So long as it’s filled with sweet and spicy chicken, juicy mushrooms and crunchy carrots. These Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps really makes a fabulous lunch, and they can also be served cold as a kind of chicken salad minus the cutlery. Did i ever mention that i LOVE making Asian recipes? 🙂 These are the perfect appetizer or party food and love to serve them along side my Sticky and Crispy Asian Chicken Wings and my Cauliflower Wings for parties. It’s also ready in 20 minutes, which is perfect for me right now, as I seem to be ridiculously busy at the moment. Trying to get everything done before the kids finish school for the Summer. Gracey finishes next week, and Lewis finishes a few days later (he’s NOT happy about that!). Pulling apart the little gem lettuce leaves We’ve got lots of things planned for our Summer staycation - including Alton towers, a few days in York, Cadbury world, wildlife parks and Albert dock. We considered going back to Legoland, but I managed to talk everyone out of it. Adding mushrooms and carrots to the wok with the cooked chicken It was fun last time we went - the rides were great and everything. But….. I hate Lego. Flippin stuff get’s everywhere. One thing that drives me mad is when I’ve just tidied and hoovered the living room, then I walk into the kitchen, and behind me I hear that familiar loud ‘Whoooosh’ as 5 million pieces of lego are tipped out of the lego box across my whole living room floor. Grrrrrr. Adding soy sauce to the wok I take a breath and walk back in. I try to step over the lego and the kids (and Chris too - he’s definitely NOT a lego hater) with a loving and indulgent smile on my face. Then I usually stand on a piece and hop around whilst trying to keep to words like ‘ouch’ and ‘owie’ - rather than the ones I’m thinking in my head. After that I’m usually asked the dreaded question. ‘Mummy will you play lego with us?’ Asian chicken bubbling in the wok to thicken the sauce Give me colouring books, board games and train sets, but please not the lego. So I hunker down, futiley looking for a ‘bluey-black-two-er with a yellow dangly bit’ - or some other obscure piece that Lewis can’t find (that I probably hoovered up last week). And once we’ve given up on that, I’m expected to produce some amazingly futuristic vehicle to ferry all the evil lego figures about. Spooning the chicken mixture into the leaves Chris makes some truely amazing creation that the kids ‘ooh’ and ‘ahhh’ over. I make something that looks like it’s off ‘scrap-heap challenge - the failures’ - that falls apart at the merest touch. I’d like to say that the kids look at me affectionately and pat me on the back. But actually they just say ’that’s rubbish mummy’, and I forlornly agree. Stupid lego.
Pro Tips:
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes! Replace the soy sauce with 2 tbsp tamari and 1 tbsp water mixed with a pinch of bouillon ,or instead, you could use 3 tbsp GF teriyaki sauce.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make the filling ahead, then cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat in a wok with a splash of water until piping hot throughout. It’s not a good idea to make the whole thing ahead, as the lettuce will go soggy.
More spicy handheld food ideas:
Sticky and crispy chicken wings | Lamb samosa cups | Asian Cauliflower wings | Asian baked ribs with crispy onions
The Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe:
This recipe was first published in May 2015. Updated for July 2018 with prep photos, new finished photos, video and pro tips. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.