Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are loaded with Asian flavors and come together in under 20 minutes! Ground chicken is cooked with a sweet, savory, and a little spicy Thai-inspired sauce and then served with crunchy peanuts and cabbage. This simple lettuce wrap is also so easy to meal prep for busy weeks for a healthy and low-carb lunch, appetizer, or light dinner recipe.
20-Minute Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
When life gets a little chaotic it’s nice to know you have a quick, easy, and healthy go-to meal (like this Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe) in your back pocket.
Whether you are trying to eat healthier and low-carb, or just like to meal prep a dinner or lunch recipe ready for the week, these chicken lettuce wraps fit the bill.
The ground chicken mixture is combined with a bit of oil and diced carrots. Then, a semi-sweet, kinda’ spicy soy sauce-based sauce is prepared. All of it is tossed together to form the filling in under 20 minutes!
(If you’ve ever had the PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps, this recipe is very similar but slightly healthier and with a few less ingredients!)
You can then top with a drizzle of this creamy Peanut Sauce Recipe to kick the flavor up another notch!
My favorite aspect of these ground chicken Thai lettuce wraps… they actually taste good served hot, cold, or anything in between! They are the perfect balance of bold flavor and fresh veggies so many love about Thai food. Serve them for lunch time or a fresh dinner and be amazed.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken. For the most authentic flavor, stick with ground chicken. You can sub in ground beef or ground turkey, but it won’t taste quite the same.
- Carrots. You’ll want finely diced carrots so they become tender and evenly dispersed.
- Thai sauce. It’s quick and easy to whip up your own Thai sauce with soy sauce (or Tamari), fresh lime juice, brown sugar or honey, fish sauce (essential for flavor!), Sriracha sauce, and ginger paste.
- Lettuce. You want a sturdy, broad-leaf head of lettuce, like Bibb, Boston, or Iceberg so it will hold the filling without falling apart. You should easily find one that works at the grocery store.
How to Make Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
1. Cook the Carrots
Add one tablespoon of oil to a large, non-stick skillet. Add the carrots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the garlic with a wooden spoon and continue to cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. The carrots should be tender and the garlic fragrant.
2. Add the Meat
Push the carrots and garlic to the side of the pan. Drizzle the last tablespoon of oil into the skillet. Stir in the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir occasionally while cooking. When the meat is almost cooked through, crumble the chicken with a potato masher or large fork.
3. Make the Sauce and Serve
Stir together the soy sauce, fresh lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, Sriracha sauce, and ginger paste. Carefully stir the mixture into the chicken filling.
Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 3 minutes.
Enjoy this Thai chicken right away by scooping some into crisp lettuce leaves or cups, then topping with peanuts, cabbage, and green onions.
FAQs
The best lettuce to use in a lettuce wrap is Boston, bib, Iceberg, or even Romaine or Butter lettuce. You’ll want large leaves that are relatively sturdy.
Easy Thai chicken lettuce wraps are usually made of fresh ingredients in a savory filling of ground chicken, carrots, and seasonings mixed with a soy sauce-based dressing and served in a lettuce wrapping.
What to Serve with Chicken Lettuce Wraps?
While these are delicious on their own as a healthy lunch or snack, you can easily add any of these sides to round it out.
You can always go with Chicken Fried Rice, Mango Coconut Rice, or White Rice.
Don’t miss out on Thai Quinoa Salad.
Or, add some extra veggies with Asian Cucumber Salad or Honey Roasted Broccoli.
More Lettuce Wrap Recipes
Lettuce wraps of all kinds are a great way to enjoy delicious flavors in a low carb way. Try these dishes next.
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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Ingredients
Ground Chicken
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup carrots finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 lb. ground chicken
Thai Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce or Tamari gluten-free*
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice fresh
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 1-2 tsp. Sriracha sauce depending on spice
- 1 tsp. ginger paste or fresh, minced
Lettuce Wraps
- 1 head butter leaf lettuce Bibb, Boston, or Iceberg
- ¼ cup peanuts dry roasted, salted
- ½ cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the Veggies: In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of oil and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until carrots become soft. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 30-60 seconds.2 Tbsp. olive oil, ½ cup carrots, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the Meat: Push the vegetables to the side and add the remaining tablespoon of oil with the chicken. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until almost cooked through. Crumble ground chicken using a potato masher or the back of a large fork.1 lb. ground chicken, 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Make the Sauce: In a medium-sized bowl combine Thai sauce ingredients and whisk until combined. Mix sauce into the ground chicken mixture and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 3 minutes.⅓ cup soy sauce or Tamari, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, 2 tsp. fish sauce, 1-2 tsp. Sriracha sauce, 1 tsp. ginger paste
- Serve Thai chicken mixture immediately in lettuce wraps or cups with peanuts, cabbage and green onions. Enjoy!1 head butter leaf lettuce, ¼ cup peanuts, ½ cup red cabbage thinly sliced, ¼ cup green onions
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Notes
- Make it yours. Add as much or as little Sriracha as you desire in these easy lettuce wraps.
- Big leaves. Choose a lettuce that is large and strong enough to hold the filling.
- Top it off. Shredded cabbage, green onions, and peanuts are perfect on this dish. You can even throw in crunchy veggies for added nutrition.
- Be a prepper. Make the filling a day or two early, then warm it up when you’re ready to enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What does the asterisk next to the sriracha sauce indicate please?
This meant the Sriracha was optional!
What is the serving size?
This recipe makes 4 servings, the exact amount will vary slightly each time you make it.
I have made this so many times without leaving a review. This is so good!! I make a little extra sauce and throw in some pre-shredded coleslaw mix and we love it!
Yay! I love hearing that you’ve made this so many times. So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Cheryl! That’s a great idea to add coleslaw mix. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I loved these! Made them tonight and they were so tasty.
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and rating 🙂
These were good, except the soy sauce needs to be cut in half. It was almost not edible. And I love salt. I will make again cutting the soy sauce to 1/8. Or even cutting the fish sauce to 1/2 teaspoon.
Thanks for the feedback!
Yes, very salty! I wish I’d seen this comment before I made the recipe. I liked it but would definitely use low-sodium soy sauce next time.
Thanks for the feedback, Melanie! A reduced sodium soy sauce should do the trick!
These look so incredibly good. I will be meal prepping these this week and let you know how they turn out.
Yay!! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