Last Updated on May 3, 2021 by laurenpacek
These chicken lettuce wraps are easy and fast to whip up and taste just like the ones from PF Chang's!
Table of contents
- PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps are bomb [dot] com
- Who doesn't love a good copycat recipe?
- What ingredients go into these lettuce wraps?
- How do these lettuce wraps come together?
- What to expect from these lettuce wraps:
- In search of other easy weeknight-friendly dinners?
- Where did this recipe come from?
- What equipment will I need to make these lettuce wraps?
- Pin this recipe for later!
PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps are bomb [dot] com
You've had PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps, right? I mean, it's basically mandatory to order them as an appetizer when going to PF Chang's. Or at least it should be.
They're savory thanks to chicken, soy and hoisin sauces, and have a bit of a textural bite thanks to water chestnuts and tender-crisp lettuce.
Who doesn't love a good copycat recipe?
In my opinion, nothing is better than being able to eat delicious restaurant-quality food in the comfort of your own home. On the couch. In your sweat pants. While snuggling with your dog. Is that just me? Maybe?
But really, let's face it. The PF Chang's chicken lettuce wraps are dang addictive. As luck would have it: It turns out that you can make them at home very easily. They come together quickly, too!
PS - I have one other copycat recipe on my blog: Cilantro Lime Rice (a la Chipotle!)
What ingredients go into these lettuce wraps?
- Olive oil: Just regular old extra virgin olive oil, folks. Alternately, use some vegetable or canola oil.
- Ground chicken: Ground pork or turkey would also be delicious!
- Garlic and onions: Standard stuff.
- Hoisin sauce: Hoisin sauce is sort of like an Asian BBQ sauce.
- Soy sauce: Gotta have that salty, umami flavor.
- Rice wine vinegar: The acidity from this vinegar provides nice balance to the sweet hoisin and salty soy sauce.
- Ginger: Freshly grated would be best, but you can also use the tubes of ginger paste that are sold in the produce section in a pinch.
- Water chestnuts: I don't know about you, but I'm kind of a fiend for water chestnuts! They don't have an overwhelming flavor, but they have amazing crunch. You can buy a can of the pre-chopped ones, or chop them yourself.
- Green onions: They provide both some great oniony flavor, and the green color is a nice contrast to the otherwise brown filling.
- Shredded carrots: Carrots provide another pop of color and additional crunch. I just used bagged shredded carrots from the store, but feel free to grate your own.
- Peanuts or cashews: Roasted, chopped peanuts or cashews add a nice textural contrast.
- Salt and pepper: Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, please.
- Lettuce: Pick up a head of butter or bibb lettuce. If your grocery store is anything like mine, the lettuce will come whole, in a little plastic clamshell of its own.
How do these lettuce wraps come together?
You'll start out by cooking some onions and garlic, followed by some ground chicken, crumbling it up as you go.
Next, the sauces and vinegars, and ginger make their way into the pan.
Next up, the water chestnuts, green onions, carrots, and nuts make an appearance. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon this delicious mixture into some crisp lettuce leaves and go to town!
What to expect from these lettuce wraps:
These chicken lettuce wraps are savory, with a bit of crunch. The quickness with which you can throw these together makes them perfect for a light weeknight dinner.
Plus, something about eating food out of a lettuce leaf makes me feel like I'm being healthy. Anyone else feel that way?
No? And I'm just lying to myself? Okay, yeah.
In search of other easy weeknight-friendly dinners?
I got you!
- Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken never disappoints
- Pressure Cooker Carnitas come together in a flash
- Easy Baked Salmon is healthy and delicious
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja is delicious and can be made quickly
Where did this recipe come from?
This recipe is adapted from the one found on the blog Damn Delicious.
P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb ground chicken (see notes)
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 8 oz. water chestnuts, minced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ⅓ cup roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 head butter lettuce or bibb lettuce
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, cooking until the onions are translucent.
- Add the chicken and cook until browned, crumbling as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
- Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, water chestnuts, green onions, shredded carrots, and chopped nuts. Cook for approximately 5 minutes.
- Taste the filling and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon a bit of the mixture into each leaf of butter lettuce, using the lettuce like you would a soft taco shell.
Notes
- Ground turkey or ground pork would be delicious substitutes for ground chicken
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 953mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 30g
What equipment will I need to make these lettuce wraps?
To be honest, not a whole lot! Here are some of my favorites:
- A nice, heavy-bottomed skillet (I'm a sucker for Le Creuset)
- Spatulas
- Cutting board
Pin this recipe for later!
Old photos are below! - Browse at your own risk 😉
Eartha
Can't believe I've yet to make lettuce wraps. These look delicious!
ANerdCooks
Thank you! Give them a try: they're super easy and delicious =)
Bushra RB
It looks just soo mmmm yummy.. I am gonna try it.
ANerdCooks
I hope you love them!
Bushra RB
I sure will haha.
Adrian
Great flavor, but too much ginger. I will definitely make this again, but just add less ginger. Thank you for sharing
laurenpacek
Hi Adrian! Definitely dial back the ginger if that's more to your taste. I hope you like them even more next time around!
Nicole
These are sooo delicious! I will definitely be making them again
laurenpacek
So glad that you liked them!! They're a favorite in my house.
Haley
Loved these! Big hit in my house. Will use less ginger, but excited for round 2! Great job on the recipe.
laurenpacek
Yay, so glad you liked it, Haley! <3 For sure, tinker and make the recipe fit your tastes. Make it your own =)
Nina
Best recipe ever!!
My whole family’s favorite recipe.
I add 1/2 cup chopped cashews....delicious.
laurenpacek
So glad you enjoyed them! Cashews sound like a delicious addition!
Kristin
Huge hit at my house! Left the ginger out completely and didn’t miss it! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
laurenpacek
Woo hoo! So glad that you loved them!
Nancy
these have become a family favorite. It is perfect for an appetizer for 4 or a light main course for 2. Where I live, it is sometimes difficult to find ground chicken, so I have also made it using ground turkey or ground pork and both work amazing as well.
laurenpacek
So glad you've been enjoying them!! Making them with ground pork sounds like a great idea!
Katrina
These are absolutely delicious! The only change I made was that I sautéed the onions before I added the chicken (personal preference - I like my onions to be browned and I couldn’t achieve that if I put them in after the chicken). Overall this is great and it is definitely going to be a regular in our rotation!
laurenpacek
So glad to hear that y'all liked them!!
Macarena
AMAZING!!! I never write reviews but THESE ARE SO WORTH IT. MAKE THEM NOW! They will definitely make our rotation. Only thing I did differently after reading other reviews was no ginger, since I’m not a big fan either! My husband and I DEVOURED THESE.
laurenpacek
I am SO glad that you loved these! Thanks for making them and leaving a review!
Emmy
These are fantastic! Delicious and easy to make. I used ginger paste instead and it was a lot easier. Topped with chopped nuts is also a great add, but honestly, they are perfect as they are.
Can you freeze the mixture?
Thank you!
laurenpacek
Hi, Emmy. Thank you! To be honest, I use the ginger paste, too. SO much more convenient, right? I have never frozen the mixture, but I don't see why you couldn't. It would probably make a really nice meal prep option.