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 as written last week and my family – teens and adults – loved it! Better than what we’ve had in a restaurant, and quite easy.
Just love it! I planned to have village like dinner with my three kids and hubby where I’m not going to use any cutlery but only my dinner table being wrapped with brown paper. This recipe is going to fit in perfect and it’s so easy.
Hi Jenn, I’ve made this recipe several times and its so easy and delicious! I am thinking of making it again for a dinner party but with tempeh instead of chicken as my guests are vegan. Do you think it would work and would I make it the same way? Thanks!
Hi Tamara, I’ve never cooked with tempeh, so I can’t say for sure – I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful but would love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn,
I ended up making this for my vegan dinner party and the tempeh would out perfectly! I substituted the chicken for the tempeh and omitted the fish sauce and everyone loved it. Thank you for all your great recipes!!
Tamara
Glad it worked out!
I made this today and my family loved it. No leftovers. I left off the mint and cilantro (hubby) allergic. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for a great recipe.
These are absolutely AMAZING! Even my very picky, very ‘meat & potatoes’ only husband loved them! Because of a chronic illness I was unable to cook much at all for almost a decade, but since randomly discovering Jenn’s website I have fallen in love with cooking again at the tender age of 59! I’ve made over a dozen recipes, (many multiple times), & each one is outstanding! Of course, I’ve pre-ordered the cookbook & can’t wait to receive it! Thank you so much, Jenn, for making me look good!
❤️
Hi Jenn, I get to choose a dish for my husband to prepare for my birthday and have chosen this one. Do you think a 50/50 mix of ground pork and ground chicken could be used or should he just stick to one type of meat? BTW, so excited about the book. Pre-ordered months ago. 😊
Hi Sabine, you could definitely use a mix of chicken and pork if you’d like. Enjoy your birthday dinner and thanks for your support with the cookbook! 🙂
This is a wonderful dish, Jenn! Now, how do I get my wife from begging for more after she’s almost eaten the entire meal by herself!
🙂
These are delicious, but they aren’t quick! Lots of chopping, zesting, juicing, etc. next time, I’ll chop earlier in the day. A keeper!
This was a great dish. I added two Thai chillies instead of red pepper flakes. I also added hoisin sauce on the wrap. I served it with coconut rice as a side.
Amazing! So flavorful and delicious, my husband kept going back for more. I made it with your cucumber salad. Thank you for another great recipe!
We absolutely love this dish. It’s quick and easy to make and sooooo yummy. The cashews might be the best part! We like a bit of plum sauce or a good sweet and sour to drizzle on top. Sometimes I make this with green lentils instead of chicken and it’s also delicious.