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    Home > Recipes > Chicken

    Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups

    Published: Jan 18, 2016 · Modified: May 10, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups on a white plate
    chicken lettuce cups on a white plate
    Asian chicken lettuce cups have a sweet, tangy sauce and come together in 25 minutes for a healthy, fast weeknight dinner.

     

    chicken lettuce cups on a white plate

    These Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups are super addictive with tangy, sweet hoisin sauce, crunch from fresh vegetables and peanuts and just messy enough to add a little fun to dinner. Our version takes 25 minutes and can easily be adapted to be vegetarian(made with chopped tofu).

    Yes, these are a copycat version of the Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups of a certain chain restaurant. And yes, we think our version is even better than theirs.

    Just sayin'.

    Why Lettuce Cups are a Weeknight Fave

    Lettuce cups are a DIY weeknight dinner at our house.  We make a big batch of filling and let everyone assemble their cups / wraps at the dinner table. Using ground chicken (or pork, or turkey, or beef, or even tofu - any will work) makes prep super fast. Chop a few vegetables and combine everything in a great big wok or skillet.

    And this sauce. Sweet, tangy hoisin sauce balanced with soy sauce and fresh lime juice.

    I could eat this sauce with just about anything.

    Drizzled over salads, tossed in a stir-fry, as a dipping sauce for chicken wraps...

    I could practically drink this stuff.

     Lettuce Cups on a white plate with a small bowl of peanuts

    Make Ahead / Pack for Lunches

    And as great as they are for a quick weeknight dinner, lettuce cups like these make awesome leftovers. The filling can be entirely cooked and assembled a day ahead and just reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. With everything cooked in advance, you can literally have dinner on the table in 5 minutes flat.

    And they're a pretty spectacular lunch as well.  In my book, saucy, fresh lettuce wraps trump a boring old PB&J any day.  Just pack the filling and the lettuce leaves in two separate containers so the lettuce doesn't get soggy.  If eating them taco-style is too messy for the middle of the work-day, just pour the topping over the lettuce and eat it like a salad - it's great either way!

    More Asian Recipes

    • Asian Chicken Salad with Edamame
    • Asian Roasted Broccoli with Cashews
    • Hoisin-Glazed Salmon with Asian Slaw
    • Crispy Baked Spring Rolls
    • Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir-Fry
    • Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken
    • Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken
    • Honey Garlic Chicken Fried Rice

    Favorite Tools for Stir-Fry

    • Joyce Chen Carbon Steel Wok - This affordable wok is the only one I use. I’ve had it for 10+ years and the only care it needs is to be washed out, dried well, and rubbed with oil before storing. 
    • Wok Spatula - This spatula fits perfectly around the curved edges of a wok. 
    • Splatter Screen - Perfect for keeping your stovetop (reasonably) clean.
    chicken lettuce cups on a white plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups Recipe

    Super saucy chicken and vegetable in a sweet, tangy sauce comes together in 25 minutes and makes a perfect filling for lettuce cups. We love the leftovers packed for lunches!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
    Keyword: 30-minute meal, chicken dinner, easy dinner, fakeout takeout
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 480kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $10.00

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Wok or skillet

    Ingredients

    For the Sauce:

    • ¾ cup Hoisin Sauce
    • ¼ Soy Sauce (low-sodium preferred; reduce to 2 tablespoon if using regular soy sauce)
    • 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
    • 1 clove Garlic, minced
    • 2 teaspoon grated Fresh Ginger
    • 3 teaspoon Cornstarch
    • ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

    For the Lettuce Cups:

    • 1 Tablespoon Oil
    • 1 Bell Pepper, chopped (any color)
    • 1 ½ pound Ground Chicken (or use ground pork / beef / turkey or finely chopped extra-firm tofu)
    • ¼ cup Water Chestnuts, rinsed and drained and finely chopped
    • 16 leaves Lettuce (Boston Bibb or the outer leaves of a head of Iceberg)
    • ½ cup Roasted, Unsalted Peanuts
    • 1 Lime, cut into wedges

    Instructions

    • In a small mixing bowl (or a mason jar with a lid), combine all ingredients for the sauce. Whisk or shake until smooth and evenly combined. (Sauce can be made up to a week ahead.)
    • Prep all remaining ingredients and set them beside the stove.
    • Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and when it begins to shimmer, add bell peppers and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
    • Add ground chicken and saute until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Carefully drain off any liquid in the pan and return the pan to the heat. Add water chestnuts and sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens and coats chicken, 2 minutes. Squeeze the juice of 2 lime wedges over the filling (reserve the other wedges to serve with dinner).
    • Set filling, lettuce cups, and peanuts on the table so that everyone can assemble their own or scoop roughly ¼ cup of filling into each lettuce leaf and serve peanuts in a bowl in the middle.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4g | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1043mg | Potassium: 962mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1192IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg

    One of my little mischief-makers (*cough* Clara) is so eager for dinner these days that she figured out how to pull out the dining room chairs and take a seat.  Now she's eyeing the table as her new favorite spot to play.

    Clara_Jan 2016

    Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups- Super saucy chicken and vegetables in a tangy sweet sauce. Make ahead. Done in less than 30 minutes! #dinnertonight #lettucewraps

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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristen @ The Endless Meal

      January 24, 2016 at 3:42 pm

      Lettuce wraps are the best, aren't they?! That sauce smothered chicken looks amazing!!

      Reply

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