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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These chicken lettuce wraps are a healthy and fresh meal. They’re gluten-free, keto-friendly, loaded with vegetables, and take less than half an hour to make! 

I’m a huge fan of wraps. They’re such a fun way to pack a lot of flavorful ingredients into one bite. These chicken lettuce wraps are one of my favorite recipes. They have lots of different vegetables and herbs, with a spicy, tangy sauce made of sriracha, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Add in some moist ground chicken, and these wraps are positively bursting with flavor.

But these wraps aren’t just fresh and flavorful. They’re also super healthy. Instead of using tortillas, they use lettuce. They’re low in calories, high in protein and nutrients, and gluten-free. And best of all? They only take about 25 minutes to make, and you can prep lots of them ahead of time.

Overhead view of the ingredients needed for chicken lettuce wraps: a plate of raw, ground chicken, a bowl of chopped cabbage and lettuce, four scallions, a bunch of cilantro, some lettuce leaves, and bowls of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sriracha, rice vinegar, oil, and sesame seeds

What You’ll Need

Here are all the ingredients that you need to make these juicy, tangy chicken lettuce wraps. Be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact quantities for each ingredient.

  • Grated ginger
  • Garlic
  • Low-sodium soy sauce – You can also use low-sodium tamari if you prefer.
  • Rice vinegar
  • Sriracha
  • Sesame oil
  • Neutral oil – I like to use avocado oil. 
  • Ground chicken
  • Scallions – Make sure to separate the greens from the whites when you slice the scallions. 
  • Carrots
  • Cabbage – I prefer using white cabbage in this recipe.
  • Sesame seeds
  • Cilantro
  • Lettuce leaves – You’ll need to get big enough pieces of lettuce to hold all of the ingredients.
  • Cooked rice – This is an optional ingredient to serve alongside the chicken lettuce wraps.

How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Here’s how to make this super fresh meal. It takes less than 30 minutes, and only a few steps!

  • Make the sauce. Combine the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sriracha, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl, and whisk to combine.
A side by side of a bowl with vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger, and a hand whisking those ingredients together
  • Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, without stirring it, until it’s browned. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Flip the chicken and break it up into 3-4 pieces. Cook until the other side is browned, then break the chicken up into smaller pieces. 
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Put the carrots, cabbage, and the white parts of the scallions into the pan, and stir to combine. Add the sauce, and stir until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is evenly coating all the ingredients. 
A side by side of a hand pouring a bowl of sauce into a pan with chicken, cabbage, carrots, and a wooden spoon, and all those ingredients mixed together in the pan with a wooden spoon
  • Serve. Scoop the filling into the lettuce leaves, and garnish with the sesame seeds, cilantro, and green parts of the scallions, as well as the optional rice.

Tips for Success 

Here are a few tricks for making the best chicken lettuce wraps.

  • Peel the ginger with a spoon. It’s important to use fresh ginger for this recipe. That will make the sauce extra flavorful, fragrant, and spicy. The best way to grate ginger is by peeling it with a spoon and then using a Microplane. Spoons will easily peel the skin off of the ginger, and they’re much more efficient than if you cut off the skin with a knife. 
  • Chop the veggies evenly. This recipe is a great time to work on your knife skills. Try to cut all of the carrot and cabbage pieces into similar sizes. That way they’ll cook at the same time. If the vegetable cuts are inconsistent, you’ll end up with some overcooked veggies and some undercooked ones. 
  • Get a good browning on the chicken. When it comes to cooking ground chicken, color is flavor. Don’t be afraid to really brown the meat before flipping it, and before breaking it up. The more color you get on the ground chicken, the more flavorful it will be. Don’t worry, the sauce will keep the chicken from drying out.
A pot with cooked chicken, carrots, cabbage, and sauce in it, with a wooden spoon

What to Serve it With

I love to eat these healthy, gluten-free wraps with a side of Cilantro Lime Rice or 3-Ingredient Coconut Lime Quinoa. They also go well when served alongside some Asian entrees, such as Thai Coconut Curry Soup or 5-Ingredient Kimchi Fried Quinoa.

Close up of a chicken lettuce wrap on a tray of lettuce wraps

How to Store Leftover Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Asian lettuce wraps will last for up to 3 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. However, the lettuce in the wraps will not taste as good after the first day and might wilt. I recommend storing the filling in an airtight container, and putting it on the lettuce when you’re ready to serve the wraps. 

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

I don’t recommend freezing the wraps in lettuce, but you can freeze the filling in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or defrost before serving in the lettuce leaves. 

A hand grabbing for a chicken lettuce wrap on a plate with five wraps

More Healthy Lettuce Wraps to Make 

If you enjoyed this recipe, then be sure to try some of my other favorite lettuce wraps.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

5 from 2 votes
These chicken lettuce wraps are full of juicy chicken, healthy veggies, and a tangy, spicy sauce. They're gluten-free, and only take 25 minutes to make!
author: Alyssa
yield: 4 servings
Close up of a chicken lettuce wrap on a tray of lettuce wraps
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2-3 teaspoons sriracha , to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as avocado)
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 3 scallions , thinly sliced, light and dark parts separated
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup shredded white cabbage
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Large lettuce leaves for serving
  • Cooked rice , for serving, optional

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, and sesame oil.
  • Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in one piece and cook, undisturbed, until well browned on the bottom, 2-3 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, breaking the chicken up into 3-4 large pieces. Once the chicken is well browned on both sides, start stirring to break it up into small pieces.
  • Add the light parts of the scallions, carrots, and cabbage, and stir well. Add the sauce mixture and stir to combine until the chicken is no longer pink and the sauce is evenly distributed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, the greens of the scallions, and cilantro. Serve in lettuce cups with rice if you like.

Notes

Store the filling for the chicken lettuce wraps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months, then add to the lettuce when you're ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 2wraps | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 581mg | Potassium: 831mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5524IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg
cuisine: American
course: Entree

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