lettuce wraps recipe

chicken lettuce wraps on a plate with sauce

Have you tried the Chicken Lettuce Wraps at P.F. Chang'southward? I've got the best copycat recipe for you today! Finely diced chicken thighs are sautéed with shiitake mushrooms in a killer Asian-inspired sauce, then nestled into butter lettuce leaves and garnished with fried rice noodles. It is a super easy, fast, and TASTY weeknight meal. The perfect dish for when you lot are going low carb!

Chicken lettuce wraps on plate

The other day Eric was looking everywhere for his wallet. We hadn't been anywhere recently and he was pretty sure it was at home, so I kept doing what I was doing (going through my closet, actually, a horrendous job indeed) and left him to it.

Eric's parents were in town, and his dad joined him in the search. I heard them listing off all the places they had looked: the motorcar, under the bed, in the couch. I silently took note, and then when it seemed similar they were getting desperate, I stepped in.

pf changs lettuce wraps

I found the wallet inside 4 minutes of starting my search. Where was it? In the car, of class, the first place they had looked.

I hateful, I don't want to say out loud that men take absolutely no clue when it comes to searching for things….but okay, seriously, what is information technology with men having no idea where to find their own things. I've discussed this with many a girlfriend, I know I'grand not alone here.

Lettuce wraps with asian chicken

I'm sitting here writing out this wallet story correct now, and Eric is on the other end of the couch. I look over at him, and he looks up, gives me a face, and says, "Yous're writing a story well-nigh me, aren't you lot?" How did he know?? Was information technology the mischievous gleam in my middle?? The suppressed smile? Was it the "why yes, I am throwing you under the coach right now" snicker??

Lamentable Eric. How many times has your dignity been sacrificed at the modify of the blog? My husband is actually a really cool human being, guys ;) Not enough? How bout I make you dinner, Eric, hm? Lettuce wraps sound good??

PF Chang'due south Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Have you tried the lettuce wrap appetizer at P.F. Changs? It is famous for a reason! Juicy chicken, shiitake mushrooms, and h2o chestnuts combined in a killer Chinese sauce, nestled in a lettuce leaf and garnished with fried rice noodles. Heaven!!

pf changs chicken lettuce wraps

Almost recipes I found online just didn't look correct. They all starting time off with ground craven (or ground turkey, which is definitely not right.) If you await at P.F. Chang's carte, you tin tell from the picture that they are not using ground meat at all, instead information technology looks like finely diced pieces of craven. Texture is everything in this very simple dish, and ground meat just isn't gonna cut it. (Of grade, you Tin can substitute footing craven if you are in a rush. See note.)

bottles of hoisin sauce, aji mirin, oyster sauce, hot mustard, sesame oil, water chestnuts, and chili garlic sauce on a tray

Y'all demand a few special ingredients to make this recipe, simply information technology is a good alibi to outfit your pantry for Asian cooking anyway. Once you have these ingredients you will exist one footstep closer to making this Asian Pork Tenderloin, or this Asian Chicken with Green Beans, this Chinese Beefiness Broccoli Soup, or this x Minute Wonton Soup.

You lot also need Shiitake mushrooms for this recipe. They are crucial for getting the flavor of these lettuce wraps just right. They are catchy to find at your regular grocery store, so I'yard using stale mushrooms equally a hack. I found them on the Asian aisle at my grocery shop. (I'one thousand certain if you ventured to an international market you tin find fresh shiitake, I was merely lazy.) If yous can't find dried or fresh shiitake, run across annotation for details; you lot can definitely use fresh mushrooms of a different diversity every bit a substitute, no problem.

chicken lettuce wraps with fried rice noodles

Likewise not using diced craven, the other thing many recipes skip when they make this copycat dish is the fried rice sticks, or rice noodles. Why, why??? They are a game changer!  I couldn't believe how many copycat recipes I found that didn't even affect on this! When yous order this titbit, yous get a plate with 3 things on it: a half head of iceberg lettuce, a modest bowl of dipping sauce, and the chicken filling….layered on top of a HUGE pile of fried rice noodles. It's an essential element of the dish, in my stance. They add so much interest and the perfect crunch. Plus, they are SUPER fun to make!

chicken lettuce wraps on platter

To sum up: here'south what makes these lettuce wraps special and just like the ones at PF Changs:

  • Use diced chicken instead of ground meat
  • Use the correct Chinese sauces (more than on that below)
  • find yourself some Shiitake
  • Don't skip the fried rice noodles garnish

Let's brand them!

