Description
These Spicy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken sautéed with aromatic ginger, garlic, and Thai chile, combined with crunchy vegetables and topped with a rich red curry peanut sauce. Served in crisp lettuce cups, they make a fresh, fun, and healthy meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
- ⅔ cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil (for cooking)
- 1 lb chicken, cut into small chunks
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Thai chile, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 8 ounces water chestnuts, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 5 scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 lettuce cups (iceberg, romaine, red leaf, or little gem lettuce)
Instructions
- Make the red curry peanut sauce: In a bowl, whisk together smooth peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, red curry paste, fish sauce, and juice of one lime until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare the hoisin sauce mixture: In a separate small bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and sesame oil until well blended.
- Sauté the chicken and aromatics: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chicken and cook until browned on all sides and nearly cooked through. Then add minced garlic, Thai chile (if using), minced ginger, sliced water chestnuts, carrots, and scallions. Stir everything together and sauté for 2 minutes or until the carrots begin to soften.
- Add the sauce and finish cooking: Pour in the hoisin sauce mixture and stir well to coat all ingredients evenly. Continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly and infuse the chicken and vegetables with flavor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the lettuce wraps: Spoon the chicken and vegetable mixture into individual lettuce cups, sprinkle with chopped peanuts for added crunch, and serve with the red curry peanut sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
- You can adjust the spiciness by varying the amount of Thai chile and sriracha used.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with firm tofu and use vegetarian fish sauce or soy sauce.
- Iceberg lettuce or little gem lettuce works best for sturdy yet tender cups.
- To save prep time, pre-slice vegetables and chop peanuts ahead of time.
- Leftover red curry peanut sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and used as a dip or dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup filling with 3 lettuce cups
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
