Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups
This Asian chicken lettuce cups recipe uses ground chicken, water chestnuts, and a hoisin-soy sauce built for balance between salty, sweet, and tangy. The filling comes together in one skillet in under 15 minutes.
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet - A wide, hot surface browns the chicken instead of steaming it.
- Chef's knife - For dicing the onion and chopping water chestnuts evenly.
- Garlic press - Speeds up mincing garlic for the sauce.
- Microplane ginger grater - Grats fresh ginger into a fine paste.
- Small mixing bowl - For the sauce
- Wooden spoon or spatula - For breaking up the chicken
- Glass meal prep containers - Useful for storing extra filling separately from the lettuce (optional).
- Mandoline slicer - For shredding carrot garnish (optional).
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken - 450g
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil - divided
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil - or canola oil
- 1 small yellow onion - finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - grated
- 8 oz canned water chestnuts - 225g, drained and finely chopped
- 4 green onions - thinly sliced, divided
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce - or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha - plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch - mixed with 1 tablespoon water
For Serving
- 1 head butter lettuce - about 12 leaves, washed and separated
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts - chopped, for garnish
- 1 carrot - shredded, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha in a small bowl. In a separate dish, mix cornstarch with water until smooth. Set both near the stove.
- Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil and vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and break apart, cooking 5–6 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
- Push chicken aside, add onion and cook 2 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and ginger, cooking 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in water chestnuts and cook 1 minute to warm through while maintaining crunch.
- Pour sauce over chicken, stir to coat. Add cornstarch slurry and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until thickened and clinging to the meat.
- Remove from heat, stir in remaining sesame oil and half the green onions. Adjust sriracha to taste.
- Spoon 2–3 tablespoons filling into each butter lettuce leaf. Top with remaining green onions, peanuts, and carrot. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dry the lettuce thoroughly — excess water dilutes the sauce and makes cups soggy.
- Dice water chestnuts small so they stay in the cup and don't slide out when bitten.
- Don't skip the cornstarch slurry — it thickens the sauce to coat the filling properly.
- Use a hot pan to brown the chicken; a lukewarm pan makes it steam and turn watery.
- Add the sauce only after the chicken is browned — adding it too early prevents browning and makes the filling watery.
- For meal prep, store filling and lettuce separately. Reheat filling on the stove or microwave, and assemble just before eating.
- Freezing: The filling freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating. Do not freeze lettuce.
- To make gluten-free, use tamari and ensure your hoisin sauce is labeled gluten-free.
- Vegetarian version: Substitute crumbled extra-firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried before adding aromatics.
- For extra heat, double the sriracha or add chili garlic sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 3cupsCalories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 22gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 640mgPotassium: 380mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 8mg
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