Ingredients for Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Ground chicken – dark meat (thigh meat) is the best for this recipe since the extra fat won’t dry out as much as breast meat. You can also substitute ground turkey (avoid extra lean) or any ground meat you prefer.
- Aromatics – yellow onion, garlic, and grated ginger
- For the Stir Fry Sauce – you’ll need just 6 ingredients: Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sriracha (or swap with Gochujang). Just 1 Tbsp of sriracha keeps it mild; add more to taste. I also add a bit of water to thin the sauce.
- Water chestnuts and green onions – for mixing in at the end of cooking. Gives an amazing punch of flavor and crunch
The Best Lettuce for Lettuce Cups?
There is a variety of lettuce that can be used for lettuce wraps. All work really well, so you can use what you have on hand.
- Boston Lettuce – a.k.a. Bibb or Butter lettuce. They have vibrant green, soft leaves that form perfect cups for lettuce wraps. They can be more delicate.
- Iceberg Lettuce – Trim away the core and peel away the whole leaves. They are sturdy and perfect for cups.
- Petite Romaine – a.k.a. Baby Romaine, or Hearts of Romaine – these are small heads of romaine lettuce that pull away from the core to form easy hand-held cups.
Ingredients US CUSTOMARYMETRIC
Servings: 4 servings
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari sauce for gluten-free
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sriracha or gochujang, to taste (optional, for spice)
For the filling
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, or substitute ground turkey
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and diced
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion, plus more to serve
- 1 head butter lettuce, or romaine hearts, separated into cups
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sriracha or gochujang if using. Set aside.
- Cook the meat: Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken or turkey and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until just cooked through. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and the chicken is browned.
- Add aromatics: Stir in the garlic and freshly grated ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet and sauté for 1 minute, stirring to coat the meat evenly.
- Finish the filling: Stir in the diced water chestnuts and green onions. Cook for 1 more minute. Season with kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the warm chicken mixture into lettuce cups and garnish with the remaining green onions.
Notes
Storage and Reheating:
- To refrigerate: Cool filling and store in an airtight container in the fridge within 2 hours. Eat within 4 days. Store lettuce leaves wrapped in a paper towel in an open zip-top bag for 2-3 days.
- To freeze: Pack cooled filling (within 2 hours) in a zip-top bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: reheat filling in a sauté pan until warmed through (165°F). Serve in the lettuce cups or over rice.