Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Paleo & Whole30 Approved!)

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5 from 43 votes

Dinner tonight is Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps! Fresh, flavorful, and FAST, these healthy chicken lettuce wraps will be on the table in no time. They’re a major crowd pleaser! (Gluten-Free, Whole30)

Whole30, Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life

One of our favorite things to go out for is egg drop soup, lettuce wraps, stir-fried chicken & vegetables. Both kids really enjoy the experience (like basically bottomless rice, let’s be honest), and that means a more pleasant meal for all of us! So, we’ve re-created some of our restaurant faves at home to get to enjoy them even more often.

These paleo chicken lettuce wraps are a great example. They’re a pretty solid copycat recipe/dupe of the famous PF Changs lettuce wraps! Fast, flavorful, and fresh, these healthy chicken lettuce wraps are always a BIG hit at our house.

In over a decade since we first developed this paleo chicken lettuce wrap recipe, we’ve made it COUNTLESS times. It’s one of my favorite dinners for busy nights. It’s made from simple, fresh ingredients in 30 minutes (or less!). Plus, it packs in a healthy dose of protein and even works for low carb eaters!

Here’s all you need to get started on this quick dinner…

Whole30, Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

  • Ground Chicken (Or Turkey Or Pork). I like starting with ground chicken, though other kinds of ground meat work. People have made this recipe using ground turkey, ground beef, ground pork, and even ground veal over the years. Use what you like! (Don’t know where to find ground chicken? See the FAQ for a quick and easy tip!)
  • Minced Mushrooms. Michael was a mega mushroom hater when we got married. Like, he didn’t even want to think about them. And he loves these healthy lettuce wraps. The mushrooms are finely diced and really don’t add a lot of texture here since the whole mixture is pretty finely ground/chopped. What they *do* add is a dose of umami (that amazing little something that gives some lovely depth of flavor). They also help fill out these paleo chicken lettuce wraps while keeping things light.
  • Water Chestnuts. Fact: I couldn’t tell you what a fresh water chestnut looks like because I don’t think I’ve ever seen one. This recipe uses canned water chestnuts (just water chestnuts + water), which add a little bit of crunch and texture that’s crucial for this lettuce wraps recipe. I can get them in the Asian section at the grocery store. (People have also tried using finely minced jicama or other veggies like carrots or celery, too!)
  • Green Onions, Ginger & Garlic. Now, come the aromatics. This simple trio of flavor boosters gives these chicken lettuce wraps SO much flavor! Lately, I’ve been using frozen garlic and ginger, which I get in the freezer section. It’s easy to keep on hand and tastes as vibrant as fresh without any additives.
  • Coconut Aminos (Or Gluten-Free Tamari Or Soy Sauce). Lastly, you’ll add a drizzle of coconut aminos, gluten-free tamari, or soy sauce, depending on your dietary needs. (Coconut aminos is gluten-free, soy-free, paleo-friendly, and Whole30, so keep that in mind if you follow one of those diets!) If you’re using tamari or soy sauce, I tend to recommend low-sodium or reduced-sodium sauces to help moderate the salt content.
  • And Lettuce! They wouldn’t be chicken lettuce wraps without lettuce! I’ve used all kinds of lettuce for these lettuce wraps. Butter lettuce, romaine lettuce, and iceberg are my top 3 faves. (See the FAQ below for more details!)

Can’t Find Ground Chicken? Here’s How You Make It!

I typically buy ground chicken breast at Sprouts, Whole Foods, or Kroger, but making your own is REALLY easy and usually takes under 2 minutes. All you do is put 1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs) into a food processor fitted with the metal S blade, and run it till the chicken is ground finely.

Whole30, Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life
Whole30, Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life

How to Make These Lettuce Wraps, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

  1. Cook The Chicken. Prepare the filling by heating the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until fully cooked all the way through, about 6-8 minutes.
  2. Then, Add Veggies. Add mushrooms, chopped water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened.
  3. Add Aromatics. Then, add ginger, garlic, and 4 Tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce) and sesame oil (if using) and cook 1 minute longer, stirring to coat chicken mixture. Add additional sauce as desired (remember you don’t want it too wet, or it will make eating your lettuce wraps a very messy, soggy experience).
  4. Serve. Scoop chicken filling onto lettuce cups. Top with cilantro, if desired, and your favorite dipping sauce.

Try Our Dipping Sauce!

We made a simple dipping sauce that mimics the flavors in P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps. Their recipe combines chili, hot mustard, and soy sauce. Our version uses ingredients common in most American kitchens. We like a 1:1 ratio of dijon mustard and gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos, plus a few drops of chili oil or sriracha, to taste. (If it’s too salty, you can dilute it with a bit of water!)

