I’m excited to share an easy, macro-friendly Lettuce Wraps With Ground Chicken recipe that layers bold Thai flavors and fresh ingredients in crisp lettuce cups for a quick, gluten-free dinner you’ll be curious to try.

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I never thought a Lettuce Wrap Dinner could feel this fun and simple. I toss seasoned ground chicken into crisp lettuce cups and the hit of fresh lime juice wakes everything up, making each bite kinda electric.

The sweet, salty, tangy balance keeps me coming back when I’m trying to eat lighter but not bored. It’s low fuss, macro friendly and doubles great for meal planning.

Call it Protein Lettuce Wraps if you want, but trust me you’ll be surprised how satisfying a simple combo can be. You’ll wanna make these again, and maybe tweak them a little.

Ingredients

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Ground chicken: Lean protein for muscle, low fat if you pick lean cuts, mild flavor.
Garlic: Adds pungent savory punch, may boost immunity, tiny calories.
Ginger: Warm zesty heat helps digestion and nausea, adds fresh brightness.
Lime juice: Bright sour note cuts richness, gives vitamin C and fresh tang.
Soy sauce or tamari: Salty umami backbone adds depth, tamari is gluten free option.
Peanuts or cashews: Crunchy fat and protein brings texture and nutty sweetness, nice contrast.
Lettuce leaves: Low calorie crisp vessel provides fiber, keeps wrap light and fresh.
Carrot: Sweet crunchy bites, adds fiber and color, natural sweetness balances savory.
Green onions: Fresh sharp onion notes, mild, adds green color and aroma.
Sesame oil: Toasted aroma, small amount lifts flavor, high in healthy fats.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (450 g) ground chicken

1 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

3 green onions, sliced

1 small red bell pepper, finely diced

1 medium carrot, shredded

8 to 12 large lettuce leaves (butter, Boston, or romaine)

2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten free)

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp brown sugar or honey i usually use brown

1 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: sesame seeds for garnish

How to Make this

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1. Prep everything first so dinner goes fast: wash and pat dry 8 to 12 lettuce leaves, shred the carrot, finely dice the red pepper, slice the green onions separating whites and greens, mince garlic, grate ginger, chop peanuts or cashews and cilantro.

2. Whisk the sauce in a small bowl: 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp brown sugar (i usually use brown), 1 tsp sriracha if you want heat, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir till the sugar mostly dissolves.

3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 lb ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until mostly browned and no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

4. Push the chicken around the pan and add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white parts of the green onions. Stir for 30 seconds till fragrant, then add the diced red pepper and shredded carrot and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the veg soften.

5. Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies, stir well and let simmer 1 to 2 minutes so the flavors meld and the liquid reduces slightly. Taste and adjust with a little more soy or lime if it needs brightness.

6. Turn off the heat and stir in about 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus the green parts of the onions. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil if you want extra aroma.

7. Warm or steam the lettuce leaves for a few seconds if they feel cold and stiff so they fold easier, or just use them raw if you like crunch. Spoon a few tablespoons of the chicken mix into each leaf.

8. Sprinkle with extra chopped nuts, cilantro and optional sesame seeds, serve with lime wedges and extra sriracha on the side. Leftover filling keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days but dont assemble in advance or the leaves get soggy.

Equipment Needed

1. Large skillet (10 to 12 inch) for browning the chicken
2. Spatula or wooden spoon to break up meat and stir
3. Small bowl and whisk or fork for the sauce
4. Chef’s knife for chopping garlic, pepper and herbs
5. Cutting board
6. Microplane or fine grater for the ginger
7. Box grater or julienne peeler for shredding the carrot
8. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon or small measuring cup for liquids
9. Tongs or slotted spoon for spooning the filling into the lettuce leaves

FAQ

Q: How many people does this recipe feed? A: About 3 to 4 people. 1 pound of ground chicken with 8 to 12 lettuce leaves gives each person 2 to 4 wraps depending on appetite, so adjust if you want leftovers.

Q: Can I make this gluten free? A: Yes. Use tamari instead of soy sauce and double check your fish sauce is gluten free. Or swap soy entirely for coconut aminos if you prefer.

