Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Fresh, bold, and ready in just 30 minutes! These Thai chicken lettuce wraps are packed with savory ground chicken, a zesty sweet chili sauce, crunchy cashews, and crisp butter lettuce. A healthy, flavor-packed weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Wok
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Salad Spinner
Ingredients
Pan Sauce Base
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup yellow onion diced, white onion works too
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced or ginger paste
Chicken Filling
- 10 oz ground chicken
Thai Chili Sauce
- 1/4 cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce coconut aminos also work
- 2 tbsp Thai sweet red chili sauce Trader Joe's recommended
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey or agave
Toppings & Garnish
- 1/3 cup cashews chopped, raw or roasted/salted
- 1/4 cup scallions chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots up to 1/2 cup
- sesame seeds for topping
For Serving
- 1 head butter lettuce leaves separated, rinsed and dried
Instructions
- Build the pan sauce. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger to the pan. Toss everything together and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Cook the chicken. Add the ground chicken to the pan. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown with no pink remaining.
- Make the Thai chili sauce. While the chicken cooks, whisk together the soy sauce, Thai sweet red chili sauce, fresh lime juice, and maple syrup in a small bowl until combined.
- Combine and finish the filling. Sprinkle the chopped cashews over the chicken in the pan. Pour in the sauce and toss well to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Stir in the shredded carrots, scallions, and fresh cilantro. These are added off the heat to keep them bright, fresh, and crisp.
- Assemble the wraps. Spoon a generous portion of the warm chicken mixture into each butter lettuce leaf. Drizzle with any remaining pan sauce from the skillet and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
Butter lettuce works best for wraps as the cup-shaped leaves hold the filling well. Rinse and dry thoroughly to avoid soggy wraps.
For a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
The chicken filling keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store separately from the lettuce and assemble just before serving.
To make it a bowl, skip the lettuce and serve over steamed jasmine rice or cauliflower rice instead.
