1 Amazing chicken lettuce wraps in 25 mins

You know that familiar Friday night feeling? You’re craving takeout, really craving that savory, crunchy hit of your favorite Asian dish, but your conscience keeps whispering about needing a proper weeknight chicken dinner idea that isn’t heavy? I’ve been there a million times. That’s why I perfected this recipe: the Copycat P.F. Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps. Trust me, this is the secret weapon for beating takeout cravings.

The best part? We get that amazing, fresh, flavor-packed filling ready in under 25 minutes. It’s naturally low-carb, packed with protein, and honestly, so much fresher than delivery would ever be. When I first started this cooking journey, finding recipes that ticked the ‘fast’ AND ‘delicious’ boxes felt impossible. This dish proves you don’t need to sacrifice flavor for speed. Let’s get cooking!

Why This Copycat P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe Works (The Best Chicken Lettuce Wraps)

I’ve tried countless Asian-inspired skillet meals, but nothing beats the excitement of making these chicken lettuce wraps at home. When people ask me for my favorite dish that feels fancy but takes zero effort, this is it! It truly is the better than takeout chicken wraps experience.

Here’s the quick breakdown on why this version is the one you should save:

• Speed Demon: Seriously, we’re talking about a quick dinner lettuce wrap ready faster than you can decide what to order delivery. It’s done in about 25 minutes total.
• Flavor Explosion: The combination of hoisin, ginger, and garlic creates that unbelievably savory profile you crave, but it tastes so much more fresh and flavorful.
• Health Win: Since we’re using ground chicken, these easily become high protein low calorie wraps. They’re light enough for an appetizer but filling enough for a main course.

If you’re looking for great appetizer chicken lettuce wraps or a light dinner, this copycat recipe nails the texture and that addictive salty-sweet-umami balance. You can find more quick party food ideas over on my appetizers page!

Essential Ingredients for Flavorful Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Okay, let’s talk about the shopping list! Gathering these few ingredients is half the battle, and honestly, it’s what makes this our go-to savory chicken filling recipe. We need everything raw and ready to go so that when we hit the heat, it’s a quick assembly line for flavor. Don’t skimp on the aromatics; they are the soul of these chicken lettuce wraps.

Here is what you need for about four servings:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms (white or cremini)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus more for garnish
• 1 head butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated and washed
• Optional: Sweet chili sauce for serving

Now, choosing the right vessel is huge. My personal favorite for these healthy lettuce wraps is butter lettuce—it cups beautifully and has a tender bite. If you want that unmistakable crunch reminiscent of the restaurant version, go with iceberg lettuce. Just make sure those leaves are perfectly dry when you’re ready to wrap!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Savory Chicken Filling Recipe

To elevate this from a good dish to the best chicken lettuce wraps you’ve ever made, pay attention to these little details. The water chestnuts? They might seem weird, but they are non-negotiable for that fantastic, slightly loud crunch. Don’t skip them!

For the soy sauce, if you need low carb chicken wraps or are going gluten-free, just swap it out for tamari. It gives you the salty depth without the wheat. Also, I always mix the sauce components—hoisin, soy, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and water—in a small bowl *before* I start cooking. Having that pre-mixed chicken lettuce wraps sauce ready means you don’t panic when you pour it over the hot chicken.

If you can’t find fresh ginger, you can use a teaspoon of dried ginger, but wow, the fresh stuff just screams authentic flavor, so try to grab it if you can!

How to Prepare Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps in Under 30 Minutes

Folks, this is where the magic happens, and I promise you, getting this savory filling right is what makes these easy chicken lettuce wraps taste just like the restaurant favorite. Since we are aiming for a quick dinner, having everything prepped ahead is key. But don’t worry if you need a little extra inspiration for timing or technique; I always keep handy reference guides over on the main blog!

We want to move fast, but we don’t want to rush the flavor development; it’s a balancing act when making these delicious chicken lettuce wraps.

