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Want a healthy weeknight dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes and gets the whole family excited to eat? These stir-fried ground chicken lettuce wraps are packed with vibrant flavors, satisfying textures, and just the right amount of sweetness from a simple homemade sauce. They have been a staple in my dinner rotation for years, and once you try them you’ll understand why.
The best part? Kids get excited to eat with their hands! How much fun is that?
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Low carb weeknight dinner: When you feel like you’ve been overdoing the carbs, these lettuce wraps hit the spot without ever feeling like a compromise.
- Under 30 minute Meal: Simple ingredients, one pan, and dinner is on the table fast. Want more quick stir fry recipes? Try my Shiitake Veggie Stir Fry, Ramen Noodle Stir Fry or Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry!
- Kids go crazy for it: So much of the art of getting kids to eat is making mealtime fun. Lettuce wraps are hands-on, interactive, and a whole new way for little ones to look at leafy greens.
- Perfect leftovers. I love eating the leftover stir fry filling straight from the bowl with a little perfectly cooked brown rice on the side. Simple, delicious, and leftovers are never wasted.
The Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these ground chicken lettuce wraps sing. Here are a few key ingredients:
- Ground Chicken or Turkey: These are completely interchangeable here. Both work beautifully in the stir fry filling and soak up the sauce wonderfully. Use whatever you have on hand.
- Ginger and Garlic: The flavor base that gives these lettuce cups their signature savory depth. Fresh is best if you have it, but jarred works in a pinch.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Using low sodium keeps the sauce flavorful without being overly salty. It’s worth the swap. If you don’t have this, just leave out the additional salt in the recipe.
- Honey: The natural sweetener that balances the soy sauce and ties the whole sauce together. No refined sugar needed.
- Bibb or Iceberg Lettuce: Both work great as wraps. Bibb lettuce is softer and more pliable, making it easier to wrap. Iceberg is crunchier and holds its shape a little better. Either way you really can’t go wrong!
*Check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements!
How to Make Stir-Fried Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, and cilantro in a small bowl and set aside. Cook the onion. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the bell pepper. Toss in the bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Build the flavor base. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Saute the chicken: Add the ground chicken or turkey and sauté for 7 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until cooked through.
- Add the sauce. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and salt and cook for 2 minutes until the juices evaporate and the filling is nicely coated.
- Serve and assemble. Spoon the filling into lettuce cups and serve immediately. To eat, just roll the lettuce around the filling and enjoy it like a little burrito.
Tips and Tricks
- Make the sauce first. Combining the soy sauce, honey, and cilantro before you start cooking means it’s ready to go the moment you need it. No scrambling mid-cook.
- Don’t rush the vegetables. Giving the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger time to cook properly before adding the chicken. This helps build the flavor base of the whole dish.
- Extra Vegetables: Water chestnuts, shredded carrots, mushrooms, or snap peas all make great additions to the filling.
- Let the juices evaporate. Once you stir in the sauce, cook for a full 2 minutes until the liquid evaporates. This concentrates the flavor and keeps the lettuce cups from getting soggy.
- Serve immediately. These are best fresh. Set everything out and let the family assemble their own cups at the table for a fun, interactive dinner.
FAQ
What type of lettuce is best for lettuce wraps?
Bibb lettuce, butter lettuce, and iceberg lettuce work best because the leaves are sturdy and naturally cup-shaped. They hold the filling well and provide a crisp, refreshing crunch.
Can I make this stir-fry recipe gluten-free?
Yes! Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in place of regular soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.
More 30-Minute Kid-Friendly Dinners
This stir-fried ground chicken lettuce cups recipe is one of those rare weeknight dinners that feels fun, fresh, and healthy all at once. I hope your family loves them as much as mine does! If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a comment and rating below!
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Stir-Fried Chicken in Lettuce Wraps
A quick and healthy weeknight dinner the whole family will love. Savory stir-fried ground chicken with fresh vegetables and a simple honey soy sauce, served in crispy lettuce wraps. Ready in under 30 minutes and fun for kids to assemble and eat with their hands!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (any color bell pepper works great)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 bibb, butter or iceberg lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, and cilantro in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Toss in the bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Then add the ground chicken or turkey and sauté for 7 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until cooked through.