Q: What can I use instead of ground chicken? A: Ground turkey or pork work great, and crumbled firm tofu or chopped mushrooms make it vegetarian, but the taste will change a bit so tweak the seasonings.

Q: How do I change the heat level? A: Add more sriracha or chili garlic sauce to up the spice, or leave it out for mild. You can also stir in fresh chopped chilies if you want a brighter heat.

Q: Can I meal prep this? A: Yep. Store the cooked filling in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, keep the lettuce separate so it stays crisp, and reheat the filling gently on the stove or microwave.

Q: I’m allergic to peanuts, what else can I use? A: Use chopped cashews, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, or skip the nuts and add extra fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime for texture and flavor.

Easy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps For Healthy Dinners Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Ground chicken → ground turkey or pork 1:1; for a veggie version use crumbled firm tofu or tempeh (press out extra moisture first). Tofu might need a splash more soy or oil cause it’s pretty lean.
Fish sauce → if you avoid fish, use 1 tbsp soy/tamari + 1 tsp lime juice + a pinch of miso or mushroom powder for umami; or swap with 1 tbsp coconut aminos for a sweeter, milder flavor.
Soy sauce/tamari → coconut aminos or liquid aminos work 1:1 for gluten free; or use low sodium soy if you want less salt.
Chopped roasted peanuts/cashews → chopped toasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for a nut free crunch; sesame seeds also give nice texture.

Pro Tips

– Preheat the pan and get the chicken pretty dry before you brown it. If you add it to a cold or crowded pan it will steam instead of develop little browned bits that add flavor, so work in batches if you need to.
– Toast and crush the nuts right before serving, dont skip this step — toasted nuts taste way more intense and the contrast with the soft chicken is what makes the wraps pop.
– Brighten things with a quick acid trick: toss some shredded carrot or extra cilantro in a splash of lime and a pinch of sugar for 5 to 10 minutes. It wakes up the whole dish and cuts the saltiness without much work.
– Keep the leaves flexible by warming them briefly between damp paper towels or over a pot of hot water, and only assemble at the table. Once you build the wraps they start to get soggy so dont make them too far ahead.

Easy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps For Healthy Dinners Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventsi

0.0 from 0 votes

I'm excited to share an easy, macro-friendly Lettuce Wraps With Ground Chicken recipe that layers bold Thai flavors and fresh ingredients in crisp lettuce cups for a quick, gluten-free dinner you'll be curious to try.

Servings

servings

Calories

182

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large skillet (10 to 12 inch) for browning the chicken
2. Spatula or wooden spoon to break up meat and stir
3. Small bowl and whisk or fork for the sauce
4. Chef’s knife for chopping garlic, pepper and herbs
5. Cutting board
6. Microplane or fine grater for the ginger
7. Box grater or julienne peeler for shredding the carrot
8. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon or small measuring cup for liquids
9. Tongs or slotted spoon for spooning the filling into the lettuce leaves

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
1 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 green onions, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium carrot, shredded
8 to 12 large lettuce leaves (butter, Boston, or romaine)
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten free)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey i usually use brown
1 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

Prep everything first so dinner goes fast: wash and pat dry 8 to 12 lettuce leaves, shred the carrot, finely dice the red pepper, slice the green onions separating whites and greens, mince garlic, grate ginger, chop peanuts or cashews and cilantro.
Whisk the sauce in a small bowl: 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp brown sugar (i usually use brown), 1 tsp sriracha if you want heat, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir till the sugar mostly dissolves.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 lb ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until mostly browned and no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Push the chicken around the pan and add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white parts of the green onions. Stir for 30 seconds till fragrant, then add the diced red pepper and shredded carrot and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the veg soften.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies, stir well and let simmer 1 to 2 minutes so the flavors meld and the liquid reduces slightly. Taste and adjust with a little more soy or lime if it needs brightness.
Turn off the heat and stir in about 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus the green parts of the onions. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil if you want extra aroma.
Warm or steam the lettuce leaves for a few seconds if they feel cold and stiff so they fold easier, or just use them raw if you like crunch. Spoon a few tablespoons of the chicken mix into each leaf.
Sprinkle with extra chopped nuts, cilantro and optional sesame seeds, serve with lime wedges and extra sriracha on the side. Leftover filling keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days but dont assemble in advance or the leaves get soggy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.