Mastering the Savory Chicken Filling for Chicken Lettuce Wraps

First things first: get that oil hot in your wok or biggest skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering, toss in the ground chicken. You need to break it up and cook it until it’s fully browned. Now, pro tip alert: once it’s done, tilt the pan and use a spoon to scoop out every bit of excess grease. We want flavor, not oil slicks in our wraps!

SAVE

Next, toss in the goodies that add texture and scent. That’s your water chestnuts, mushrooms, fresh ginger, and garlic. Cook these for just three or four minutes. You just want them to soften up a tiny bit and let that gorgeous ginger and garlic aroma bloom. Don’t cook them until they look tired; we want some bite left!

While that’s sizzling, pour in your pre-whisked sauce mixture. Stir everything quickly and let it cook for just 2 to 3 minutes until that sauce has thickened up and everything is nicely coated. Take it off the heat immediately and stir in those green onions. That’s step seven done, and guess what? We’re already nearing completion!

Assembling and Serving Your Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Now for the final, fun part: wrapping! Before you even think about filling a leaf, make sure every single lettuce cup is bone dry. Seriously, water clinging to the leaves is the number one reason for soggy wraps that fall apart. I just use a salad spinner and then pat them dry with paper towels for good measure.

SAVE

Arrange your cups on a big platter. Spoon that beautiful, fresh and flavorful chicken right into the middle of the leaf. I always garnish mine with a little shake of extra green onions—it just makes them look instantly restaurant-ready, perfect for those appetizer chicken lettuce wraps moments. Serve them immediately with a little bowl of sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy that crunch!

Tips for Perfect Chicken Lettuce Wraps Every Time

I love sharing the little things I’ve learned over the years that turn a good recipe into a showstopper. Making chicken lettuce wraps feels simple, but nailing that perfect texture—not too watery, not too dry—takes a couple of secrets. These tips are what make my version feel like the authentic, craveable dish you want every time.

First up: if you want that classic P.F. Chang’s vibe, stick with ground chicken. While you absolutely could use shredded chicken—and that might work better if you were making, say, a Teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps variation—for this particular savory recipe, ground chicken browns nicely and gives you a great texture when combined with the water chestnuts. You get a better, more uniform coating with the sauce this way.

Here are my must-know tips for success:

• Temperature Control is Key: Once you add the sauce mixture, you need high heat for only a couple of minutes to thicken it. If you simmer it too long, the moisture from the hoisin and soy sauce turns into steam, which wets your filling right before it goes into the lettuce. We want the filling hot, but not soupy!
• The Double-Dry Method: I mentioned drying the lettuce, but sometimes the filling can still let out a little steam. Try laying a single crisp lettuce leaf on your plate, and then spoon a smaller, drier leaf inside it. This double layer is fantastic for keeping your hands clean and preventing any accidental tears during wrapping. It’s a great hack for serving these as appetizer chicken lettuce wraps when people are mingling.
• A Touch of Acidity at the End: Don’t skip the rice vinegar in the sauce mixture! But if you feel your filling tastes a tiny bit flat after it’s finished cooking, take the pan off the heat and stir in just 1/2 teaspoon of *fresh* lime juice right before you fold in the green onions. That little burst of fresh acid wakes everything up.

These little adjustments, honestly, are what take you from making edible low carb chicken wraps to making something truly unforgettable. If you love comfort food but need it lighter, you can check out some other cozy recipes on my comfort food page!

Variations on Classic Chicken Lettuce Wraps

While mastering this P.F. Chang’s copycat is heavenly, I know we all get stuck in flavor ruts sometimes, right? That’s why this base recipe is so fantastic—it’s begging for you to play around with the sauce components! Changing up the liquids and sweeteners lets you spin these chicken lettuce wraps right into different Asian cuisines. It’s all about flexing those flavor muscles!