Whole30, Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

CAN I USE GROUND TURKEY (OR GROUND PORK/BEEF) TO MAKE THESE LETTUCE WRAPS? LOTS of readers have made these with ground pork or turkey over the years without any trouble!

WHAT’S THE BEST KIND OF LETTUCE FOR LETTUCE WRAPS? It’s totally personal preference, but butter lettuce leaves, romaine, and iceberg are all nice. Butter lettuce is the most flexible (and doesn’t tend to break as much when you’re pulling leaves off the head of lettuce), but romaine lettuce leaves and iceberg have a little more crunchy texture if that’s something you like. (P.F. Chang’s uses iceberg lettuce cups for their popular lettuce wraps.)

MAKE THESE LETTUCE WRAPS TO FIT YOUR DIET. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, you can use soy sauce for this recipe. For a gluten-free option, we usually use tamari. If you need a paleo or soy-free option, coconut aminos works beautifully.

EXTRAS TO ADD. Feel free to customize this recipe based on what you have on hand! Over the years, people have added sliced red bell pepper, jicama, or grated carrots for some extra crunch. Or, you can fill them out even more with a bit of cauliflower rice, sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes or sesame seeds, or add a splash of fish sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, or sriracha to the sauce ingredients.

Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life

More Easy Take-Out Style Recipes To Try

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our healthy Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

Whole30, Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps from One Lovely Life

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30)

4.96 from 43 votes
Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
These healthy chicken lettuce wraps make a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or great appetizer for a party. They’re a healthier version of PF Changs lettuce wraps!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 4 -5 servings
Calories: 230kcal

Ingredients

For The Chicken Lettuce Wrap Filling:

  • 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (olive or coconut oil would work well, too)
  • 1 pound ground chicken (you can also grind raw chicken breast or chicken thighs in our food processor)
  • 6-8 oz. white button mushrooms (baby bella mushrooms), finely minced
  • 1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and minced
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4-1/3 cup coconut aminos GF tamari, or soy sauce
  • optional: 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

To Serve:

  • Lettuce leaves butter lettuce, romaine hearts, or iceberg lettuce work well
  • Cilantro optional
  • Your favorite dipping sauce

Optional Dipping Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos gluten-free tamari, or soy sauce
  • A few dashes of chili oil or sriracha if you want a little kick.

Instructions

  • Cook The Chicken. Start the filling by heating the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until fully cooked all the way through, about 6-8 minutes.
  • Add Veggies. Add mushrooms, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened.
  • Build Flavor. Add ginger, garlic, and 4 Tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce) and sesame oil (if using) and cook 1 minute longer, stirring to coat chicken mixture. Add additional sauce as desired (remember you don't want it too wet, or it will make eating your lettuce wraps a very messy, soggy experience).
  • Serve. Scoop meat mixture onto lettuce cups. Top with cilantro, if desired, and your favorite dipping sauce.
  • Store leftover sauce & chicken separately in airtight containers in the fridge 3-4 days.

FOR OUR DIPPING SAUCE:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, tamari/coconut aminos, and a few drops of chili oil or sriracha to taste. (If this feels too salty, feel free to dilute with a bit of water.) Spoon sauce over the lettuce wraps and enjoy!

Notes

  • Not a chicken fan? LOTS of readers have made these with ground pork or turkey over the last few years without any trouble! I just don’t care for ground turkey (it’s too strong-tasting to me). You can also grind your own chicken, like we did. We ground our own chicken using a 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs and our food processor. Worked like a charm!
  • Fit your own diet. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, you can use soy sauce for this recipe. If you need something gluten free, we go with tamari, and if you need something paleo, coconut aminos works beautifully.

Video

Course: Appetizer, Chicken, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Asian chicken lettuce wraps, chicken lettuce wraps, gluten free chicken lettuce wraps, Lettuce Wraps, Paleo Lettuce Wraps, whole30 chicken lettuce wraps

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25Recipe (calculated without sauce) | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.5g | Protein: 29.9g | Fat: 6.9g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 82.7mg | Sodium: 638.3mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3.9g

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.

Originally posted September 2014. New photos, updated post and video updated March 2020. Additional notes added April 2024.  

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Recipe Rating




118 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are delicious! I didn’t have mushrooms so made them without. Excited to make them again with mushrooms!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this on a whim-of-a-search for something ‘different’ for dinner.

