Quick Thai-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

We all look for these three things in a weeknight dinner recipe: fast, filling, and flavorful (bonus points if it's healthy, too). These Thai-inspired chicken lettuce wraps are just the ticket and something to get excited about. They're a light, fresh dinner choice that transforms perfectly into lunch leftovers. Recipe developer Tess Le Moing was inspired by a dish in Thailand called Laab made of ground meat, fish sauce, lime juice, and lots of fresh herbs. It's traditionally made with ground pork, but Le Moing uses ground chicken to switch things up a little bit.

Spicy, savory, and just a touch sweet from coconut sugar, this meal is full of contrasting flavors and textures that make it hard to have one. And did we mention how easy it is to make? All you have to do is cook up some ground chicken in a skillet with a few other ingredients, and you'll have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. If you plan to have leftovers for lunch, Le Moing suggests removing all the leaves and placing them in a large ziplock bag. Make sure to put a paper towel in the bag to absorb excess moisture and keep the leaves fresh for longer. For the Thai chicken filling, store it in an airtight container for three to four days. You can enjoy it reheated or cold straight from the fridge on a hot summer's day.

First, you'll need ground chicken, which you can easily substitute with ground turkey. Then, grab a neutral cooking oil, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, fresh basil, and coconut sugar. If you don't have coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar or maple syrup instead. Le Moing points out that the sugar shouldn't be omitted because it balances out the acidity from the limes and funkiness of the fish sauce. Then grab a head of Bibb or butter lettuce. These are often preferred for their soft and tender texture, making them easy to bite into without too much crunch. 

To garnish your chicken-filled lettuce cups, you'll need peanuts and fried chili crisp for nuttiness and heat. And don't forget the extra basil leaves for an aromatic finish. Feel free to also use any other herbs you have on hand — cilantro and mint go great with this recipe as well.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once hot, add the shallots and garlic, stirring until softened.

Add the coconut sugar and stir until combined.

Add the ground chicken, breaking up the meat into small pieces and cooking until no longer pink.

Stir in basil and fish sauce. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, and coconut sugar.

Transfer chicken mixture to platter and garnish with shallot, basil, and peanuts.

Serve with lettuce leaves, dipping sauce, fried chili-crisps, and white rice, if desired.

If you don't mind a little extra prep work, then adding more vegetables to your chicken filling is a great way to pack in more nutrients. Le Moing suggests two options for pumping the veg volume. First is julienning and topping your lettuce cups with cucumbers, carrots, and radishes. They provide a fresh crunchy texture, not to mention added fiber. If you're looking to bring on more heat, thinly slice or julienne some jalapeño peppers. But don't limit yourself there — Le Moing encourages you to get creative and use what you already have in your vegetable crisper or freezer. Think green beans, broccoli, corn, or cherry tomatoes.

The second way to add vegetables to this recipe is to cook them into your chicken filling. For example, you could use a box grater to shred some carrots and zucchini, then add them in once the chicken is cooked. Or you could finely dice some bell pepper and saute them with the shallots and garlic before adding in the ground chicken. Keep in mind that the vegetables should be cut small so they cook and soften by the time you add in the chicken.

While fish sauce, coconut sugar, and lime juice make a light and refreshing sauce for these Thai lettuce cups, some folks may want to explore other options. If you're one of those folks, consider some delicious dipping sauce alternatives, whether store-bought or homemade. A classic choice is spicy peanut sauce made with peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and hoisin sauce. Another option that brings a sweet and spicy all-in-one bite is sweet chili sauce made with red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. An even easier option (and one you likely already have the ingredients for) is a simple sriracha mayonnaise. It brings some creaminess to the dish and you can adjust the sriracha amount to control the heat level.

A wild card option we love is mango salsa. A fresh, fruity, and sweet topping will add a delectable juicy bite to your chicken lettuce cups. While it can take a bit more time to prepare, it's well worth it. Simply combine diced mango, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and red chili in a small bowl and spoon it over your cups. The color makes a gorgeous presentation if you're looking to wow dinner guests.