Chicken lettuce wraps are a long-time WWL program member favorite and for good reason! This Thai-Inspired version is paired with a super refreshing mango and mint salsa to offset the slight heat in the filling. These can be eaten either warmed up or at room temp, making them a perfect lunch recipe AND they come together in just 15 minutes!
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How to customize this recipe:
You can customize these chicken lettuce wraps in a few different ways! Make them your own by changing the following:
- The protein: Swap the ground chicken for turkey, pork, or beef. If making vegetarian/vegan, you can use tofu, finely chopped tempeh, vegan ground “meat”, or extra finely chopped mushrooms.
- The veggies: Mushrooms and carrots are our favorite in lettuce cups because of the texture they add, but you can swap in your favorite veggies in place of them as long as they are chopped very small or shredded. Broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers would be great options for swaps!
- The jalapeno: Use any hot pepper you like in this! If you want less heat, use 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes instead, or skip the heat altogether!
- The mango/mint salsa: Mango is ideal for this salsa, but pineapple, peaches, or even green apple could work instead. Swap the mint for cilantro or any other herbs you have on hand.
- The flavors: Soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar are pretty important for the flavor in this recipe! If this flavor combo does not sound appealing, check out this version.
What kind of lettuce works best for wraps?
Butter lettuce leaves make for perfect lettuce cups, but romaine leaves also work very well! Any type of whole cabbage would also work great in place of lettuce.
Related: 30+ Ground Chicken Recipes
What goes well with chicken lettuce wraps?
Adding rice is totally optional in this meal! If you feel that a lettuce cup with protein and veggies will not be a full meal for you, then definitely add some rice on the side. The amount of lettuce cups you have per serving is also up to you. My head of butter lettuce gave me about 9 very good-sized “cups” so I had 3 cups per serving and was satisfied. If you do end up with extra filling you can enjoy it over rice or freeze it for later use.
Related: 15 Meal Prep Sandwiches And Wraps Perfect For Work Lunches
How to store & reheat these chicken lettuce wraps:
This meal works best with the filling, salsa topping, and lettuce stored separately. Once you wash and dry the lettuce pieces, store them in a container with a paper towel to keep them fresh for up to 5 days. The filling and salsa will both last up to 5 days in the fridge. The filling is freezer friendly but I would say the salsa is not. You can enjoy the filling cold, room temp, or heat in the microwave or on the stove before serving in the lettuce cups.
Related: How To Meal Prep For One
More recipes to try:
No-Reheat Crunchy Thai Chicken Wraps
Spinach Apple Salad With Chicken
Mediterranean Chicken Rice Bowls With Homemade Tzatziki
Vegan Wraps With Sweet Potato, Chickpeas, And Avocado
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Thai-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 TBSP vegetable oil
- 16 oz ground chicken sub lean ground turkey
- 2 shallot chopped small, divided
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno deseeded & chopped small, skip if you don’t like heat!
- 8 oz mushrooms chopped very finely, optional
- 3 TBSP soy sauce
- 1 TBSP fish sauce
- 1.5 TBSP brown sugar
- 1 lime juiced, separated, plus one more for garnish
- 1 carrot shredded
For the mango salsa
- 1 mango cubed
- 1/4 cup mint chopped small
- salt and pepper to taste
- For everything else
- 3/4 cup rice rinsed, optional
- 1.5 cup water optional
- 1 tsp salt optional
- 1 head of butter lettuce sub lettuce of your choice
- sweet chili sauce for dipping, optional
Instructions
- Optional: Make the rice. Add the rinsed rice, water, and salt to a pot with a tight fitting lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir once, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. No peeking! Once the time is up, remove from the heat and keep covered for another 15 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely before storing.
- Prepare the filling. In a large skillet (10-12″) over medium heat add the oil and heat for one minute. Once hot, add the ground chicken and top with salt and pepper. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes to develop some color, stirring occasionally, then add half the shallot, garlic, half of the jalapeno, and the mushrooms to the pan. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and half the lime juice and continue to stir until the liquid has absorbed and cooked down, about 3-5 more minutes. Add the carrot and let it cook for another minute. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- While the filling cools, make the mango salsa. Add the chopped mango, the other half of the shallot and jalapeno, and mint to a small bowl. Stir together with a fork and add the remaining lime juice and salt and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings and store in a container with a tight fitting lid until ready to serve.
- Assemble. Carefully wash and dry your pieces of lettuce and store them in a container with a paper towel. When ready to use, take out the amount you would like per serving and top with about 1/3-1/2 cup of filling and 1-2 tablespoons of the mango salsa. The filling can be eaten cold or heated up. Serve with rice on the side and sweet chili dipping sauce if you like. Enjoy!
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