How to make lettuce wraps

Start out with some stale Shiitake mushrooms. I used ii one-ounce packages.

dried shiitake mushrooms in a bag, then in a metal bowl of hot water

Soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes. When you lot squeeze them out and chop them, you go about 1 and 3/four cup, virtually 7-eight ounces. If you tin can notice fresh shiitake mushrooms, just die up eight ounces and telephone call it skilful. If you can't notice shiitake, fresh Cremini mushrooms are the best substitute. Yous can use baby bellas or button mushrooms in a pinch though, as well.

rehydrated shiitake mushrooms stemmed and then chopped with a knife on a cutting board

At present for the chicken. I similar to start with frozen chicken. (See, I told y'all this was a perfect weeknight meal! How many times have yous forgotten to defrost the chicken??)

Completely thaw craven is a nightmare to chop into small pieces. But one-half-frozen chicken works smashing. So if you've got frozen chicken, pop it in the microwave for a minute or two. If you've got thawed out chicken, toss information technology in the freezer for xx-30 minutes before starting your prep work for the recipe.

partially frozen chicken sliced and diced, then seared in a pan

Don't give upwardly now. I know your hands are freezing and y'all want to quit, simply go along going! Chop it all up before it starts to thaw and turns into a rubbery mess that is impossible to die.

After dicing, expect a scrap to make sure the chicken is completely thawed before you lot cook it. I stuck mine in a ziplock and put it in a bowl of water. Takes just a few minutes since the chicken is diced so small.

Sear your chicken in a HOT HOT pan. A wok is best, because they get super duper hot. Next best is a bandage iron skillet. If you lot don't take one, use a regular big skillet and let it preheat on the stove on medium high for at to the lowest degree 3 minutes before adding in the oil. Searing the chicken simply takes a couple minutes because the pan is so hot. Remove from the pan and so it doesn't get over cooked.

water chestnuts in a can, adding chestnuts and mushrooms to an oiled pan

Next chop upwards your water chestnuts. I found this 8 ounce can correct in the Asian alley of my grocery shop. Add it to the pan with the mushrooms, so add in the garlic and ginger.

adding sauce to a pan of chicken and mushrooms

Then add together in the sauce. The smell is gonna knock y'all out! It's so good! The sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, aji mirin (rice wine), hoisin sauce, sugar, and a bit of cornstarch. You tin can find most of these ingredients on the Asian department of your grocery store. I found the aji mirin in the vinegar section. Aji mirin is a sweetened rice wine. If you tin't discover information technology, you can use rice vinegar instead. Meet notes for details.

How to fry rice sticks

Meanwhile, it'southward rice noodle fourth dimension. I'd never fried rice sticks at domicile earlier, and I thought information technology must be kind of a hurting if almost every copycat recipe I come across omits them. Or peradventure they don't add much to the dish?

package of rice noodles, pot of oil with a thermometer

WRONG. They are everything. Seriously. I tried a few bites correct after frying them and thought, meh, not worth information technology. Then I added it to my lettuce wrap with the chicken, and whoa. SO adept. It adds the perfect crisis and texture. Such a unique affair.

Plus they are ridiculously fun to make. I know there are drawbacks to having to fry annihilation (hello, what do I exercise with y'all, giant vat of leftover oil) only I promise it'southward super elementary and only takes a few minutes. (I'll walk y'all through the make clean up in the notes.)

rice noodles in a pot of oil, fried rice noodles on a plate

You heat oil in a pot for a few minutes, then toss in a handful of noodles and KAZAAM. They explode into these super puffy birds-nest looking things. It is and then fun to sentinel, and happens and then fast I could inappreciably become a motion picture of information technology.

What lettuce is best for lettuce wraps?

Now information technology's fourth dimension to gather these beauties into lettuce wraps! The only purposeful variation I've taken on this recipe is to use butter lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce. I'yard convinced they only use iceberg in the eating house because it'southward then much cheaper. I love how soft and tender butter lettuce leaves are; iceberg brings in that irresistible Crisis. Either i will piece of work great! Other lettuce options are romaine hearts or cherry-red leafage lettuce hearts.

how to core butter lettuce for lettuce wraps

Hither's how to core a head of butter lettuce for lettuce wraps. Peel off the leaves and clean them well!

The ane last last touch yous need for these wraps is a killer dipping sauce! This sauce is super easy to put together: you need a flake of soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce (I used Sambal Oelek), Chinese stye hot mustard, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. You can skip the hot mustard if it's just one more thing to buy; add an extra fleck of chili garlic sauce. Exist sure to taste the sauce and arrange it however you like!

chicken lettuce wraps with sauce

Finally, make sure you clean your lettuce leaves very well. Place a handful of fried rice noodles in the center of a lettuce leaf, then top with a generous amount of chicken and mushroom filling. Sprinkle with fresh green onions, dip in your sauce, and devour!

