a similar flavor profile to the PF Chang's chicken lettuce wraps but are better for you. After lots of recipe testing, the sauce and flavors are definitely close to the PF Chang's version we all love. Not surpirsingly I also squeezed in some extra veggies as well to pack in some extra nutrition. 

The Recipe
Chicken lettuce wraps on a wooden board with ground chicken and veggies in a hoisin sauce.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

269 CAL 8g CARBS 11g FAT 33g PROTEIN 1
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 25 Min
  • Print
  • Download
  • Send to your inbox

Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1.67 lbs. 95% lean ground chicken
  • 3 tsp. sesame oil
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated or minced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, minced
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • 3 tbsp. soy sauce (GF if needed)
  • 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
  • 1 head butter lettuce

Like this Recipe? Try our Meal Plans!

Slender Kitchen Meal Plans
  • Weekly Meal Plans
  • Easy Shopping List
  • Healthy, Low Carb, & Vegetarian
  • Nutritional Information

Instructions

(Hide Media)

Switch to prevent your screen from going dark.

1

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.

Ground chicken for lettuce wraps in a skillet.
2

Add the sesame oil, green onions, garlic, and ginger to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.

Green onions, garlic, ginger,. and sesame oil cooking in a pan.
3

Then add the red pepper, water chestnuts, and mushrooms. Cook for 4-6 minutes until tender, adding 1-2 tbsp. water if needed.

Veggies for chicken lettuce wrap filling cooking in a pan.
4

Add the chicken back to the pan.

Filling for chicken wraps in a skillet including chicken, red peppers, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and green onions.
5

Stir in the soy sauce, Hoisin, and hot sauce if using. Stir and let cook 1-2 minutes.

Hoisin and soy sauce being added to lettuce wrap filling in a pan.
6

Remove and serve in lettuce wraps.

Bowl of chicken lettuce wrap filling and butter lettuce leaves.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 3/4-1 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 269
Calories from Fat 101
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g
17%
Saturated Fat 3g
16%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 108mg
36%
Sodium 816mg
35%
Total Carbohydrate 8g
3%
Dietary Fiber 2g
7%
Sugars 4g
Protein 33g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

user image
About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
† We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
3 Comments
On Chicken Lettuce Wraps
user image
user image
Michelle Brown
June 13, 2019 - 16:14
Add a Rating:
5
Quick to whip up, nutritional and a new family favorite!
user image
Jillian
February 27, 2019 - 09:26
Add a Rating:
5
I love how quick this all comes together and even better, it's healthy! I will be giving this a try!
user image
October 2, 2017 - 02:08
Add a Rating:
5
I really did not expect much from this recipe since it seemed like it didn't have much to it, but WOW what great flavor! This was so quick and easy to make an it tastes really good. I will definitely be making this again.
Instagram Icon
Did you make this?

Snap a picture and show us what you made on Instagram or Facebook. Tag us using @SlenderKitchen or #slenderkitchen.