PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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These chicken lettuce wraps is a PF Chang’s copycat recipe, except you can whip this up in just 20 min and it tastes so much better at home!
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Why you’ll love these pf chang’s chicken lettuce wraps
- Lightning fast recipe. This recipe comes together in just 20 minutes start to finish, making it so much quicker than waiting for delivery or takeout.
- Budget-friendly. Making this copycat favorite at home costs a fraction of dining out using pantry staples. For example, the dish costs around $16 for 2 servings, but making a batch at home costs around $10, easily yielding about 4 to 6 servings.
- Low-carb yet so filling. Lettuce wraps are a hearty, low-carb meal choice, cutting out grain-based carbs with lettuce leaves and filling them with lean proteins such as ground chicken or turkey.
- Flexible recipe. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, or adapted to be gluten-free or extra veggie-loaded for picky eaters!
- Freezes so well. The filling is incredibly freezer-friendly and reheats like a dream, making it a perfect candidate for meal prep for busy weeknights ahead.
Ingredients
Ground chicken
This is a great economical, quick cooking option. Ground turkey, pork, or extra-lean beef can also be used.
Garlic
I love subbing in garlic puree, one of my favorite weeknight hacks to cut down on prep time even more.
Onion
Yellow, sweet, or white onion will all work well here.
Hoisin
Hoisin sauce is a key ingredient, adding complementary sweet, savory, and tangy flavors to the filling.
Soy sauce
Tamari or coconut aminos can be used for a gluten-free option.
Rice wine vinegar
Rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar can be used interchangeably.
Ginger
Similar to the garlic, I love subbing in ginger puree in a pinch.
Sriracha
Sriracha adds a little bit of heat! Chili garlic paste is also an excellent swap.
Water chestnuts
This helps bulk up the filling while adding a nice little crunch.
Butter lettuce
Sturdy lettuce such as Bibb or butter lettuce are both excellent options.
How to make PF Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps
- Cook the chicken. Place a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add a splash of oil. Then add the ground chicken and crumble into small, even pieces until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Combine. Stir in the garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and Sriracha until the onions are tender, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add crunch. Stir in the water chestnuts, green onions, salt, and pepper until the chestnuts are heated through and tender, about 1-2 minutes. Pro tip: the water chestnuts are key for that signature crunch.
- Assemble. Spoon several tablespoons of the warm chicken mixture in the center of each lettuce leaf and serve warm. Pro tip: if preparing for leftovers, store the lettuce leaves separately from the filling to prevent soggy lettuce.
what to serve with pf chang’s chicken lettuce wraps
Tools For This Recipe
PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Frequently Asked Questions
Bibb or butter lettuce are both excellent choices – they are both strong and sturdy that can hold up the filling without breaking apart. Romaine lettuce is also a great option for a crisper wrap.
The optional Sriracha adds a little bit of heat but it can be skipped altogether without compromising flavor.
Use gluten-free hoisin sauce and swap out the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Rice wine vinegar is generally gluten-free (such as Marukan Rice Vinegar).
Leftover filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, adding a splash of chicken broth when reheating (if needed). Always store the leftover lettuce separately in an airtight container or Ziploc bag to prevent sogginess and wilting.
Yes! Let the filling cool completely and portion into plastic freezer bags. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, gently reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha, optional
- 1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 head butter lettuce
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.
Equipment
Notes
- Choose your favorite protein. This recipe will work well with quick-cooking ground chicken or ground turkey. Finely diced chicken breasts or chicken thighs can also be used.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
- Dice into small, even pieces. Finely chop the onion and water chestnuts into very small, uniform pieces for even cooking and a consistent bite.
- Load up on veggies. Add nutrient-dense veggies such as shredded cabbage, bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots for extra fiber and vitamins.
- Make it mild. Need something a little more mild for the littles at home? Skip the Sriracha altogether.
- Sturdy leaves are best. Use Bibb or butter lettuce – both are ideal for wrapping as they have wide, pliable and sturdy leaves without falling apart when filled.
- Avoid overfilling. Add a few tablespoons of filling per lettuce leaf, making them easy to serve without overspill.
- Add a garnish. Finish the wraps by garnishing with sesame seeds or crispy rice noodles.
- Freeze leftovers. The filling is very freezer-friendly! Portion the leftover filling into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months.
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Thanks for this recipe- it’s the bomb!!!! I’ve tried other lettuce wrap recipes and hands down, this one comes the closest to PF Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps. Ground chicken is the way to go. I didn’t add the sriracha as I don’t like the taste. I tripled the recipe and we had plenty for dinner and leftovers for a few days for the whole family. This had been added to my go-to recipes.
WOW. Highly recommend this recipe. I never leave reviews but this recipe was too good not to. It made my whole family happy and it made me feel like a professional chef! Adding white rice into the lettuce cup also added a great complexity of textures. Can’t wait to make this again soon!
