Chicken Lettuce Cups
Chicken Lettuce Cups are fresh, satisfying, and just a little messy in the best way. Whether you’re serving picky eaters, hosting a casual summer get-together, or simply need something fast and flavorful, these lettuce cups deliver every time. They’re customizable, quick to cook, and best of all, they feel special without being fussy.
I love making these, and they’re fun to eat, too. They’re ready in under 30, making this a great choice for evenings with little time. You can also meal prep them; the filling is fine in the fridge for a few days.
Chinese lettuce wraps can also be customized. Add some bean sprouts, diced mushrooms, or even some snow peas. Yum!
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Buy Now!Ingredients
- Canola oil – Or any other neutral cooking oil.
- Green onions – Keep the white and green parts separated.
- Lean ground chicken – Try making these with ground turkey or even pork.
- Garlic – Real garlic, please! Jarlic doesn’t have enough flavor for this recipe.
- Hoisin sauce – You can find this thick Asian BBQ-like sauce in the Asian section of your grocery store.
- Soy sauce – Low sodium is fine, or whatever you have on hand.
- Rice wine vinegar – Look for unsweetened rice wine vinegar.
- Ginger – You need the punchy flavor of fresh ginger in this recipe. Don’t try to use powdered ginger; it just doesn’t taste the same.
- Water chestnuts – Often found in cans, just drain and chop.
- Boston lettuce – Or Iceberg lettuce.
- Mini cucumbers – You can also use English cucumbers.
- Carrot – Buy matchstick carrots or julienne them yourself with a julienne peeler.
- Chili garlic sauce
How To Make Chicken Lettuce Cups
Chop the green onions (separating the white and green parts). Mince the garlic with a garlic press and grate the ginger with a microplane grater. Chop the water chestnuts and slice the cucumbers and carrots and set them aside. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for about a minute until shimmering. Cook the white parts of the green onions in the skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula until softened and fragrant.
Add the ground chicken and minced garlic to the skillet. Break up the chicken using a meat chopper tool or wooden spoon. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink. Whisk the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and grated ginger together in a small mixing bowl using a mini whisk until fully combined.
Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet with the chicken. Stir to coat the chicken evenly and cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens and clings to the meat.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the chopped water chestnuts and the green parts of the green onions. Arrange the lettuce leaves in a single layer on a large serving platter. If needed, rinse and dry the leaves using a salad spinner or pat dry with clean kitchen towels.
Spoon the chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf using a large spoon or portion scoop for even filling. Top each lettuce cup with cucumber slices, matchstick carrots, and a drizzle of chili garlic sauce. Serve immediately.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use washed Boston or butter lettuce leaves for the most tender leaves that fold without tearing, but you can also use iceberg lettuce.
- Add cooked rice noodles or bean sprouts to stretch the filling even further.
- You can use ground turkey instead of ground chicken.
Make It A Meal
Turn these chicken lettuce cups into a complete meal with a few easy sides. Try a light Asian-style cucumber salad, steamed edamame, or jasmine rice if you’re not avoiding carbs. I also love serving these with a chilled white wine or sparkling water with lime for a refreshing contrast.
Storage
Store leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Keep lettuce and toppings separate to maintain texture. This filling doesn’t freeze well because of the water chestnuts, but you can freeze the cooked chicken mixture before adding them if needed; just stir them in after thawing and reheating.
Chicken Lettuce Cups
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1 pound lean ground chicken
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 7 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
- 1 can water chestnuts drained and chopped
- 12 leaves Boston lettuce or 12 leaves iceberg lettuce
- 2 mini cucumbers sliced
- 1 cup carrot matchstick-cut
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the white parts of the green onions, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until softened.
- Add the ground chicken and minced garlic. Cook, breaking up the chicken with a spoon, until it’s no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and grated ginger in a small bowl.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and stir to combine and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the chopped water chestnuts and the green parts of the green onions.
- Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter and spoon the chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf.
- Top with sliced cucumbers, matchstick carrots, and a drizzle of chili garlic sauce.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use washed Boston or butter lettuce leaves for the most tender leaves that fold without tearing, but you can also use iceberg lettuce.
- Add cooked rice noodles or bean sprouts to stretch the filling even further.
- You can use ground turkey instead of ground chicken.
