Description
These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a vibrant and flavorful appetizer or light main dish featuring ground chicken cooked in a savory garlic-ginger sauce, combined with tangy Thai sweet chili sauce, fresh herbs, and crunchy cashews, all wrapped in crisp butter lettuce leaves for a fresh and satisfying bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup onion (diced, yellow or white)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger (or ginger paste)
- 10 oz ground chicken
- ¼ cup Tamari (low sodium) or soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoons Thai sweet red chili sauce (e.g., Trader Joe’s)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey, agave)
- ⅓ cup cashews (chopped, raw or roasted/salted)
- ¼ cup scallions (chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- ¼-½ cup shredded carrots
- Sesame seeds (for topping)
- 1 head butter lettuce (leaves removed, rinsed and dried)
Instructions
- Make the garlic and ginger pan sauce: Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil. Once hot, add diced onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to brown and turn translucent. Add minced garlic and ginger, toss well, and cook for an additional 2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Cook the ground chicken: Add the ground chicken to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Toss it in the pan sauce, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken turns golden brown and is no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare the Thai chili sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the Tamari (or soy sauce), Thai sweet red chili sauce, lime juice, and maple syrup until well combined.
- Add the sauce and cashews to the chicken: Sprinkle the chopped cashews over the cooked chicken, pour in the prepared sauce, and toss everything together. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes to meld the flavors. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Finish the filling: Stir in the shredded carrots, chopped scallions, and chopped cilantro into the chicken mixture for a fresh, crunchy contrast.
- Assemble the lettuce wraps: Take a butter lettuce leaf, spoon a generous amount of the chicken mixture onto it, drizzle with some of the pan sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling to serve all wraps.
Notes
- These wraps work well as a flavorful appetizer or a lighter, healthy main course.
- Use low sodium Tamari or soy sauce to control saltiness.
- Adjust the amount of shredded carrots to add desired crunch and sweetness.
- Can substitute ground chicken with ground turkey for variation.
- Ensure lettuce leaves are rinsed and dried thoroughly to keep wraps crisp and prevent sogginess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1-2 lettuce wraps)
- Calories: 158 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 631 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