- Stir in the soy sauce mixture and salt and cook for 2 minutes until the juices evaporate and the filling is nicely coated. This step is important. Letting the liquid evaporate concentrates the flavor and keeps your lettuce cups from getting soggy
- Spoon the filling into lettuce cups and serve immediately. To eat, just roll the lettuce around the filling and enjoy it like a little burrito.
Notes
- Lettuce Options: Bibb lettuce is softer and more pliable. Iceberg is crunchier and holds its shape better. Both work great.
- Don’t Skip the Evaporation Step: Cook the filling for a full 2 minutes after adding the sauce until the juices evaporate. This keeps the filling flavorful and your lettuce wraps from getting soggy.
- Storing Leftovers: Store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store lettuce separately.
- Serving Tip: The filling is delicious served over brown or white rice for a heartier meal or simple leftover lunch.
- Extra Vegetables: Water chestnuts, shredded carrots, mushrooms, or snap peas all make great additions to the filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 819mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1939IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
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I made this last night for dinner and it was amazing. I made some oriental noodles to go along side. One of my favorite meals now. My daughter and husband loved it too. And SO EASY!!!
My 4yo turned her nose up at this meal but then tried a few bites and said, “Mom, this really good!”
Thanks!
I knew I would find a good recipe here when I needed to cook hot lunch for 25 kids at my daughter’s school – in 1 hour!!!
This recipe was great. i didn’t have time for all the mincing and chopping, so i threw everything into the cuisinart, onions, ginger, garlic, cilantro, peppers… then I let the mixture bubble on the stove for about 5 minutes before adding the ground chicken. Served it with big heads of butter lettuce on each table, which the kids loved ripping into, and a side of soba noodles.
It was delicious, fun, easy, fast and the most of the kids asked for more!
Thank you for the great recipe.
I finally made these last night and they were a huge hit. Even my husband was shocked at how great they tasted. It was such an easy recipe. It’s amazing how much flavor you can get out of just a few good ingredients. I’ve seen other lettuce wrap recipes that require so many different things. But this one was simple and so tasty. Thanks again!
OMG! All three of my kids (1, 2.5, and 6 yr old) are eating this right now! That NEVER happens – I usually have to make at least 2 different meals. We’re vegetarians, so I made this with Quorn Naked Cutlets instead of chicken/turkey – delicious! Thanks!!
This recipe is simple and so yummy. I decided to use chopped chicken breast (a bit more challenging when it is not cooked). I substituted the peppers with diced water chestnuts, it gave it a nice crunch. I also soaked my lettuce in ice water before serving to make it a bit more crisp. Ultimately it was great! Thanks for sharing.
I made these for supper tonight, and they were absolutely delicious! I couldn’t convince my husband to try ground chicken (and he didn’t want turkey) so I used shredded chicken instead. I think we shoveled them down in about five minutes! They will definitely be going into our rotation!
That does look like fun! Great recipe.
What a great idea! My boy won’t eat lettuce, but the chicken mix will be great with some brown rice too. Your recipes continue to impress…keep them coming! thanks.
Looks very delicious! I never had this with chicken before, so i’m tempted to try it now!
Woops! I left out the red bell pepper, I added it back! These are so good!
Other veggies would work too, but keep in mind that mushrooms and zucchini retain a lot of water, so your cooking time would be different. I would cook the zucchini and mushroom first, set aside then toss them in at the end.
These look great. It looks there are diced red peppers in the mixture in the picture but no mention in the recipe. At what point would you add the peppers? Would other veg work too? I was thinking about zucchini or mushrooms.
Yey! Like lettuce wraps! This is awesome!!! Maybe adding some water chestnuts and replace white onion with green onions, yum!
This looks absolutely delicious!!! I have one little guy who is very texture sensitive though and ground meat of any kind is something he just can’t handle. Could I do this with chicken breasts and just dice the chicken finely? I would LOVE to try this out!
This looks delicious! Will try It tonight:)