This was SO SO GOOD! It came together very quickly and easily. I used romaine instead of butter lettuce (I wish I had butter lettuce just because the leaves would be easier), but other than that I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. This is a new staple for me FOR SURE! Can’t wait to make this for friends.
Really delicious , super easy & healthy I’ll be making these again
Amazing! These came out great. The only thing I didn’t have was the rice wine vinegar so I used white instead and hoped for the best. The meat mixture is delicious! I put it on an Asian style salad because I didn’t have the right lettuce and my husband had it over rice. A hit!
Fabulous! Crowd favorite. I use GF ingredients and my Celiac family member is thrilled to be able to enjoy this dish. Highly recommend it. When we do not have the correct lettuce, we serve it over chopped ice berg as protein for salad.
I’ve never frozen and thawed for a party later. Anyone try freezing? Hints appreciated, if so.
It is a favorite for tailgating, Go Vols
This is the second time I’ve made this. It’s delicious! I added diced carrots, sone toasted sesame oil and celery and topped mine with toasted sliced almonds and sesame seeds. I’ll definitely make this again!
I love this recipe!! To make it lower carb, I cut the hoison in half. Then I add a tablespoon of all natural peanut butter. Sprinkle cilantro on top at serving, if you aren’t a cilantro hater. It’s so delicious!!!
I should add that I skip the hot sauce (I’m a wimp) and the water chestnuts and its still ah-maze-ing!!!
I modify this slightly.
Nix the hoison sauce and add crushed peanuts, diced carrots and toasted sesame seed oil. This is one of those meals you look forward to making.
Can I use ground ginger if I don’t have fresh?
I don’t see why not. But the fresh ginger really – REALLY – makes a difference in Asian dishes like this.
Made these just yesterday!! I was very pleased. I didn’t think 1 pound of meat would be enough but, once i added the onions, water chestnuts and scallions it was very was a lot of meat filling. I used half pound of ground chicken breast and a half pound of ground chicken thighs. I added more hoisin sauce for flavor. I also added shredded carrots…. My question for your readers is how else are you eating this? What if I don’t want to use my hands? I’d love to take this for lunch but I don’t like to use my hands to hold food when I’m at work. Due to all the germs in the hospitals.
Completely understandable. How about trying it “deconstructed”, putting the filling on top of Chopped/sliced lettuce so it’s more like a salad and can be eaten with a fork?
I just took this to lunch at work today. Just left the filling, brought chopped lettuce in a separate bag and just added on top. Stayed crisp and cold and still had all the flavours!
Kevin is SO right, it is worth the trip to the store to get fresh ginger, or if you want a shortcut where ever the jarred, minced garlic is kept most stores carry minced ginger. I was raised, southern, white bread, white rice blah blah blah BUT! my uncle’s wife Hisako was from Japan and omg she is who introduced me to the magic that fresh ginger can be…
Really good stuff!
I finally got around to making this tonight after intending to for months…I won’t wait that long until I make it again! It was damn delicious (;
I served it on purple bib lettuce with sliced cucumbers, radishes, and baby carrots on the side. It was healthy and looked colorful and amazing. My husband and 17 year old son both said they really liked it and want me to make it again.
This was AMAZING! My boyfriend and I both loved it. The only thing I left out was the ginger, since I am allergic. But the flavor was still so great without it. Thank you!
I actually add extra hoisin because it’s the best part! I don’t add onions, usually just dried minced onion, but I’m guessing the key there is to make sure they’re fully cooked, and also “one onion” is a little vague, when I do use real onion I eyeball how much I should use since some onions are small and some are huge.
Anyway I made this last night for the approximately millionth time lol and it’s a favorite! I always double it and sometimes add things to it like broccoli slaw or spinach.
Delicious and easy!
Wow- my picky 4 year old devoured 3 of these and I ate several too! I thought the flavors were perfectly balanced, and it tasted like something from a restaurant. I am very skeptical about online recipes- this is only the second one I’ve ever made that came out much better than expected. This dish will now be added to my regular line up- it’s healthy, affordable and versatile.
Thank you for this recipe. I’m on a low-carb diet and so I had this with a side of stirfried vegetables and it was so delicious! And it taste just like P.F. Chang’s. Easy to make, hardest part is the prep. But even then it was such a walk in the park. Husband loved it too!
AMAZING! I’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve almost committed the ingredients to memory. This is the tastiest healthy meal around! Let me be clear, this recipe tastes just like PF Chang’s!
Just made this for my family a big hit,we ate at this place once time and my daughter has been asking me to make some.
Wow!! We just had dinner at PF Changs a few days ago and had the Famous Lettuce Wraps. I just followed the recipe and WOW – my family inhaled the wraps!! A new family favourite now!