Description
These Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a quick and flavorful meal perfect for a light lunch or dinner. Featuring seasoned ground chicken sautéed with onions, water chestnuts, and cashews, then served in crisp bibb lettuce leaves, these wraps offer a delightful combination of textures and tangy, spicy flavors from fish sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili sauce, and a touch of cayenne pepper. They are easy to make, healthy, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (¼ stick)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 green onion, sliced, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped water chestnuts
- ¼ cup chopped cashews
- 1 head bibb lettuce
- Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter and sauté the chopped yellow onions until they are just softened, about 3-4 minutes. This step builds the base flavor for the wraps.
- Cook Ground Chicken: Add the ground chicken to the skillet and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until fully browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess fat to keep the mixture from becoming greasy.
- Season Chicken: Stir in the fish sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, ground ginger, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes over medium heat to allow the flavors to meld together and the seasonings to become fragrant.
- Add Mix-ins: Mix in the sliced green onion, chopped water chestnuts, and cashews. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes to heat through and combine flavors, then remove the skillet from heat.
- Prepare Lettuce: Wash the bibb lettuce leaves thoroughly and pat them completely dry. These crispy leaves will act as the wraps holding the flavorful chicken mixture.
- Assemble Wraps: Scoop a generous spoonful of the chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf. Garnish with additional sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired for added texture and flavor. Serve immediately for best enjoyment.
Notes
- For a spicier wrap, increase the cayenne pepper or add fresh chopped chili.
- Substitute ground turkey if you prefer a milder flavor.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure your chili sauce and fish sauce are gluten-free brands.
- For added crunch, you can toast the cashews lightly before adding them.
- Leftover filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated before assembling the wraps.
