Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Paleo & Whole30 Approved!)
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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)
Photos, post & video updated March 2020. Originally posted September 2014.
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 (under 30 min!), flavorful (the veggies! The sauce!), and fresh (made from real-food ingredients!), these lettuce wraps are always a BIG hit at our house.
Here’s all you need to get started on these paleo PF Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps…
HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MY CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS RECIPE:
- Ground Chicken (Or Turkey Or Pork). I like starting with ground chicken, though other ground meats work. People have made this recipe using turkey, beef, pork, and even 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. Aaand he loves these 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 of most major grocery stores where I live. (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!)
FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST PALEO CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS:
CAN’T FIND GROUND CHICKEN? HERE’S HOW YOU MAKE IT! I typically buy ground chicken breast at Sprouts, but making your own is REALLY easy and usually takes under 2 minutes. All you do is put 1 lb. 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.
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, 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 and iceberg have a little more crunch if that’s something you like. (P.F. Chang’s uses iceberg on 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.
WHAT DO YOU USE FOR A DIPPING SAUCE? I based my dipping sauce on the one I cobble together at P.F. Chang’s. It’s a mix of equal parts dijon mustard + tamari (or coconut aminos or soy sauce). You can also add a few dashes of chili oil or sriracha if you want a little kick.
LOVE THESE PALEO CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
- Healthy Beef & Broccoli (Paleo, Whole30)
- Egg Drop Soup (Paleo, Whole30)
- Healthy Orange Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
- Egg Roll in a Bowl (Paleo, Whole30)
- Healthy Sesame Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
HELPFUL TOOLS & INGREDIENTS FOR MY CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS RECIPE:
Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
For a dipping sauce, we mixed together equal parts dijon mustard and coconut aminos/tamari. You can also add a little chili oil or Sriracha if you like it hot!
Ingredients
For The Chicken Lettuce Wrap Filling:
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (olive or coconut oil would work well too)
- 1 lb. ground chicken (we grind raw chicken breast or chicken thighs in our food processor)
- 6–8 oz. button or baby bella mushrooms, finely minced
- 1 (8oz.) 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
- 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.
- Add mushrooms, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened.
- 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).
- Scoop mixture onto lettuce cups. Top with cilantro, if desired, and your favorite dipping sauce.
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.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Main Dish, Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
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!
Casey – I’m SO GLAD to hear how much you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of my favorites! I make it all year long!
We had them tonight for dinner! They were DELICIOUS! Will fix again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
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!
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.
Denise – I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
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.
Yum! Those adaptations sound delicious!
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😁
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And I hope you LOVE the brownies!
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.
So glad to hear that Marianna! I just LOVE them!
This was delicious and so easy! I had to omit the mushrooms due to an allergy, but they were not missed!
So glad you enjoyed them Lisa!!!
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!
Ooh! I still need to try that!
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!
Ooh yum!
Where is the recipe for the ginger dipping sauce?
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!
These are great. How many calories per serving.
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!
Thank you!
My pleasure!
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.
If you follow a paleo diet or avoid soy, you use the coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce/tamari. It’s just lovely!
Do you grind the chicken in the food processor while raw or after it has been cooked?
Before! It’s ground raw chicken 🙂
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.
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.