We keep the ground chicken, mushrooms, and water chestnuts because that texture profile is just perfect for a light meal, but we swap out the sauce base entirely to create something totally new. These simple switches keep your healthy weeknight meals exciting!

Here are two of my favorite tweaks when I’m feeling adventurous:

• For Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps: This variation is bright and spicy! Ditch the hoisin and brown sugar. Instead, for your sauce base, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, a little bit of honey, minced cilantro, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Maybe even add a dash of peanut butter if you’re feeling extra decadent for a creamier sauce. It’s incredible and feels super light.
• For Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps: This one is sweeter and thicker, perfect if you usually lean towards richer flavors. You can use my recipe for easy homemade teriyaki sauce recipe if you have it on hand, or simply use a quality bottled teriyaki sauce mixed with minced ginger and garlic, skipping the soy sauce and rice vinegar from the original recipe. Add a little cornstarch slurry (a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with two teaspoons of cold water) at the end to make sure that thick teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps sauce clings perfectly to the chicken.

See? It’s the same cooking method—sear chicken, soften veggies, incorporate sauce—but you get a completely different, delicious result that keeps your rotation fresh!

Storage and Meal Prep for Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I absolutely love that so many of you are interested in making these as meal prep chicken wraps! It makes so much sense because the filling is incredibly sturdy and flavorful; it basically gets better overnight. However, there is one crucial rule you have to follow if you want that crispy freshness when you eat them later.

You MUST separate the components. If you mix the already cooked, savory chicken filling with the lettuce even an hour ahead of time, you’re begging for soggy disappointment. The warmth and moisture from the filling will wilt the crisp lettuce instantly, and trust me, nobody wants floppy chicken lettuce cups!

Here’s my tried-and-true method for keeping everything perfect for a few days:

• Filling Storage: Once the savory chicken filling recipe is completely cooled down—and I mean totally cool, not even warm—transfer it to an airtight container. This works great for leftovers or for your weekly batch of healthy lettuce wraps. It stays wonderfully fresh in the fridge for up to four days.
• Lettuce Prep: Wash and thoroughly dry your lettuce leaves, just like you were going to eat them immediately. Place the dry leaves in a large zip-top bag or an airtight container lined with a few dry paper towels. The paper towels wick away any residual moisture. Store this separately from the chicken mixture.
• Reheating the Filling Safely: When lunchtime rolls around, scoop out just the portion of filling you need. Reheat it gently. I find the microwave works best in 30-second bursts, just stirring in between, until it’s piping hot. You can also warm it quickly in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Don’t overheat it, or it can get dry!

When it’s time to eat, just grab a few crisp leaves, scoop in your warm filling, garnish with fresh green onions, and enjoy your quick dinner lettuce wraps! It truly feels like you cooked them fresh, even if you made them on Sunday.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I always get so many wonderful questions after people try making this recipe for the first time! It’s so exciting to see the kitchen community embracing these healthy lettuce wraps. Here are a few things I hear most often:

What is the best lettuce for chicken lettuce wraps?

This really depends on the vibe you’re going for, honestly! For a softer, more pliable cup that feels really tender and classic, I absolutely vote for butter lettuce. It’s great for wrapping everything up neatly. However, if you want that satisfying, loud *crunch* that makes you feel like you’re really digging into restaurant food, go for iceberg lettuce. Just make sure you clean and dry those Iceberg leaves super well, or they can get a little watery when assembled!

Can I make these chicken lettuce wraps low carb?

You totally can! Since this recipe is already built around ground chicken and vegetables, it’s already naturally much lower in carbs than typical meals. To push it further into strict low carb chicken wraps territory, the easiest swap is cutting back on the brown sugar in the sauce, or skipping it entirely. You’ll still get amazing savoriness from the hoisin and soy sauce, but you’ll reduce the sugar content significantly. If you need a substitute sweetener, a tiny dash of monk fruit or stevia works wonders in the sauce mix!

