Description
Delightful Thai-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Cups bring zesty Asian flavors to your table with minimal effort and maximum taste. Crisp lettuce leaves cradle spicy, aromatic chicken, offering a refreshing and light meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 10 ounces (283 grams) ground chicken
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) cashews, chopped
Seasonings and Sauces:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons thai sweet red chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, honey, or agave
- Juice of 1 lime
Fresh Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (40 grams) onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger or ginger paste
- 1/4 cup (15 grams) scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup (15 grams) fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4–1/2 cup (30–60 grams) shredded carrots
- 1 head butter lettuce (leaves removed, rinsed, and dried)
- Sesame seeds (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet to medium-high temperature, drizzling sesame oil to create a glistening cooking surface.
- Sauté diced onions until they turn translucent and release their aromatic sweetness, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic and ginger, stirring vigorously to unlock their intense flavors and create a fragrant base.
- Crumble ground chicken into the pan, thoroughly breaking it apart while integrating with the existing aromatics, cooking until the meat loses its raw pink appearance.
- Whisk together a vibrant sauce combining soy sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, tangy lime juice, and maple syrup in a separate mixing vessel.
- Scatter crunchy chopped cashews across the chicken, then cascade the prepared sauce into the skillet, stirring to ensure complete coating and allowing flavors to meld together.
- Reduce heat and simmer the mixture, permitting the sauce to slightly thicken and intensify the dish’s overall taste profile.
- Remove from heat and gently fold in fresh shredded carrots, delicate scallions, and bright cilantro for added texture and herbal notes.
- Carefully spoon the aromatic chicken mixture into crisp butter lettuce leaves, creating elegant and flavorful wraps.
- Garnish with additional pan sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for enhanced visual appeal and nutty undertones.
- Serve immediately while the filling remains warm and the lettuce leaves are perfectly crisp.
Notes
- Control oil temperature carefully to prevent burning garlic and onions during initial sautéing stages.
- Drain excess chicken fat after cooking to create a lighter, less greasy filling for lettuce cups.
- Select fresh, crisp butter lettuce leaves with sturdy texture for easier wrapping and better eating experience.
- Customize protein options by substituting ground chicken with ground turkey, tofu, or plant-based alternatives for diverse dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg