Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Thai chicken lettuce wraps work as an appetizer, a weeknight dinner, or anything in between—fast, fresh, and packed with flavor.
This Thai chicken lettuce wraps recipe is based on Larb Gai, a Thai dish made from minced chicken, fish sauce, lime juice, chilies, and fresh herbs. Lettuce leaves act as crisp, cool little cups that are perfect for scooping up the savory, herby chicken mixture, and the whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes. It works equally well as an appetizer or a main dish—if you’re in the mood for something more substantial, you can always serve it over rice.
If you’re a fan of Thai flavors, you’ll also love my Thai grilled chicken skewers—they’re quick, fresh, and packed with flavor.
“This is one of my favorite recipes. The perfect weekday meal and best leftover snack.”
What you’ll need to make Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Iceberg or butter lettuce – Crisp cups for serving.
- Vegetable oil – For sautéing.
- Red onion, ginger & garlic – Aromatic base that builds flavor.
- Ground chicken – The hearty filling. Look for a blend of light and dark meat. All breast meat tends to be dry.
- Soy sauce & fish sauce – Savory, umami depth.
- Brown sugar, lime zest & juice – A touch of sweetness and brightness.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – A little heat.
- Scallions, cilantro & mint – Fresh, herby finish.
- Cashews or peanuts – Crunch and richness.
- Optional ingredients for serving: Sriracha, finely sliced carrots, and lime wedges.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and ginger and cook until soft, then stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Be careful not to brown the garlic, as that will turn the flavor bitter.
Step 2: Add the chicken. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
Step 3: Add the sauce ingredients and finish cooking. Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and everything is well combined.
Pro Tip: Taste and adjust at the end—depending on your lime and fish sauce, you may want an extra squeeze of lime or a pinch of sugar to get that perfect sweet-salty-tangy balance.
Step 4: Stir in the fresh herbs and nuts. Off the heat, add the cilantro, mint, scallions, and nuts and toss to combine.
Step 5: Serve. Transfer the filling to a serving bowl and set it out with the lettuce, finely sliced carrots, herbs, and sriracha. I like to let everyone assemble their own wraps—it keeps the lettuce crisp (the hot filling won’t wilt it) and lets everyone add whatever toppings they like.
More Easy Thai Recipes You’ll Love
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 large head iceberg or butter lettuce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger, from a 2-in (5-cm) piece (see note)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lb ground chicken (not all breast meat)
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup (packed) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime zest, from 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, from 1½ limes
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 large scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup chopped cashews or peanuts
Optional For Serving
- Sriracha
- Finely sliced carrots
- Lime wedges
- Cilantro and/or mint sprigs
Instructions
- If using iceberg lettuce: fill a large bowl with cold water. Place the head of lettuce on a cutting board; cut off the stem, then cut around the inner core of the lettuce and remove (do not cut all the way through the lettuce; just deep enough to remove the core). Discard the flimsy, ragged outer leaves and then place the head of lettuce in the bowl of water. Gently pull apart the leaves, then place them on a paper towel to dry. Cut any large leaves in half. Chill the lettuce cups in refrigerator until ready to serve. (If using butter lettuce, you won't have any issues pulling apart the leaves so this step is not necessary.)
- Heat the oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the ground chicken and turn the heat up to high. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until partially cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and red pepper flakes and continue cooking, stirring frequently to break up the meat, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes more. Off the heat, stir in the scallions, cilantro, mint, and nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon into lettuce cups and serve with optional garnishes.
Notes
- Check out some easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger.
- Freezing Instructions: The meat mixture can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months and reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I made this on Saturday for my son and husband who have eaten my other recipe for lettuce wraps. I used ground turkey instead of chicken, but followed the recipe otherwise except for the mint as I have an allergy to it. I had them compare it to my other recipe and it got a “delicious” rating. They like both of the recipes, just think they are different. My other one is sweeter, so this one was much lighter and fresher tasting. Loved it! Thank you. Will definitely make this again.
Forgot to rate this as 5 stars!!!!
This became an immediate favorite. I make it at other people’s houses and put everyone to work with the prep (zesting lime & pressing, rinsing & drying lettuce leaves). I often end up making my own ground chicken in the cuisinart since it is difficult to find half chicken thigh/half chicken breast. It’s easy.
This has become a favorite recipe of mine and making it almost every other week! I am using ground up Chicken Breast alone. The one addition I have made to make the texture similar to what I get the Thai place is to roast some rice in a pan and run in through the spice grinder to get coarse powder. I add it towards the middle of the cooking process.
This has become one of my frequent go to recipes when I want an Asian dish that’s light yet so full of flavor! I have made this a number of times and it never disappoints. Have used both ground chicken AND ground turkey with equally great results. Because the ground meat comes in 1 lb. packages, I usually make half the recipe which is a perfect amount for my husband and daughter. I have also used different lettuces. What a great recipe!
Loved this recipe. Had it for lunch several days. Hits the spot and very filling. Will make again.
Made this for the first time tonight and it comes together very quickly after you have prepped the ingredients. We all loved this so much, my daughter can’t wait to make this herself. Our 18 month old grandson absolutely loved this, and he has been a picky eater lately. This made enough for 4 adults and we have leftovers. I think this is a good recipe for 6 people. Thanks, Jenn! Another winner!
Hi Jenn, Planning on making this dish tonight, but wondering if I could use chopped up chicken breast instead? Any tricks to use so the meat isn’t too dry? Thank you and I can’t wait for your cookbook to come out.
Hi Kasia, I think it will work – just be careful not to overcook it.
I made these last night and the flavor was good but the meat was kind of dry. Maybe because I used breast meat chicken instead of dark meat (my grocery store didn’t have any). I was just wondering if there was a sauce I could add to it. Hoisin Sauce perhaps? Thanks!
Hi Cathy, Yes, that would explain it being dry. Hoisin sauce will give it more of a Chinese flavor but would definitely work. You could also try more of a Thai-style peanut sauce. Hope that helps!
I’m making these tonight but I’m wondering what to serve with them. Any suggestions?
Hi Cathy, I think I’m probably too late seeing your question, but jasmine rice would be nice.
Thanks! That’s exactly what I picked up. I just sent you another question regarding the dish.
This is one of my go-to recipes. Often I will make a double batch of the meat and freeze half. It reheats beautifully, so on busy nights I can quickly add the fresh ingredients for a fantastic meal that is quicker than take-out.