How do I make the signature chicken lettuce wraps sauce?

Ah, the famous sauce! You are hitting on one of the core elements that makes these chicken lettuce wraps so addictive. You don’t need a whole separate recipe, thankfully. The signature mixture is whisked together right before it hits the hot chicken. You’re combining the hoisin sauce (that’s your sweet/salty base), soy sauce, rice vinegar, a touch of brown sugar, sesame oil, and just a splash of water to thin it out slightly so it coats everything beautifully instead of just plopping down thick.

SAVE

Nutritional Snapshot of These High Protein Low Calorie Wraps

I know so many of you are looking for meals that fit perfectly into a plan—whether that’s hitting your protein goals or keeping things consciously low calorie. That’s why I always try to break down the numbers for you, even though cooking is an art, not an exact science!

These high protein low calorie wraps deliver a satisfying meal without weighing you down. They are perfect when you need something light but want to feel energized afterward. You can see all the details below, but remember, this is based on the exact measurements in the recipe above and is just an estimate. If you add extra sauce or use a fattier chicken cut, the numbers will shift a bit!

For more meal ideas that keep your macros in check, check out my dedicated page on high protein low calorie recipes.

Here’s the snapshot per serving (which we calculated as 3 wraps):

• Serving Size: 3 wraps
• Calories: 320
• Protein: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fat: 16g
• Sugar: 8g
• Sodium: 650mg

See? Thirty grams of protein for just 320 calories—that is fantastic for a quick dinner! It’s proof that these chicken lettuce wraps really deliver on that healthy promise without tasting like you’re missing out on anything.

SAVE

Share Your Experience Making These Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Now that you’ve got the secret to these amazing, easy chicken lettuce wraps, I really, really want to hear about it! Honestly, seeing your takes on this recipe is the purest form of joy for me, Alex. Did you manage to make it even faster than the 25-minute goal? Did you prefer butter lettuce or iceberg this time around?

Don’t be shy! Drop a rating right here on the recipe card—five stars if it earned them, of course! And if you made modifications, or if your family has a favorite dipping sauce, tell me all about it in the comments below. I love reading your stories and hearing how these meals bring people together in your own kitchens.

If you snap a picture of your beautiful, fresh wraps ready to be devoured, please tag me on social media! I love seeing the food come to life outside of my own kitchen. You can catch me over on Facebook, where I often share behind-the-scenes cooking chaos. Come say hello at my Facebook page!

Thanks so much for cooking with me today. Keep that joy flowing, and I’ll see you in the next recipe!

Copycat P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Easy Weeknight Dinner

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Make the best P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps at home. This copycat recipe uses ground chicken in a savory sauce, ready in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect low-carb, high-protein weeknight dinner or appetizer.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 25 min
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Skillet Cooking
• Cuisine: Asian
• Diet: Low Fat

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms (white or cremini)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus more for garnish
• 1 head butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated and washed
• Optional: Sweet chili sauce for serving

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Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ground chicken to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned. Drain off any excess grease.
3. Add the chopped water chestnuts, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, and water to create the sauce.
5. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the skillet. Stir well to coat everything evenly.
6. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the filling.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup of chopped green onions.
8. Arrange the lettuce cups on a serving platter. Spoon the savory chicken filling into the center of each lettuce leaf.
9. Garnish with extra green onions and serve immediately with sweet chili sauce on the side, if desired.

Notes

• Use butter lettuce for a tender wrap, or iceberg lettuce for a crispier texture. Make sure the lettuce leaves are completely dry before filling.
• For a low carb chicken wraps option, skip the brown sugar or use a sugar substitute.
• This recipe is great for meal prep; store the filling and lettuce separately and assemble just before eating.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3 wraps
• Calories: 320
• Sugar: 8
• Sodium: 650
• Fat: 16
• Saturated Fat: 4
• Unsaturated Fat: 12
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 12
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 30
• Cholesterol: 95