What to serve with lettuce wraps

I love to serve lettuce wraps with rice, cauliflower rice, vegetables, and/or staff of life. Here are some ideas!

  • Instant Pot Brown Rice
  • Coconut Jasmine Rice with Cilantro
  • Asian Cauliflower Rice
  • Cauliflower Rice
  • Love Lemon Glazed Carrots
  • Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli
  • Asian Marinated Cucumber Salad
  • My Favorite Coleslaw
  • Sautéed Zucchini and Squash
  • Sriracha Garlic Breadstuff
  • Roasted Sugariness Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts
  • One Hour French Bread

pf changs lettuce wraps

More quick and healthy dinner ideas yous are going to dearest!

  • Thai Lettuce Wraps with Crispy Fish and Peanut Sauce << don't knock this til you try information technology. YUM.
  • Thai Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce << one of my accented favorite meals.
  • Asian Seared Chicken with Stir Fried Greenish Beans << the pare is Then CRISPY.
  • Archetype Stuffed Bong Peppers << a low carb weeknight dinner!
  • Crispy Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch << Like a deconstructed chicken sandwich from your favorite fast food place.
  • Banh Mi Sandwich << If yous accept never tried this, add it to your list! So unique!
  • Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Fish << a new take on an old classic
  • Avocado Caprese Wrap from FoodieCrush
  • Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wrap from Persnickety Plates
  • Turkey Lettuce Wraps from Kalyn's Kitchen

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

P.F. Chang'south Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe (Copycat)

Accept you tried the Chicken Lettuce Wraps at P.F. Chang's? I've got the best copycat recipe for you today! Finely diced chicken thighs are sautéed with shiitake mushrooms in a killer Asian-inspired sauce, and then nestled into butter lettuce leaves and garnished with fried rice noodles. It is a super easy, fast, and TASTY weeknight meal. The perfect dish for when you are going low carb!

For the craven filling

  • 2 & 1/two tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 & one/2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
  • one pound chicken thighs, chopped into very pocket-size pieces
  • ane & ane/2 teaspoons kosher salt, for seasoning craven
  • black pepper, to flavor craven
  • ii ounces DRIED shiitake mushrooms*
  • hot water, for rehydrating mushrooms
  • i (viii-oz) tin can h2o chestnuts, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
  • i tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 4 green onions, chopped and divided

For frying rice sticks

  • 2 inches frying oil, canola oil, vegetable, etc
  • 1 (6.75-oz) package maifun rice sticks

For the sauce to go in chicken filling

  • 1/iv loving cup cold h2o
  • two tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons aji mirin, rice wine**
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • ane tablespoon granulated carbohydrate
  • i teaspoon cornstarch

For the dipping sauce

  • one/4 loving cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, I used Sambal Oelek
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chinese-Mode Hot Mustard
  • ane to 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  • i/ii teaspoon sesame oil

To assemble

  • two heads butter lettuce, or iceberg
  • Prep the chicken. Start things first, if you are using thawed craven, identify information technology in the freezer so that it is easier to chop subsequently. If y'all accept completely frozen craven, take it out of the freezer to start thawing. You desire to chop partially-thawed chicken.

  • Rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms.* Add 2 ounces Stale mushrooms to a medium bowl and cover with very hot h2o. Let sit for 30 minutes. Once they are softened, squeeze out as much water as you can and place on a cutting board. Chop off the stems and discard (they are likewise tough). Chop the mushrooms into small pieces, see photos. Y'all should end upward with about 1 and 3/4 cup mushrooms, about 7-8 ounces. Set aside.

  • Prepare the vegetables. Meanwhile, drain the 8 ounce can of water chestnuts and chop them into small pieces. Smash and mince 1 tablespoon garlic. Peel a knob of ginger with a spoon (it's easier than a peeler) and mince one tablespoon. Set bated.

  • Gather the filling sauce. In a pocket-size bowl add 1/four cup cold h2o, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, ii tablespoons aji mirin**, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon saccharide, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir together and set aside.

  • Chop the chicken. Once your chicken is partially frozen (if it's withal rock hard, you can put it in the microwave in thirty-second increments until it is chop-able), use a chef'southward pocketknife to chop the chicken into very small pieces. Smaller than you have ever chopped chicken before, probably. Run across photos. You lot desire them to be nigh 1/4 to 1/ii inch dice. Information technology doesn't need to be perfect, merely the smaller your craven pieces, the more homogenous your wrap filling will be. It's all well-nigh the texture in this recipe. Seal the however-partially frozen chicken pieces in a ziplock, place in a medium bowl, and embrace with water. The chicken should be thawed out within 10-20 minutes. Do not cook the craven until information technology'south completely thaw.

