I was a little worried about using almond butter in the sauce but holy cow was it delicious! Highly recommend anyone that loves asian food! Will definitely be making this again.
These Asian-inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps have become one of my favorite quick weeknight dinners — fresh, flavorful, and so satisfying! I first created this recipe on a busy weeknight when I had leftover ground chicken in the fridge and was craving something light but still packed with flavor. The combination of the creamy almond butter sauce, crunchy vegetables, and tender lettuce cups is absolutely addictive. If you’re a fan of takeout-style lettuce wraps but want something healthier, cleaner, and Whole30 or Paleo friendly, this recipe will definitely hit the spot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Everything comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Packed with flavor: The almond butter sauce combines tangy, savory, and slightly spicy notes that coat the chicken and veggies beautifully.
- Healthy & light: Loaded with fresh vegetables, lean protein, and a naturally sweet, dairy-free sauce.
- Customizable: You can easily swap the protein, adjust the spice level, or use your favorite toppings — these wraps are endlessly adaptable.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these healthy lettuce wraps, plus a few notes on why each ingredient matters:
- Almond butter: Creates a creamy, nutty base for the sauce. You can substitute peanut butter or cashew butter if you prefer.
- Coconut aminos/soy sauce: Adds salty, umami flavor. You can also use tamari or soy sauce if not following Paleo.
- Apple cider vinegar: Provides tang and balances the richness of the almond butter. Feel free to swap it for rice wine vinegar.
- Sesame oil: Adds a nutty aroma that ties the flavors together.
- Fresno chili pepper: Brings heat and color — adjust to your spice preference.
- Fresh ginger: Adds warmth and brightness. Use grated or finely minced for best results
- Onion & garlic: The aromatic base that infuses everything with savory flavor.
- Ground chicken or pork: Both work beautifully — ground chicken makes it lighter, ground pork adds richness.
- Celery, mushrooms, and carrots: Finely chopped for texture and color; they also boost the nutritional value.
- Green onions: Stirred in at the end for freshness and crunch.
- Butter lettuce or gem lettuce: Soft, sturdy leaves that perfectly hold the filling.You could also use iceberg lettuce cut into wedges or romaine lettuce.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
- Blender or NutriBullet
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Wooden spoon
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Mixing bowl
How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Blend the sauce: Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust to your liking — add more chili for heat or vinegar for tang.
- Prep the veggies: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and finely chop the celery, mushrooms, and carrots so everything cooks evenly.
- Cook the base: Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Stir in the ground chicken (or pork) and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon until crumbly and browned. Mix in the celery, mushrooms, carrots, and ginger. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the meat is fully cooked.
- Finish with sauce: Stir in the green onions and about two-thirds of the almond butter sauce. Mix until everything is evenly coated and heated through.
- Assemble & serve: Place spoonfuls of the mixture in a lettuce leaf, drizzle with the remaining sauce, and garnish with chopped cashews or sesame seeds.
Ways to Modify This Recipe
These chicken lettuce wraps are incredibly flexible. Here are some fun ways to change them up depending on what’s in your kitchen:
- Swap the protein: Use ground turkey, beef, shrimp, or even tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Add crunch: Sprinkle crushed cashews, almonds, or peanuts over top for texture.
- Make it spicier: Add extra Fresno chili or a dash of chili flakes or sriracha for more heat.
- Boost the veggies: Add chopped bell pepper, zucchini, or water chestnuts for extra crunch and color.
- Serve bowl-style: Skip the lettuce and serve the filling over rice or cauliflower rice for a hearty, gluten-free bowl option.
- Nut-free version: Replace almond butter with sunflower seed butter for a nut-free sauce that’s still creamy and flavorful.
What to Serve With These Lettuce Wraps
These wraps make a light meal on their own, but you can easily round them out with a few sides for a complete dinner:
- White rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice all work well for soaking up extra sauce.
- Asian cucumber salad — crisp and refreshing.
- Miso soup or ginger carrot soup — for a cozy pairing.
- Spring rolls or sesame noodles — if you’re serving a crowd.
If you’re hosting, set out the filling, lettuce, and toppings buffet-style so everyone can build their own wraps — it’s interactive, fun, and perfect for casual entertaining.
Can I Prepare This in Advance?
Absolutely. These lettuce wraps are great for meal prep because both the sauce and filling can be made ahead of time.
- The sauce: Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. It can also double as a dipping sauce or salad dressing!
- The filling: Cook and cool completely before transferring to a sealed container. Reheat just before serving and spoon into fresh lettuce cups.
If you’re prepping for a party or a week of lunches, keep the filling and lettuce separate until just before serving to prevent sogginess.
Common Questions
Place the cooked filling in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Keep lettuce leaves wrapped separately in paper towels to stay crisp. To reheat, warm the filling in a skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes or in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir in a splash of water or coconut aminos if it thickens too much.
Cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Looking for more takeout fake-out recipes:
- Black Pepper Chicken
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Thai Basil Beef
- Sweet & Sour Pork
- Mongolian Chicken
- Kung Pao Cauliflower
If you make this Asian chicken lettuce wraps recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tbsp almond butter or cashew or peanut butter
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped Fresno chili pepper (or more depending on desired spiciness)
- 1 inch ginger
Lettuce Wraps
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 pound ground chicken (or pork)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
- 2/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1 head butter lettuce or gem lettuce
Instructions
- Start by making the sauce. To a NutriBullet container or blender combine all of the ingredients for the sauce and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the flavouring by adding more chili, ginger etc. if desired
- Make sure that all of the veggies are chopped and ready.
- Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat and then add in the diced onion and garlic. Leave to cook for about 2 minutes until the onions become translucent and then add in the ground chicken. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into a crumbly texture.
- After 4 minutes of cooking add in the diced celery, mushrooms, carrot and ginger and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and the chicken is no longer pink and completely cooked through.
- Finally add green onions and 2/3 of the sauce. Stir to ensure everything is well coated and warmed through before removing from the heat.
- Serve the meat mixture spooned into the lettuce cups with the remaining sauce drizzled overtop and chopped cashews for garnish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
It’s delicious. Thanks for sharing.
This turned out amazing! ย I will be making it more often for sure!! ย
Loved this, thank you! The sauce was so good, I would probably double it next time. Also used shredded chicken thighs that I cooked in the instant pot while chopping veggies because I didn’t have ground chicken and it was great.
I was a little worried about using almond butter in the sauce but holy cow was it delicious! Highly recommend anyone that loves asian food! Will definitely be making this again.ย
Just made this, the sauce is delicious!