The other day Eric was looking everywhere for his wallet. We hadn’t been anywhere recently and he was pretty sure it was at home, so I kept doing what I was doing (going through my closet, actually, a horrendous task indeed) and left him to it. Eric’s parents were in town, and his dad joined him in the search. I heard them list off all the places they had looked: the car, under the bed, in the couch. I silently took note, and then when it seemed like they were getting desperate, I stepped in. I found the wallet within 4 minutes of starting my search. Where was it? In the car, of course, the first place they had looked. I mean, I don’t want to say out loud that men have absolutely no clue when it comes to searching for things….but okay, seriously, what is it with men having no idea where to find their own things. I’ve discussed this with many a girlfriend, I know I’m not alone here. I’m sitting here writing out this wallet story right now, and Eric is on the other end of the couch. I look over at him, and he looks up, gives me a face, and says, “You’re writing a story about me, aren’t you?” How did he know?? Was it the mischievous gleam in my eye?? The suppressed grin? Was it the “why yes, I am throwing you under the bus right now” snicker?? Sorry Eric. How many times has your dignity been sacrificed at the altar of the blog? My husband is actually a really cool human, guys ;) Not enough? How ’bout I make you dinner, Eric, hmm? Lettuce wraps sound good??
Lettuce Wraps
Have you tried the lettuce wrap appetizer at P.F. Chang’s? It is famous for a reason! Juicy chicken, shiitake mushrooms, and water chestnuts combined in a killer Chinese sauce, nestled in a lettuce leaf and garnished with fried rice noodles. Heaven!! Most recipes I found online just didn’t look right. They all start off with ground chicken (or ground turkey, which is definitely not right.) If you look at P.F. Chang’s menu, you can tell from the picture that they are not using ground meat at all, instead it looks like finely diced pieces of chicken. Texture is everything in this very simple dish, and ground meat just isn’t gonna cut it. (Of course, you CAN substitute ground chicken if you are in a rush. See note.) You need a few special ingredients to make this recipe, but it is a good excuse to outfit your pantry for Asian cooking anyway. Once you have these ingredients you will be one step closer to making this Asian Pork Tenderloin, or this Asian Chicken with Green Beans, this Chinese Beef Broccoli Soup, or this 10 Minute Wonton Soup. You also need shiitake mushrooms for this recipe. They are crucial for getting the flavor of these lettuce wraps just right. They are tricky to find at your regular grocery store, so I’m using dried mushrooms as a hack. I found them on the Asian aisle at my grocery store. (I’m sure if you ventured to an international market you can find fresh shiitake, I was just lazy.) If you can’t find dried or fresh shiitake, see note for details; you can definitely use fresh mushrooms of a different variety as a substitute, no problem. Besides not using diced chicken, the other thing many recipes skip when they make this copycat dish is the fried rice sticks, or rice noodles. Why, why??? They are a game changer! I couldn’t believe how many copycat recipes I found that didn’t even touch on this! When you order this appetizer, you get a plate with 3 things on it: a half head of iceberg lettuce, a small bowl of dipping sauce, and the chicken filling….layered on top of a HUGE pile of fried rice noodles. It’s an essential element of the dish, in my opinion. They add so much interest and the perfect crunch. Plus, they are SUPER fun to make! To sum up: here’s what makes these lettuce wraps special and just like the ones at PF Chang’s:
Use diced chicken instead of ground meat Use the right Chinese sauces (more on that below) find yourself some shiitake mushrooms Don’t skip the fried rice noodles garnish
Let’s make them!
Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe Ingredients
Don’t let this list scare you, now. Once you have these ingredients on hand, you will be prepared for all kinds of Asian cookery! A very exciting prospect indeed! All amounts and specifics given in the recipe card below.
How to make Lettuce Wraps (PF Chang’s Style)
Start out with some dried shiitake mushrooms. I used two 1-ounce packages. Soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes. When you squeeze them out and chop them, you get about 1 and 3/4 cup, about 7-8 ounces. If you can find fresh shiitake mushrooms, just dice up 8 ounces and call it good. If you can’t find shiitake, fresh cremini mushrooms are the best substitute. You can use baby bellas or button mushrooms in a pinch though, too. Now for the chicken. I like to start with frozen chicken. (See, I told you this was a perfect weeknight meal! How many times have you forgotten to defrost the chicken??) Completely thaw chicken is a nightmare to chop into small pieces. But half-frozen chicken works great. So if you’ve got frozen chicken, pop it in the microwave for a minute or two. If you’ve got thawed out chicken, toss it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before starting your prep work for the recipe. After dicing, wait a bit to make sure the chicken is completely thawed before you cook it. I stuck mine in a ziplock and put it in a bowl of water. Takes just a few minutes since the chicken is diced so small. Sear your chicken in a HOT HOT pan. A wok is best, because they get super duper hot. Next best is a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have one, use a regular large skillet and let it preheat on the stove on medium high for at least 3 minutes before adding in the oil. Searing the chicken only takes a couple minutes because the pan is so hot. Remove from the pan so it doesn’t get over cooked. Next chop up your water chestnuts. I found this 8 ounce can right in the Asian aisle of my grocery store. Add it to the pan with the mushrooms, then add in the garlic and ginger. Then add in the sauce. The smell is gonna knock you out! It’s so good! The sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, aji mirin (rice wine), hoisin sauce, sugar, and a bit of cornstarch. You can find most of these ingredients on the Asian section of your grocery store. I found the aji mirin in the vinegar section. Aji mirin is a sweetened rice wine. If you can’t find it, you can use rice vinegar instead. See notes for details.