    I’m still patting myself on the back because this was a smashing success with my wife and daughter. They know dad can cook – they just hadn’t had anything quite as tasty as this in a long time.

    Glad to have found your site, I’ve got it bookmarked.

  3. Can the chicken mixture be frozen or made in advance, then thawed, reheated, and spooned into the lettuce the day of a party?

    1. Kendall – I recommend making it fresh if possible, since the texture will be the best. I worry the chicken mixture would get a bit watery upon thawing.

  4. 5 stars
    Wow! These are AWESOME & SO easy! Found this recipe on a reddit thread for whole30 when I was looking for new recipes. I’ve made it twice this round (I doubled it last night when I made it it was so good the 1st time!) The dipping sauce reminds me of the PF Changs dumpling dipping sauce (it’s sooo good & I’m not a huge mustard fan). I’ve seen other lettuce wraps recipes but they were much more involved. No need for extra work! Just make this one! I did double the ginger because we love ginger & did a slurry with potato starch to thicken up the sauce (I like mine saucy). Thank you for this delicious recipe!

  5. 5 stars
    Delicious!!!
    I made this for my family tonight and we all LOVED it! Three of them really dislike mushrooms but they couldn’t tell that finely chopped Baby Bellas were in there. I didn’t have Dijon, so I used yellow mustard, coconut aminos and a little bit of Sriracha for the sauce My family requested that I make these again. So yummy!!!

    1. Laura – Aren’t they the best!? I’m so glad they passed at your house! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review–it’s so helpful!

  6. 5 stars
    Still chewing the last bite of this absolutely delicious chicken lettuce wrap! Highly recommend this easy, yummy recipe!

  7. 5 stars
    Thank you!!! I needed this recipe. My family needed this recipe. We are so tired of ground turkey (that’s what we used) tasting boring. This meal made our night!

  8. 5 stars
    Very good, easy recipe. I have a vegetarian daughter and use soy beef crumbles for her portion and it still turns out really well!

  9. 5 stars
    This recipe is a no-fail hit. I have made it more times than I can count, and it pleases every time. Plus, it is super simple. Thanks for a easy, healthy and delicious recipe Emily.

  10. 5 stars
    Made these the other day. Excellent! Used coconut aminos, perfect flavor. I ran out of mushrooms but used shredded carrots with minced shallots and water chestnuts. Served with red rice for more color. Yum!!

  11. 5 stars
    I made this for one of the extremely hot days California has been having. It was excellent and flavors were spot on!

  12. 5 stars
    A regular at our house. Love that’s a bit unusual yet still easy enough for a weeknight. We use a mix of Yoshida’s teriyaki and Maeploy. So delicious!

  13. 5 stars
    These are really good! We made our own sauce using Dijon mustard, honey, sweet-and-sour sauce And a hot sauce

    1. I don’t care for ground turkey myself, but LOTS of folks have made and liked it with ground turkey! Other readers have also tried it with ground beef and even ground pork.

    1. Jennifer – It’s right in the description of the recipe card under the title 🙂 I use equal parts Dijon mustard and tamari/coconut aminos. You can also add chili oil or Sriracha for some heat!

  14. 5 stars
    Just made these for my wife and I. They wss ere amazing. Wish I knew the calories etc. But this is a definate keeper. Thank you for sharinh

  15. 5 stars
    Oh my gosh. SO. FREAKING. GOOD. I just started Paleo today and this is the first recipe I made and I’m so so glad I found it. They are so delicious and my two year old even enjoyed them. Only negative for me is that I Wish I would’ve made a bigger batch!!!!! Will be making this again weekly!!!! Thank you for the yummy recipe 😊

  16. 5 stars
    We are new to paleo, but love PF Chang’s lettuce wraps. These were quick to put together with most everything going into the food processor (except the green onions.) My husband seriously kept going back for more — I think 4-5 times! He said, “This is like PF Chang’s except all you can eat!” A winner here for sure!

    1. That’s exactly what my husband did the first time we made them! (That feeling has never gone away–we can’t get enough!) I’m so glad you love them!

  17. 5 stars
    I love this! I just started Paleo today and had this for a late lunch. I added extra ginger (because I love all things ginger!). The only thing I would change is the amount of soy sauce (I used liquid aminos), a little on the salty side, but who doesn’t like salt 😊 Thanks for sharing

  18. Hi!

    I am making this tonight! 🙂 I just started the keto diet so I’m wondering if the nutrition facts above are for one serving? So one lettuce wrap with filling has 12.5 g of carbs? Just want to be sure I know.

