I love lettuce wraps and have tried several recipes in my day (read: PF Chang Knockoff recipes). They were good, but very involved and time-consuming to make. I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites and wanted to try it for simplicity’s sake. They were fantastic! I made a few changes to make them less salty and a bit more to my family’s liking (as in, omitting the cabbage), and overall they were a huge hit. The great thing about a recipe like this is you can alter it to your taste – more crunch? Add in another can of water chestnuts. More zing? Zest another lemon. Great concept, and talk about a light and delicious meal!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (or chicken)
- 1 cup minced mushrooms (I used white button mushrooms)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, minced
- 1/2 cup minced green onions
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 lemon, zested and then juiced.
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/8 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Lettuce Wrap Filling:
Lettuce Wrap Dipping Sauce:
Directions
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot add minced garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute just until fragrant and then add in the ground chicken, minced mushrooms, and salt. Cook until turkey or chicken is cooked through.
- Add in the water chestnuts and green onions. Cook for a few minutes until cabbage starts to wilt. Add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, juice and zest from the lemon, and hot sauce. When everything is cooked through, remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
- To serve, carefully separate the whole leaves from the lettuce. Wash the lettuce leaves and wrap them in paper towels and put them in the refrigerator so they are cold and crisp when serving. Spoon chicken filling onto the lettuce leaf and then roll it up and serve with dipping sauce below- or any other favorite Asian dipping sauce.
- For the sauce, combine all ingredients and serve with lettuce wraps.
Printed from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)
Recipe Source: adapted from Our Best Bites
I really like the way you prepare it, it looks very lovely!
Delicious! Unfortunately my children loved them too and I had to share!
I have not tried lettuce wraps yet. These look really good!
Thank you for this recipe.Very tasty yummm!!!
I know you said you left out the cabbage but I’d like to try it with the cabbage. How much?
Thanks for the Asian Lettuce Wraps recipe. Last summer I ate them at a lunch party and has been looking for an authentic recipe ever since. Now I will be able to make them myself. Thanks again.
I came across your blgo abit ago and LOVE it. You are teaching me how to cook! Thank you so much, every one of your meals that I have tried have been delicious! Melissa
I love lettuce wraps! I just love the crunch:)
Shari – that’s always a bummer when you have to share food! Thanks for letting me know you liked the recipe.
I’ve made these a couple times and found that I prefer very finely dicing chicken instead of using ground chicken or turkey. It helps with flavor and texture in my opinion.
I’ve made these a couple times and found that I prefer very finely dicing chicken instead of using ground chicken or turkey. It helps with flavor and texture in my opinion.
i’ve eyed these several times when i’m at a restaurant where they’re on the menu, but i’ve never tried them. something about wrapping something in lettuce keeps turning me away! i have issues.
Sounds delish…I love lettuce wraps!
Love Lettuce wraps! I bet I can get my husband to eat mushrooms this way!
This sounds so much simpler than the more complicated recipes. I love lettuce wraps. I enjoy your blog!!
Alexandra – thanks for posting your changes to the recipe. I’m glad you liked it…and the dipping sauce!
I made these and the family devoured them. So good. My supermarket had a choice of ground chicken thighs or breast and I chose the thigh because it was so much cheaper and they turned out delicious. No one liked the dipping sauce and they really didn’t need it so next time, I’ll serve them without it. Definitely a “make often” recipe.
Hey Tami – fun to see your comment. I’m glad you liked these. Thanks for checking back in to let me know.
Melissa – thanks for your comment! I’m glad you’ve found recipes that you have liked. Thanks for letting me know.
This really reminded me of my partner’s (Chinese) grandfather’s home cooking. Delicious!
MMMMMMMMMM….simple yet so delicious!!!!
Glad you liked them! They look delish! I actually omitted the cabbage as well and tweaked the sauce a bit–I added some spicy Chinese mustard and more hot sauce. Um, yeah, talking about this makes me want them all over again!
Oooh yummy! That looks easy even!
These look so yummy! You should ask amanda for her P.F. chang’s lettuce wrap recipe…it is as close as you can get! I love it when she makes them!
mmm.these look like a perfect summer time meal.
This is one of my favorite things! I’ll have to try this recipe!
Thanks for this recipe! I too have found others that were way to complicated. This one looks just perfect!
Jade – thanks for checking in – glad you liked the recipe!
OOOOOOOO, CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THAT TOO ! My recipe folder is brimming over with My Kitchen Cafe recipes !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lady Amalthea – glad you liked this! That’s high praise if it reminded you of authentic Chinese cuisine.
Celia Marie (W.) B. – I’ve tried recipes that use finely chopped chicken, too, but loved this recipe for the ease of using ground chicken or turkey. You may lose some authenticity to the restaurant style lettuce wraps but it’s great for speed!
The dipping sauce was amazing! Definitely a keeper for dumplings as well as lettuce wraps.
The lettuce wraps were very good as well. I used chicken instead of turkey, spring onions instead of scallions and parsley instead of cilantro. Also used a little less chicken (1 pound). Yum yum.
Anonymous – I believe the original recipe calls for 4 cups minced cabbage. Here is the link to the original recipe so you can check it out:http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/01/asian-lettuce-wraps.html
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I LOVE your website, the photos are so amazing and the recipes are delicious! At least, the few I’ve tried so far. And I’ve been so impressed I’m planning on trying many, many more! I’m wondering how essential the sesame seed oil is for this recipe. I found it at my grocery store but it was really expensive! Any suggestions for a more budget friendly substitute?
Tiffany – that’s too bad the sesame oil is so expensive. I’m kind of surprised the price is so high – have you checked other grocery stores? I can usually find a small bottle for about $1.50 or so. Anyway, don’t break the bank for this – just leave it out – although if you can find it cheaper, definitely use it. It adds a delicious nutty, deep flavor.
What cabbage?
Would love a good recipe for szechuan sauce as my son thinks that’s what brings these over the top! Any ideas? Thanks Melanie
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