Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps
A quick, low-carb favorite featuring savory, sweet, and tangy ground chicken cooked with crisp water chestnuts, garlic, and fresh ginger, served inside chilled, crunchy lettuce leaves. This restaurant-quality dish is light, highly refreshing, and comes together in just 20 minutes.
Calories: 260kcal
Ingredients
🍖Chicken Stir-Fry:
1 lb (450g) lean ground chicken
1 tbsp sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 can (8 oz / 225g) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 head Butterhead (Bibb) or Boston lettuce, leaves separated and washed
🍖Savory Sauce:
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tsp sriracha (optional, for heat)
Instructions
🟢Whisk the Sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut butter, and sriracha until smooth. Set aside.
🟢Brown the Chicken:
Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and fully cooked through.
🟢Sauté Aromatics & Crunch:
Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and ginger to the skillet. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the chopped water chestnuts and half of the sliced green onions, cooking for another 1 minute.
🟢Sauce & Combine:
Pour the sauce mixture over the cooked chicken and vegetables. Toss well to coat evenly and simmer on low heat for 1–2 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened.
🟢Assemble & Serve:
Spoon the warm ground chicken mixture into chilled lettuce leaves. Garnish with the remaining green onions (and optional toasted sesame seeds or crushed peanuts). Serve fresh and enjoy!
Notes
- Protein Swap: Replace ground chicken with ground turkey, ground pork, or finely diced extra-firm tofu/mushrooms for a vegetarian alternative.
- Lettuce Choice: If Butterhead/Bibb lettuce is unavailable, use Iceberg lettuce for maximum crunch or Romaine hearts for sturdy, boat-shaped cups.
- Nut-Free Version: Swap peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or omit it completely and add an extra tablespoon of hoisin sauce.