    Can’t wait to try these!
    Amanda

  19. 5 stars
    My roommate and I did whole30 last month and this is hands down our favorite discovery from the experience! We subbed chopped cashews for the water chestnuts and added shredded carrots as well. So delicious! Love that it’s light, healthy, and easy to make. We will be making this again and again 🙂

    1. Elizabeth – That’s a great question! If I were doing it in the IP, I don’t think it’d be done any faster since it’s just a few quick minutes of cooking (and you’d be doing that in the IP on the saute setting). As for slow cooker, I think it’d probably be too much cook time.

  20. This was Amazing! I made a side sauce with almond butter, coconut aminos, lime juice, red pepper flakes and water. Similar to a peanut sauce. It was so crazy good. Thank you!

  21. 5 stars
    This was so tasty! I made it with all items listed plus some shredded carrot. Hubby (who is not following paleo or AIP, but wants to be supportive) REALLY loved it! We’ll definitely be repeating this! Thank you!

  22. 4 stars
    Made this tonight. Very good flavor and the food processor makes it a breeze! Next time, I would salt the chicken and add tapioca starch at the end to thicken that yummy juice.

  23. Hi! THis looks delish! I want to try this out and I’m wondering what the sauce you’re using in the pics. Any whole 30 approved sauce recipes? Thank you.

    1. Leah – I mixed together a little coconut aminos, dijon mustard (Annie’s brand is compliant), and some garlic. That’s it! It reminds me of the chili oil, hot mustard, and soy sauce mixtures they serve at PF Changs.

  24. 5 stars
    Well I found this recipe yesterday and bought a few bits I was missing but what are the coconut amino for? I love the sound of this recipe and the changes and adaptions from others in the comments. This is going to be made tonight/ tomorrow and am looking forward to it.

    1. Valerie – Thanks for your comment! I don’t have nutrition software yet, so nutrition facts aren’t yet available for my recipes on my site (hopefully soon!). You can plug the recipe ingredients into any free online calculator. My favorite is My Fitness Pal (the free site or free app) since you can import recipes directly from the web!

    1. Melissa – If you look in the recipe card (under the title) our dipping sauce recipe is written in italics. “For a dipping sauce, we mixed together equal parts dijon mustard and coconut aminos/tamari.” You can make as much or as little as you like.

      If you don’t want to go that route, you can simply mince up a little ginger (about 1 tsp) and stir it into 1/4 cup or so of some tamari/soy sauce/coconut aminos. Hope that helps!

  25. 5 stars
    Your peanut sauce is delicious, it tastes just like my favorite dressing! I add tahini, sesame oil, and sesame seeds sometime when I top soba noodles in a power bowl. Thanks for sharing, I am so happy to home make it now!

  26. 5 stars
    We are making these again. I passed the recipe to my college kids too. Such a easy healthy meal.
    I substitute jicama for the water chestnuts and it was so good. Thanks again!

  27. 5 stars
    This was delicious and so easy! I had to omit the mushrooms due to an allergy, but they were not missed!

  28. 5 stars
    I made these tonight and they were a huge hit with my 2 teens and hubby. I did chicken and venison. YUM!!! I loved the simplicity and delicious flavor.

  29. 5 stars
    Hi Emily,

    Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. It is exactly what I was looking for, simple, healthy, and without any rich, sugary jarred sauces. I will definitely make it again, probably very soon. I think I’ll try your brownie recipe next😁

  30. 5 stars
    This recipe is delicious! Made many versions of lettuce wraps previously without a recipe, but I liked the addition of water chestnuts and mushrooms in this one. I did not have coconut aminos or cilantro but added seasame seed oil, Chinese five spice, and red peper flakes. Also I used ground beef. So surprised we didn’t even need the soy sauce or substitute! Very tasty and an easy yet strict paleo meal. Oh and always made so much better with fresh Boston Bib lettuce.

  31. 5 stars
    Yum! Used leftover chicken ( just chopped it up) and lettuce I bought at farmer’s market yesterday. Whole family loved it! Wish there were leftovers, but every bit eaten:) Thank you for a delicious, fresh, healthy recipe.

  32. 5 stars
    Great Recipe. I swapped out the coconut amino for Whole Foods brand Teriyaki sauce. It’s what I had! It worked well. I did not need to make any other sauce to go with it. Thanks!

  33. 5 stars
    This recipe is AMAZING! Healthy, super flavorful, and filling. Next time I’ll try it with half the amount of soy sauce, just to cut some of the saltiness out (since I didn’t use coconut aminos). Thanks for posting this!

