Copycat PF Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps

There are dozens of copycat PF Chang’s lettuce wrap recipes out there, and these are the authentic chicken lettuce wraps you have been looking for! Don’t skip the crunchy rice noodles!

Years ago we used to love getting the lettuce wraps at PF Chang’s and set out to make a copycat recipe. It was full of delicious Asian components like hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, mushrooms and water chestnuts, etc. They were absolutely delicious, but totally not a copycat recipe. The more we’ve tried them and researched the more we discovered that PF Chang’s claims only a few ingredients and no veggies at all. So, we stripped the recipe down and went for a simply delicious, far more authentic copycat.

Ingredients for Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I used to be so intimidated when it came to Asian recipes because the ingredients list can be so long and slightly overwhelming, not to mention hard to find and items you only use once in a blue moon.  Well, this is NOT a recipe like that! Here is what you will need:

• Rice Noodles – don’t skip these! They are quick and easy to fry up and add a fabulous crunch to the wraps that you don’t want to miss!
• Oil – vegetable oil or canola oil works great
• Ground Chicken – see section below for possible substitutes, but you can keep these lettuce wraps super healthy by using lean ground chicken
• Vegetable and Sesame Oils – the combination of the two oils gives the perfect flavor, that sesame oil is critical in Asian cuisine
• Garlic – adds flavor
• Green Onions – adds flavor
• Soy Sauce – I prefer to use low sodium so I can better control the salt in the recipe.
• Fresh Ginger – you can used dried ginger if you have to, but I strongly suggest to use fresh ginger. See section below for how to peel and grate ginger.
• Iceberg or Butter Leaf Lettuce – these lettuce leaves hold up well for wraps and stay crispy and fresh without breaking

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Substitutes for Ground Chicken

We’ve found that it’s far easier and faster to use ground chicken because you can use your meat chopper and leave it in minced sized pieces versus the hassle of chopping up chicken thighs. However, that being said, chicken thighs do offer more flavor so it’s up to you. You could also chop up chicken breasts into little bits before cooking or use ground beef or pork as substitutes as well.

What Lettuce is Best for Wraps?

You really want cold crisp lettuce that is hearty and will hold up well wrapped around the yummy filling. We’ve found that iceberg or butter leaf lettuce work best. You would also use romaine hearts though they can be hard to wrap around the filling since they tend to be long and thin.

How to Peel Fresh Ginger

If you aren’t used to using fresh ginger, you might be confused when it comes to peeling it. You can peel ginger one of two ways. First, you can just use a paring knife to peel off the skin. This technique works fine, but I find I lose a lot of the ginger and it takes some time.

My preferred method is to use a spoon. I cut off the ends of a section of the ginger so I can place one end flatly on a cutting board. Then I use a spoon to scrape down the sides of the ginger. The skin comes right off leaving most of the ginger intact.

I like to use a microplane or the finest side of a box grater to grate ginger. You want the ginger to be almost like a paste so that it can blend into the mixture thoroughly.

Are Lettuce Wraps Healthy?

This lettuce wrap recipe is quite healthy. We made a point to not add any additional sugar. It is also low carb, gluten free (be sure to use gf soy sauce or tamarin sauce) and dairy free.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Easy: The ingredients are simple and easy to find and the steps for making the wraps are basic enough my junior high daughter can make them
• Quick: You will have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes!
• Healthy: There are just over 200 calories in one wrap, plus there is less than 1 gram of sugar, only 17 carbs and 15 grams of protein.
• Family Friendly: I have a house full of picky eaters and everyone loves these! They are also out of the norm, so it is fun to really change things up every once in a while!

What to Eat with Lettuce Wraps

These wraps are great for an appetizer or for a light dinner, but you can also use it as a side dish for a heartier meal. They would go great with Asian sticky ribs, Korean braised short ribs, or shrimp noodles.

You could also treat the lettuce wraps as the main course and accompany them with our delicious Asian cucumber salad or a batch of ham fried rice.

 

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

The filling for the wraps can be make up to 2-3 days ahead of time. Just warm it up on the stove top or in the mircrowave before serving them.

The filling will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. I would suggest to not add the filling to the lettuce until right before serving.

This is also a great freezer meal! The chicken filling freezes really well. Just let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving and then warm it up in a sauce pan on the stove before serving with the lettuce cups.

It’s time to make those delicious chicken lettuce wraps from PF Chang’s right in your own kitchen! These are simple but so bold in flavor!

More Easy Asian Recipes: 

• Easy Orange Chicken
• 15-Minute Chicken Stir Fry
• Simple Asian Shrimp Noodles
• Asian Chicken Skewers with Honey Garlic Sauce
• Pork Dumplings
• Easy Cashew Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken Noodles
• Sweet and Spicy Orange Salmon
• Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Peanut Sauce Noodles with Chicken
• …All of Our Asian Recipes! 

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