These high protein chicken lettuce wraps are one of my favorite quick dinners. They’re flavorful, light, and come together in about 15 minutes.
The filling is savory with a little bit of heat, and the butter lettuce cups keep everything fresh and crunchy. It’s a great combo.
Each wrap is packed with protein from the ground chicken, which makes this a solid meal if you’re trying to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen.
The sauce is simple but it really ties everything together. A mix of soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, and a touch of sriracha gives it that perfect sweet-savory-spicy balance.
If you’ve been looking for a lighter dinner that still fills you up, give these a try. I think you’ll really like them.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Packed With Protein – Two pounds of ground chicken means every lettuce wrap is loaded with protein to keep you full for hours.
Low Carb Without Feeling Like It – Butter lettuce replaces the tortilla so you cut carbs but still get that satisfying wrap experience.
The Sauce Is Unreal – Soy sauce and hoisin with a kick of sriracha creates a savory-sweet glaze that coats every single crumble of chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Ground Chicken
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
- 1/3 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1 (8 oz) can Water Chestnuts, drained and diced
- 3 Green Onions, sliced
- 1 head Butter Lettuce, leaves separated
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- Shredded Carrots for garnish
Directions
Step 1
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
Step 2
Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and the garlic is just starting to turn golden.
Step 3
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and stir to combine.
Step 4
Add the diced water chestnuts and most of the sliced green onions. Toss everything together and cook for 2 more minutes so the water chestnuts warm through and the sauce reduces slightly.
Step 5
Drizzle the sesame oil over the mixture and give it one final toss.
Step 6
Spoon the chicken mixture into butter lettuce cups. Top with remaining green onions, shredded carrots, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips
Break the Chicken Into Small Pieces
Ground chicken tends to clump together in big chunks when you cook it. You want small, crumbly pieces so every bite fits nicely in a lettuce cup and picks up plenty of sauce.
Use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to actively break the meat apart while it cooks. Press down and chop at it every 30 seconds or so during those first 6-7 minutes.
If you leave it alone too long, you’ll end up with big lumps that are hard to break apart once they’re fully cooked.
Get the Pan Really Hot Before Adding the Chicken
Ground chicken has a lot of moisture in it. If your pan isn’t hot enough, the chicken will release all that liquid and start steaming instead of browning.
You want the oil to shimmer and just barely start to smoke before you add the meat. That high heat helps the chicken actually brown and get a little color on it, which adds a ton of flavor.
If you notice a pool of liquid forming in the pan, just keep cooking and let it evaporate before moving on to the next step.
Don’t Cook the Garlic and Ginger Too Long
30 seconds sounds like nothing, but that’s really all you need. Garlic and ginger burn fast, and burnt garlic turns bitter and can ruin the whole dish.
Have them minced and ready to go before you start cooking. The second you add them, stir constantly and watch for that moment when you can really smell them. That’s when they’re done.
If the garlic starts turning dark brown, you’ve gone too far. It should be light golden at most.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey or ground pork instead of ground chicken?
Absolutely. Ground turkey works as a direct swap and keeps the protein high without changing the flavor too much. Ground pork is also delicious here – it is a bit fattier, so the filling will be richer and you might not need as much oil in the pan.
Just keep in mind that swapping the meat will change the nutrition info slightly, especially the fat and calorie count.
High Protein Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- wok
Ingredients
- 2 lb Ground Chicken
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
- 1/3 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1 can Water Chestnuts, drained and diced (8 oz)
- 3 Green Onions, sliced
- 1 head Butter Lettuce, leaves separated
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- Shredded Carrots for garnish
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and the garlic is just starting to turn golden.
- In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and stir to combine.
- Add the diced water chestnuts and most of the sliced green onions. Toss everything together and cook for 2 more minutes so the water chestnuts warm through and the sauce reduces slightly.
- Drizzle the sesame oil over the mixture and give it one final toss.
- Spoon the chicken mixture into butter lettuce cups. Top with remaining green onions, shredded carrots, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.