    1. Debbie – I’m so glad you liked them! I don’t have nutrition facts available on my site, but you can plug them into a recipe calculator online. My favorite one is MyFitnessPal (the site or the app). You can import recipes straight from the web!

  34. Oh, wow. This looks delicious! Besides the dijon mustard coconut aminos, any other recommendations for sauces to go with this?

    1. If you’re not doing Whole30, you can dip them in something like hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, or whisk together some ginger, garlic, and tamari/soy sauce/coconut aminos. Hope that helps!

  35. Making these tonight! Although I’m subbing out the chicken for shrimp and adding a few more veggies! My husband is stoked to try it.

  36. 5 stars
    Made these for dinner tonight and I loved them! Definitely will be making these again especially since I am left with yummy leftovers.

  37. 5 stars
    I made this last night and it was so yummy. Brought the little leftovers for lunch today, thank you for sharing!

  38. Hey friend, I know it’s been a year, but I have to contribute a couple thoughts. We take our FOUR kids ages 5 months, 2.5 years, 3.75 years, and 4.9 years (as of Nov 2015) out to dinner ALL the time. They rock it. Sure, things knock over, but we’ve had $100+ dinners at nice restaurants here in Seattle, and we’ve taken them all. I was a test kitchen for Karen le Billon’s second book because she transformed MY life with her first. I didn’t eat well, let alone consider that my kids could. We have regular dinner parties (every Friday) where our kids join us at the table, albeit more briefly, and they only eat what we eat. Beets and all (but not liver because I’m not there yet myself). Do try it! Whatever we instill early, we don’t have to fight later…

  39. 5 stars
    Yum!! These were such a hit! I can’t believe how delicious coconut aminos and Dijon as a dipping sauce is. Holy cow. I used 1/2 turkey and 1/2 pork. I thought about coming home to these leftovers all day. These will definitely be a frequent guest at our table!! Thank you so much for sharing.

    1. Sarah – Yes! The water chestnuts just lend a little crunch. You could skip them entirely, or sub something else crunchy (carrots, toasted almonds, etc.)

  40. I just made these for my 15 year old son’s after school snack, and he loved them! Yay, trying to lose weight and go Paleo over here. Thanks for this recipe.

  41. Huge mistake thinking that your kids will suddenly take to eating in restaurants when they’re older. Although you have to be prepared to get up and walk around or bring distractions (we were big on places with patios), children come to accept as normal what they’re brought up with. When my son was two I took him wherever I went to eat and ordered appetizer sized portions of duck, vegetables, whatever. Most restaurants were very accommodating about it. He is now 14 and is better about trying things than I am. I can take him with me for injeera at an Ethiopian restaurant or sweetbreads at a French restaurant and it’s all good. Honestly, it was a small price to pay so that we could (and can) enjoy meals together throughout his childhood.

    1. Jennifer – I’m glad that worked for you! My daughter has autism and struggles with the sensory overload of restaurants–everything from the noise (lights, sounds of people chewing, din of the room), to the visual stimulation (fluorescent lights, unfamiliar textures of foods etc), and the social stimulation (lots of people, lots of noise). It’s something we’re working on in therapy, but we hope to be where you are someday. Thanks for the comment.

      1. Emily, I commend you on your gracious response to the “huge mistake… ” comment. I’m amazed when I hear someone quickly and directly tell another that they are doing something wrong without even knowing the particulars of their situation. That seems a breach of basic courtesy to me.

  42. 5 stars
    So good, Emily! I’m going gluten free just because this month and have fallen in love with all things lettuce wrap. This meal was a cinch and I added onions and bell peppers to add a few veggies (and to make it a one pot meal). This is definitely going to be repeated this month and whenever I don’t really want to make anything that takes more than ten minutes…ok twenty minutes.

        1. It’s in italics in the description section of the recipe card. 🙂 I do equal parts dijon mustard and coconut aminos or tamari. You can also add chili oil or sriracha if you like it hot!

  43. 4 stars
    I really enjoyed this recipe. My husband is on Paleo and trying to make recipes that please us both. This clearly fit the bill.
    I added a few items; snow pea pods, hoisin sauce, yellow peppers and shredded carrots. Delicious. Thanks for sharing!

  44. 5 stars
    We made these with ground pork last week and they were delicious! My little ones got a kick out of getting to fill up their lettuce cups themselves, and my husband requested that we make it a regular in the dinner rotation. Thanks so much for sharing!

  45. These look so good! I’ve only had lettuce wraps once before, but can’t wait to try these. It’s one of those moments when I wish I could reach through the screen and eat one.