Ground Chicken Lettuce Cups with a Savory Ginger Sauce
Chicken lettuce cups are a family favorite, and making them has become second nature to me. My kids ask for these about once a week. It’s one of those dinners that gets put together in 15 minutes once you have it down. You can work as you go, which I don’t typically recommend.
Prep Tips
Just warm up your pan with a little oil, brown your chicken (or turkey or pork) and while that’s cooking, chop the carrots and green onions.
Once you add the veggies to the pan, measure and mix the sauce ingredients and pour them over the browned meat. And a quick tip to get your ginger peeled? Use the side of a teaspoon. Another tip? Store your sesame oil in the refrigerator (nut oils tend to go rancid faster). You’re welcome.
What to Serve with Lettuce Cups
I like to serve these lettuce cups or “tacos” with plenty of extra garnishes and fixings: Julienned red or yellow peppers, cucumber sticks, avocado wedges, shelled edamame, cilantro leaves, sriracha, sesame seeds or chopped toasted peanuts. Load ’em up. Any leftover meat can be used to warm up for tomorrow’s lunch.
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Prep
Cook
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I serve these with condiments such as julienned red and yellow peppers, cucumber sticks, cilantro and sliced radish – as well as Sriracha for those who like extra spice. You can substitute ground turkey or pork for the chicken, and make it gluten-free by using gluten-free hoisin and coconut aminos or tamari (instead of soy sauce).
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon organic avocado oil (any neutral flavored oil is fine)
- 2 pounds ground dark meat chicken (or turkey or pork)
- 4 green onions, white and green parts sliced thin, about 1 cup
- 2 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari (use coconut aminos to make Whole30)
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (omit to make Whole30)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, about a 2-inch section, grated on a microplaner
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (omit to make Whole30)
- 1 large head bib or butter lettuce, washed, dried and leaves separated
- ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil and brown the ground chicken, breaking it up the pieces. When it’s almost cooked through, add the green onions and carrots and saute with the chicken for about 2-3 minutes.
- In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, hoisin, ginger, water and sesame oil. Pour over the chicken mixture in the pan, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until carrots are soft.
- To assemble each chicken wrap: Top a lettuce leaf with about 1/4 cup of chicken mixture and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with other optional condiments on the side (julienned red pepper, cucumber sticks, shelled edamame and chopped peanuts).
Courses Main
Cuisine Asian
I just made this for the family and they loved it…I actually added some minced baked tofu…that was the only addition and it was yummy!
Love that idea, Nancy! Did you replace the meat with tofu, or add it along with the meat?
Finally had a chance to make this and it was amazing! Even the kids ate it and asked when I was making it again! This will definitely go into our weeknight recipe rotation!!
All three kids enjoyed this — one as lettuce wraps, one mixed with lettuce more like a salad and one mixed with brown rice. I added slices water chestnuts for a little extra crunch. Delicious!!
Love this! So glad you tried it…
Made these last night and they were DELICIOUS! I had picked up 1 lb. each of ground turkey and chicken (only the turkey was certified organic but knew I’d get a scowl over turkey so compromised and did half and half). My garden cilantro is long a victim of San Antonio heat so I substituted Thai basil but other than that, made it according to recipe and wouldn’t change a thing! If anyone is thinking 2 lbs might be more than you need, make it anyway bc it will be gobbled up and leftovers are great after school snacks.