If your weeknight dinners feel like reruns, this is the plot twist. Juicy, garlicky chicken, crisp lettuce, and a peanut sauce so good you’ll consider drinking it—this is fast food reimagined.

It’s fresh, crunchy, saucy, and wildly satisfying without putting you in a food coma. You’ll nail it in under 30 minutes and look like you planned it for days.

Ready to be “that person” who brings the best dish to the table?

The Story Behind This Dish

Larb meets street food meets your kitchen pantry. These Thai-inspired lettuce wraps channel the bold flavors of Bangkok—lime, chili, fish sauce, and herbs—wrapped up in a fresh, handheld package.

It’s the kind of dish that plays heavy on texture: hot meets cold, spicy meets sweet, crunchy meets juicy. The peanut sauce?

That’s the closer—rich, tangy, and addictive.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce: Flavor Bombs, Zero Fuss

Recipe by Lori AndersonCourse: Snacks

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

Ingredients

For the Chicken Filling:
1 lb (450 g) ground chicken (or finely chopped chicken breast)
1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or canola)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1–2 tsp sriracha or chili-garlic sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced
For the Peanut Sauce:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
1 small garlic clove, grated
Warm water to thin (2–4 tbsp)
Optional: 1 tsp chili paste or a pinch of red pepper flakes
For Assembly:
1 head butter lettuce or romaine hearts, leaves separated
1 small cucumber, julienned
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Prep your greens and crunch: Separate and wash the lettuce leaves. Pat dry. Julienne the cucumber, shred carrots, and chop peanuts. Set aside like a pro.
Make the peanut sauce: Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, and garlic. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time until pourable. Taste and adjust sweetness, salt, and heat. It should be silky and balanced.
Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium–high. Add garlic, ginger, and shallot. Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant—don’t let it burn unless you enjoy regret.
Cook the chicken: Add ground chicken. Break it up with a spatula and cook 5–7 minutes until no longer pink and lightly browned.
Flavor bomb: Stir in bell pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, sriracha, and brown sugar. Cook 2–3 minutes until peppers soften slightly and the mixture is glossy.
Finish with freshness: Turn off heat. Stir in lime juice, cilantro, and green onions. Taste and tweak: more lime for zing, more soy for salt, more chili for heat.
Assemble like a boss: Spoon warm chicken into lettuce leaves. Top with cucumber, carrots, chopped peanuts, and a generous drizzle of peanut sauce. Squeeze a lime wedge if you’re extra.
Serve immediately: Lettuce is crispiest right away. Seconds are inevitable—plan accordingly.

Smart Storage Guide

Chicken filling: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water.
Peanut sauce:</-strong> Store up to 1 week in the fridge. It thickens—loosen with warm water and whisk.
Lettuce: Keep leaves wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a bag or container for 3–4 days.
Freezer: Cooked chicken freezes well up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight before reheating.

Why You’ll Love It

Big flavor, small effort. Weeknight-friendly with restaurant-level payoff.
Light but filling. Protein, crunch, and sauce that hits every craving.
Customizable. Spice level, protein swaps, and toppings are totally your call.
Meal-prep friendly. Keep components separate and assemble on demand—no soggy sadness.

Nutrition Stats

Approx per serving: 420 calories; 28 g protein; 22 g fat (4 g sat); 28 g carbs; 3–4 g fiber; 900–1100 mg sodium (varies by soy/fish sauce).
Micros: Vitamin A and C from peppers/carrots, potassium from peanuts, iron and B vitamins from chicken.
To lighten: Use PB powder in the sauce, reduce oil, and go low-sodium soy to cut salt, FYI.

What Not to Do

Don’t skip the acid. Lime balances richness. Without it, the dish falls flat.
Don’t overcook the chicken. Dry chicken = sadness.
Pull it when just cooked and juicy.
Don’t drown the lettuce. Sauce is great, soggy wraps are not. Drizzle, don’t flood.
Don’t forget texture. Peanuts and crisp veg make the wrap addictive.
Skipping crunch is a rookie move.

Switch It Up

Protein swap: Ground turkey, crumbled tofu, or minced mushrooms (IMO, a great vegan sub) all work.
No peanuts? Use almond or cashew butter; top with toasted seeds.
Low-carb variation: Keep as-is or add shirataki rice to the filling.
Extra veg: Add finely chopped water chestnuts, shredded cabbage, or bean sprouts.
Herb upgrade: Add Thai basil or mint for a pop of freshness.
Kids’ table: Skip the chili and let them dunk in a sweeter peanut sauce.

FAQ

Can I make these ahead for a party?

Yes—prep all components up to a day ahead. Keep the filling and sauce chilled, lettuce washed and dried, and assemble right before serving for max crunch.

What lettuce works best?

Butter lettuce is tender and cuppy, romaine is sturdy and crisp, and iceberg is ultra-crunchy.

Use what you like or what’s freshest.

How do I make it gluten-free?

Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and double-check your fish sauce is gluten-free. Everything else is naturally GF.

Is fish sauce necessary?

It brings deep umami.

If you must skip it, add a splash more soy plus a touch of miso or a dash of coconut aminos for complexity.

How spicy is this?

Mild to medium by default. Add more sriracha or fresh chilies if you like heat, or keep it mild and let spicy eaters add chili oil at the table.

Can I air-fry or grill instead?

Totally.

Grill finely chopped chicken in a basket or air-fry crumbled chicken at 375°F (190°C) until just cooked, then toss with the sauce ingredients in a skillet to combine flavors.

In Conclusion

These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce are fast, fresh, and wildly tasty—the kind of recipe you put on repeat and brag about later. You get crunch, heat, tang, and creamy richness in every bite with minimal effort.

Keep the components on hand, and weeknight “what’s for dinner?” turns into “when are we making those wraps again?” Spoiler: probably tomorrow.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce: Flavor Bombs, Zero Fuss

The Story Behind This Dish