This easy lettuce wraps recipe features ginger hoisin chicken and is a delicious, quick, and healthy meal. Every time we make them, we can’t help but dance a little because they taste amazing! They’ve become a family favorite.
Feel free to substitute other ground meat for the chicken like turkey or pork. You can also use shredded firm or extra firm tofu (I use a box grater) or plant-based crumbles.
1 pound ground chicken, see notes for substitutions
1 head Bibb or Romaine lettuce, see notes for alternatives
1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 to 4 cloves
1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1-inch thumb-sized piece
Half of a medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced, light green and dark green parts separated
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon neutral oil like sunflower oil
4 to 5 tablespoons hoisin sauce, we recommend our homemade hoisin, see notes
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Gochujang or sriracha, optional for heat
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
Optional: Fish sauce, Limes, Chopped roasted peanuts, finely diced chilies
To prepare the lettuce for your wraps, separate the leaves and remove the core. Handle the leaves carefully to prevent damage, and trim any large or tough stems as needed. Give the leaves a thorough wash and dry them before storing them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
Heat the sesame oil and sunflower oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and press down into the oil to flatten it. When the underside starts to brown, use a wooden spoon to break the meat into crumbles.
Stir in minced garlic, ginger, chopped yellow onion, and the lighter sections of the green onion (the darker parts are used later). Keep stirring everything in the skillet as it cooks.
Once the onions have become tender and the chicken is fully cooked, add the hoisin sauce, Gochujang (or Sriracha), and water chestnuts. Stir everything together until well coated in the sauce. Taste, and add more sauce if needed. If it doesn’t pop with flavor, add a small splash of fish sauce.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for five minutes. Stir in half of the dark green parts of the green onion, and then serve with lettuce leaves and toppings.
Serve lettuce wraps family-style with optional toppings on the table. We love the remaining sliced green onion, chopped peanuts, finely diced chilies, and fresh lime wedges for squeezing on top.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste