Asian Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These healthy yet incredibly savory Asian sesame chicken lettuce wraps make the best light and fresh lunch, dinner, or shared appetizer. Enjoy them as a main dish or serve alongside other Asian dishes like noodles, fried rice, and dumplings!
Equipment
- Wok or large frying pan
Ingredients
Lettuce Wrap Fillings
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup brown rice dry
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 4 scallions sliced
- 1 head butter lettuce separated, washed, and dried
Sesame Glaze
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp chili oil
- ½ tsp powdered ginger
- ½ tsp minced garlic
Stir-Fried Chicken
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¾ lb chicken breast sliced into half-inch pieces
- 1½ tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- First, bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rice, then cover and turn heat to low. Steam until rice is fluffy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Next, prepare the sesame glaze. In a small saucepan, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until golden, about 7 to 8 minutes. Give them a shake every few minutes to ensure they are evenly toasted.
- In the meantime, whisk together the brown sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Then stir in the sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili oil, powdered ginger, and minced garlic.
- Once the sesame seeds are toasted, add the sauce to the saucepan and stir to combine. Simmer until slightly thickened, lowering the heat if needed, about 8 to 12 minutes.
- While the sesame glaze simmers, prepare the butter lettuce. Set aside any leaves that are too small or have large holes or rips and use for a different recipe. If there are any large leaves, gently rip them in half to make two smaller lettuce wraps.
- Next, make the stir-fried chicken. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the chicken and stir-fry until partially cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir fry until the chicken is cooked through, another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finally, plate the lettuce wrap ingredients on a large platter for serving DIY-assembly style at the table. Transfer the sesame glaze to a small bowl and place it in the center of the platter. Then, arrange butter lettuce leaves, brown rice, chicken, scallions, and carrots on the platter.
- To assemble each lettuce wrap: Cup a leaf of butter lettuce in your hand and spoon about 1 tablespoon of brown rice into it. Then, add some shredded carrots and scallions - just a few pieces of each. Finally, add 3 to 5 pieces of chicken and drizzle with sesame glaze.
Notes
What type of lettuce to use: Butter lettuce works best for lettuce wraps since it’s fairly mild in flavor and has a soft yet sturdy texture. The leaves also have a natural cup shape that makes them perfect for filling with rice, chicken, and veggies.
How to serve lettuce wraps: We recommend serving these lettuce wraps DIY-assembly style at the dinner table. Plate the lettuce, chicken, rice, carrots, and scallions on a large platter with small tongs or serving spoons for each ingredient, and serve the sesame glaze in a small bowl with a spoon for drizzling.
How to assemble lettuce wraps: Lettuce wraps are MESSY - this is why we don't recommend assembling them ahead of time. Instead, bring the individual components to the dinner table and assemble each one as you eat them. Much like tacos, lettuce wraps will fall apart on you if you try to put them down between bites!
Serving suggestions: These savory chicken lettuce wraps are great for any number of occasions, but we particularly enjoy serving them as a light and fresh lunch or healthy dinner. They go great with other Asian dishes like noodles, fried rice, and dumplings if you want a more filling meal. Lettuce wraps also make a fun shared appetizer for parties, game days, and potlucks!
Note: This recipe yields about 16 lettuce wraps. For a lighter meal, we recommend serving about 4 lettuce wraps per person.
Nutrition
Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1042IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg