Easy Garlic Sesame Chicken Lettuce Cups. Sticky Garlic Sesame sauce sauteed with ground chicken and wrapped in green leaf lettuce. These honey and soy sauce Asian chicken wraps are quick to make and perfect to serve as an appetizer or main dish.
This homemade version is inspired by PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps and it’s now made with a tastier Asian sauce for better flavor. They are so easy to make and can be ready in 25 minutes!
Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. Some of my favorite meals are made in under 30-minutes and right now I can’t get enough of these Garlic Sesame Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups. I made these as a healthy alternative to Chinese take out that we normally get. At the start of the New Year, I decided I wanted to focus on healthier homemade recipes by recreating some of my favorite Asian restaurants inspired recipes and these Chicken Lettuce Wraps were at the top of my list.
This Asian Lettuce Wrap recipe is easy to control with healthier ingredients like ground chicken and honey in place of processed sugar.
The secret to making a delicious and flavorful Asian sauce isn’t that hard. I usually start my sauce with a combination of soy sauce and honey. From there, I like to add a little ketchup, minced garlic, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. To give it a little kick, I add red pepper flakes.
To bring this dish together, I always add a generous amount of sesame seeds and green onions. Asian dishes are just not the same without fresh green onions and they perfectly compliment the garlic sesame sauce on these gluten free lettuce wraps.
If you’re looking to try a new Asian recipe this or eat healthier this year, then try these Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups. Everyone raves how delicious my garlic sesame sauce is! I use this same sauce in a number of my Asian inspired recipes on the blog. It’s a family favorite to make with baked chicken but I just love how easy it is use ground chicken with this honey garlic soy sauce.
I always keep Asian wraps on hand for a quick weeknight dinner. I even make it with a side of fried rice or quick cream cheese Rangoon. Plus, if making extra meat, it can be stored in an airtight container and reheated for lunch the following day.
KETO CHICKEN WRAP ALTERNATIVE
To make this recipe even healthier, A few readers have suggested using sugar-free maple syrup in place of the honey and granulated sugar in this recipe. Replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos (found in the soy sauce aisle) to keep these keto chicken lettuce wraps on track.
Meal prep these healthy chicken wraps ahead of time and pack the ground chicken next to paper towel wrapped lettuce. I like to make a double batch of chicken lettuce wraps on Sunday then portion it out for lunch throughout the week.
The key to creating a savory lettuce wrap starts by combining soy sauce and honey. Ground chicken works best for this recipe, but I have made it with ground turkey before and that is just fine to use. Once the ground meat is cooked and combined with the garlic sesame sauce it cooks down, thickens, and coats the ground chicken.
Finally, add a scoop or two of the Garlic Sesame Chicken to a bibe of butter or green leaf lettuce.
For more Asian Garlic Sesame recipes, try this popular Garlic Sesame Chicken, or these Sticky Garlic Sesame Meatballs, and Garlic Sesame Noodle Bowls.
Try these Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps next!
Asian Garlic Sesame Chicken Lettuce Cups
Ingredients
- 1 pound ( 16 oz. ) ground chicken use ground turkey if needed
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
- 1 bunch green onions, diced
- 1 head green lettuce or butter lettuce, washed and dried
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, to garnish
Instructions
- Carefully, tear lettuce leaves at the bottom of the root. Rinse under water then allow to completely dry.In a large rimmed skillet set over medium heat, cook ground chicken. Break ground chicken up into little pieces using a spatula. Cook until no longer pink and all the liquid has cooked off; about 6-9 minutes.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes.Pour garlic sesame mixture into skillet. Toss mixture together until chicken takes on the color of the sauce. Skillet should come to a simmer, cook until most of the liquid is thick and absorbed by the chicken.Spoon lettuce cups with chicken. Garnish with diced green onions and sesame seeds.
2 Comments
shelby
06/11/2019 at 10:48 amgreat recipe!
Robin
08/21/2019 at 4:04 pmLove this recipe, and my kids devoured it! Thanks!