  • While the chicken thaws, fry the rice sticks. This step is optional but delicious. In a iii quart pot, estrus 2 inches frying oil to nigh 400 degrees (I ready my burner to only to a higher place medium estrus.) It will have several minutes for the oil to come up to temperature. Apply a thermometer to run into the temperature.

  • Break off a pocket-sized handful of rice sticks and carefully drop it into the oil. Within ii-3 seconds, they will rise to the acme of the oil. They will exist puffy and huge compared to what yous dropped in. It's so fun! Remove the puffed rice sticks to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Continue the procedure until you have as much as you lot retrieve y'all will want to eat on your wraps. Set the oil on a back burner to cool.***

  • Cook the filling. Oestrus a wok (best), cast iron skillet (better), or large skillet (ok) over medium high heat. (You want to melt over very high rut; woks are best for this. I don't have ane, and then I used bandage iron). Once the pan is very hot, add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil and 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil.

  • Add together the diced craven and stir constantly until thoroughly cooked. Season with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher common salt, and black pepper to gustatory modality. Information technology will just take 2-three minutes to cook. Remove the craven to a plate.

  • Keep the heat on medium high. Add some other 1 tablespoon neutral oil and one teaspoon sesame oil. When hot, add in the mushrooms and water chestnuts. Saute for 2-iii minutes. Add together in i tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger and saute for another 1 minute.

  • Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Add the prepared sauce to the craven and mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium and cook for some other ii minutes.

  • Chop four green onions. Set aside a small amount to add as a fresh garnish to each wrap. Add the remaining green onions to the pan and saute for another ane-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

  • Make the dipping sauce. In a small basin, combine ane/4 cup warm h2o, 2 tablespoons sugar, iii tablespoons soy sauce, 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, 1/4 to one/2 teaspoon Chinese hot mustard, one to 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (taste it!) and one/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Whisk information technology together.

  • Assemble the wraps. Carefully remove the core of the butter lettuce from the head, and make clean each butter lettuce leafage. There is a LOT of droppings in butter lettuce, and so take your time washing each foliage. Lay on paper towels to dry. (You tin also attempt iceberg lettuce.)

  • Place a handful of fried rice sticks in each lettuce leaf. Superlative with a spoonful of warm chicken and mushroom filling. Sprinkle with fresh green onions.  Devour!

*Shiitake mushrooms are a central flavor element in PF Chang's lettuce wraps. They can exist tough to find in the U.s.a.. I used Stale shiitake mushrooms that I rehydrated, as described in the recipe. If yous can find fresh shittake mushrooms, use viii ounces. Chop them into minor pieces. If you can't find fresh or stale shiitake, buy cremini mushrooms. If you tin can't find those, buy baby portabellas.  If y'all are using any type of fresh mushroom, you will need about 8 ounces, chopped into small pieces. Add together them to the recipe as yous would if yous had rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, in stride x.

**If y'all tin't discover aji mirin (which is rice wine), yous tin can use rice vinegar, which is widely available. Apply 2 tablespoons rice vinegar. Add together 1 teaspoon extra saccharide to your filling sauce to make up for the lack of sweet in the vinegar.

***You can save cooled frying oil to employ another fourth dimension. Save the oil container that information technology originally came in. Place a funnel on top, and a mesh strainer over that to catch any big $.25. Have someone assistance you pour the (completely cooled) oil back into the container. Label it "fry oil" and apply it adjacent time y'all want to fry something. I normally utilize my oil two-3 times before returning to the container and tossing it in the trash.

Note on the craven: you can substitute one pound footing chicken for the finely diced chicken thighs! So many recipes call for this and information technology's totally delicious. The flavor will be the aforementioned, it will but be lacking in texture. Only it is so much easier that I'm not judging you ;)

Serving: i g , Calories: 710 kcal , Carbohydrates: 79 g , Protein: 26 g , Fat: 32 one thousand , Saturated Fat: half-dozen chiliad , Polyunsaturated Fat: viii g , Monounsaturated Fat: 15 chiliad , Trans Fatty: 1 g , Cholesterol: 111 mg , Sodium: 2864 mg , Potassium: 844 mg , Cobweb: half-dozen k , Saccharide: 16 g , Vitamin A: 2909 IU , Vitamin C: seven mg , Calcium: 77 mg , Atomic number 26: 4 mg