Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Thai Chicken
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Thai Chicken are a quick and flavorful meal, perfect for a busy weeknight. The combination of spicy chiles, fresh herbs, and a savory sauce makes for a delicious wrap.
Ingredients
- 4 tsp (20 ml) canola oil, divided
- 3 medium shallots, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
- 2 Thai or serrano chiles, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 head of butter lettuce, leaves separated
- Chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp of canola oil to the pan and swirl to coat.
- Add the minced shallots to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add the thinly sliced red bell pepper and sauté for 1 minute until slightly tender.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Remove the shallot, pepper, and garlic mixture from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tsp of canola oil to the skillet. Add the ground chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon, until no longer pink and cooked through.
- Stir in the minced chiles, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Return the shallot, pepper, and garlic mixture to the skillet. Stir to combine and heat through for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh cilantro.
- Serve the chicken mixture in butter lettuce leaves, garnished with chopped peanuts if desired.
Notes
- For a milder flavor, remove the seeds from the chiles before mincing.
- You can substitute ground turkey for chicken if preferred.
- Store any leftover chicken mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve with extra lime wedges for added freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 75
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Thai Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry
- Kolkata-Style Spicy Chili Chicken
- Our Favorite Chicken Tinga Recipe
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I control the heat from the Thai or serrano chiles?
The notes say to remove the seeds from the 2 chiles before mincing for a milder result. Both Thai bird’s eye and serrano chiles are quite hot, so start with the seeds removed if you’re heat-sensitive — you can always add more spice at the table with chili flakes.
Why is butter lettuce specified for the wraps?
Butter lettuce has large, pliable cupped leaves that are ideal for holding the saucy ground chicken filling without tearing. The soft texture also complements the crispy, caramelized chicken and the crunchy optional peanut garnish. 
Can I use ground turkey instead of chicken?
Yes — the notes explicitly list ground turkey as a direct substitute for the 1 lb (450g) of ground chicken. The cooking time of 5–7 minutes until no longer pink remains the same.
Do you think this could be made vegetarian by using tofu or tempeh or would that ruin it?