How to fry rice sticks for Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Meanwhile, it’s rice noodle time. I’d never fried rice sticks at home before, and I thought it must be kind of a pain if almost every copycat recipe I see omits them. Or maybe they don’t add much to the dish? WRONG. They are everything. Seriously. I tried a few bites right after frying them and thought, meh, not worth it. Then I added it to my lettuce wrap with the chicken, and whoa. SO good. It adds the perfect crunch and texture. Such a unique thing. Plus they are ridiculously fun to make. I know there are drawbacks to having to fry anything (hello, what do I do with you, giant vat of leftover oil) but I promise it’s super simple and only takes a few minutes. (I’ll walk you through the clean up in the notes.) You heat oil in a pot for a few minutes, then toss in a handful of noodles and KAZAAM. They explode into these super puffy birds-nest looking things. It is so fun to watch, and happens so fast I could hardly get a picture of it.
What lettuce is best for Lettuce Wraps?
Now it’s time to assemble these beauties into lettuce wraps! The only purposeful variation I’ve taken on this recipe is to use butter lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce. I’m convinced they only use iceberg in the restaurant because it’s so much cheaper. I love how soft and tender butter lettuce leaves are; iceberg brings in that irresistible CRUNCH. Either one will work great! Other lettuce options are romaine hearts or red leaf lettuce hearts. The one last final touch you need for these wraps is a killer dipping sauce! This sauce is super easy to put together: you need a bit of soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce (I used Sambal Oelek), Chinese style hot mustard, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. You can skip the hot mustard if it’s just one more thing to buy; add an extra bit of chili garlic sauce. Be sure to taste the sauce and adjust it however you like! Finally, make sure you clean your lettuce leaves very well. Place a handful of fried rice noodles in the center of a lettuce leaf, then top with a generous amount of chicken and mushroom filling. Sprinkle with fresh green onions, dip in your sauce, and devour!
How to make Lettuce Wraps Dipping Sauce
My copycat version of the PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps sauce is a little salty, a little spicy, a little tangy, and a lot delicious! It’s also super easy to put together. You’ll need soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, Chinese style hot mustard, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Just mix it all up, taste and adjust as needed, and it’s ready to go!
What to serve with Lettuce Wraps
I love to serve lettuce wraps with rice, cauliflower rice, vegetables, and/or bread. Here are some ideas!
Instant Pot Brown Rice Coconut Jasmine Rice with Cilantro Asian Cauliflower Rice Cauliflower Rice Easy Sesame Noodles with Spring Veggies Honey Lemon Glazed Carrots Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli Asian Marinated Cucumber Salad Sautéed Zucchini and Squash Sriracha Garlic Bread Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts One Hour French Bread
How to store Leftover Lettuce Wraps
Once your chicken lettuce wraps are assembled, they’re definitely best served right away. However, you can totally prep and store the different components until you’re ready to serve. The chicken and mushroom filling will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm on the stove on low until heated through. The sauce will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week! You can also prep and wash a few lettuce leaves and have them ready to go in the fridge for a couple of days. Voila! Lunches done!
More quick and healthy dinner ideas you are going to love!
Thai Lettuce Wraps with Crispy Fish and Peanut Sauce « don’t knock this til you try it. YUM. Thai Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce « one of my absolute favorite meals. Asian Seared Chicken with Stir Fried Green Beans « the skin is SO CRISPY. Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers « a low carb weeknight dinner! Crispy Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch « Like a deconstructed chicken sandwich from your favorite fast food place. Banh Mi Sandwich « If you have never tried this, add it to your list! So unique! Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Fish « a new take on an old classic Avocado Caprese Wrap from FoodieCrush Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wrap from Persnickety Plates Turkey Lettuce Wraps from Kalyn’s Kitchen
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