Last updated on February 19th, 2018 at 06:05 pm
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps – ready in 15 minutes from start to finish, perfect quick summer lunch. These Thai-style lettuce wraps will please your taste buds, super healthy and delicious.
I remember the first time I had lettuce wraps, and it was at PF Chang’s of course, many many years ago. Ever since then I’ve been making them myself because unfortunately we don’t have a PF Chang’s here in Calgary. So sad, but true! That is one thing I miss about living close to the border, is just driving down to the states whenever I want to go shopping or go to restaurants we don’t have in Canada. But then I remember the humidity and it’s all good again.
I’m actually going back to Southern Ontario in a couple weeks to visit my parents, and we’re driving down there. 3 whole days of driving, but I’m actually looking forward to it, it will be a chance for my sister and I to talk our ears off, laugh like crazy, listen to music and just have a good time. We’ve done this once before and it was fun, however I chickened out and flew back, but this time I’m in it all the way, regardless of how boring most of the drive is, nothing to see but cows and hay! But yeah, it will be fun, though I’m already wondering how I’m going to deal with the humidity, just the thought of it is making me choke. Anyway I’ve lived there for 24 years and survived so I’m sure I’ll survive again for a couple weeks.
Enough about humidity and long road trips, as much fun as they are to talk about, I want to talk about these chicken lettuce wraps with a Thai inspiration, cause I just love love Thai food. So this chicken packs a bit of heat from the red curry paste, but not too much and a bit of sweetness from the Hoisin sauce. The chicken is also flavored with lots of ginger and garlic, and if you want you can even add a bit of fish sauce, though I didn’t myself. Also the basil is very important, basil is used a lot in Thai cuisine, and if you can find Thai basil, even better. I don’t think I have to tell you that these lettuce wraps are super healthy and for me they make the perfect summer lunch. I would even bring these to a picnic, just pack the chicken in an airtight container and pack the iceberg lettuce with you.
Love lettuce wraps? Give these a try:
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced thinly
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1 cup cabbage shredded or coleslaw mix
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 5 leaves basil chopped
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce cut into half
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat until oil is very hot. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink and starts to brown, break it up with a wooden spoon as necessary. Should take about 3 minutes.
- Add red curry paste, ginger, garlic, peppers, coleslaw mix, and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Add hoisin sauce and green onions, and toss. Remove from heat then add basil and toss.Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl.
- Serve by placing spoonfuls of chicken into pieces of lettuce, fold lettuce over like small tacos, and eat.
Notes
Nutrition
Made this PHENOMENAL recipe (via @jocooks), & WOW! INSTANT FAVORITE!!!
Though it’s perfect as is, I added a few things based on our preferences, including:
(1) Using half the olive oil & adding that much SESAME OIL [in STEP 1];
(2) Adding chopped zucchini, along with the red curry paste, slaw, etc [in STEP 2]; and,
(3) Adding chopped cilantro & crushed red pepper flakes, along with the chopped basil, after removing from heat [in STEP 3]
CANT PRAISE IT ENOUGH! So yummy & cravable! Thanks so so much for sharing!!!
Ho happy you enjoyed this! Love your additions!
This turned out delicious! My kids didn’t love the cabbage and peppers mixed in(they hate cooked veggies) but the taste was amazing. I made a peanut sauce to go with it(peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce) and used cruncy noodles and green onions as topping for the wraps. I’ll defnitely be making this again.
Owing to a condition in my mouth I am not allowed any heat at all. Is there a replacement product for the red curry paste?
You can use some yellow curry powder, I know there’s nothing spicy in that.
I made this recipe several times. It’s easy, it’s delicious and its healthy. My whole family loves it! Great as a meal or as a starter.
I loved making these! I made a slight tweak which was to simmer the cooked chicken in coconut milk after adding the slaw. It made the flavor a bit richer. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yum! Sounds so good.
Best ever, wouldn’t make any other…..Love it!!
I’m on the ketogenic WOE. How can tweak this recipe (which sounds amazing) to lower the sugar/carb count?
I’m on KETO too. It’s the hoisin sauce. Replace the hoisin sauce with a keto version. I’ll be making this one using rice vinegar. https://jabberwockystew.net/2013/06/10/karls-keto-hoisin-sauce/ I’m also using the coconut milk from a can as suggested above to add fat. Not too much so it’s not soupy. Good luck!
Delicious! I added peanuts for an extra crunch and our family has named this a forever dish! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
That’s fantastic to hear, enjoy!
Love this recipe. Easily altered too. I use turkey and we add crushed peanuts. Although I have made it as instructed and modified, all great! Still trying to find the perfect lettuce leaf. My daughter constantly asks for it.
Try using butter lettuce! They make the best wraps ever!!!!
This is the best lettuce wrap recipe I have found yet. I don’t think I need to keep searching for any other. So easy and great tasting!
That’s what I want to hear!!!
Made this tonight and it was SO good!! I used ground pork instead of chicken and added a splash of coconut aminos to the sauce. Topped it off with some sriracha and chopped cashews! Sooo good!!
Wow that sounds so good! Glad you loved the recipe 🙂
Delicious!! It was near perfect but I used sauce instead of red curry paste- don’t make this same mistake there is a difference! But other then my screwup this was the best Thai lettuce wrap recipe I’ve came across so far!
Easy and Delicious!