Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps have a sweet and savory flavor profile, are ready in just 20 minutes, and are even better than at PF Chang! They make a great appetizer or light meal, or you can serve them with a side dish like steamed rice or cauliflower rice for dinner.
Do you have a restaurant where you go for one dish in particular?
For me, one of those places is PF Chang’s for their chicken lettuce wraps!
This dish has a great balance of flavors and textures: spicy, salty, sweet chicken wrapped up in crisp lettuce leaves. And the best part is that if you make it at home, this dish comes together in 20 minutes! That’s less time than it usually takes me to find a parking spot at the mall outside PF Chang’s.
Another great thing about making a restaurant copycat at home is that you can customize it. You can make it to suit your tastes, and you can bump up the nutrition. It’s easy to make this spicier or milder. And you can add a bunch of different vegetables if you like (anything that’s good in stir fry would work well here, just chop it small.)
This is sure to be your favorite version of chicken lettuce wraps because you can make it exactly how you like it.
The Best Copycat PF Chang Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
Hoisin Dipping Sauce (Optional):
- Hoisin sauce
- Water
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Light brown sugar
- Toasted sesame oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame seeds
Chicken Lettuce Wraps:
- Avocado oil
- Toasted sesame oil
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Onion
- Ground chicken
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Hoisin sauce
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Cornstarch dissolved in water to form a slurry
- Chili garlic sauce (you can use sambal oelek or sriracha)
- Salt and black pepper
- Canned water chestnuts
- Scallions
- Lettuce
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushroom and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken, garlic, and ginger, and cook until the chicken is browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn down the heat to medium. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch slurry, chili garlic sauce, black pepper, salt, and water chestnuts.
- Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Storage
Store the chicken mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
To avoid the lettuce wilting, don’t pre-wrap the chicken in lettuce leaves; instead, serve them together and wrap the chicken in lettuce as you eat.
Cooks Tips
- The hoisin dipping sauce is completely optional. And if you prefer, instead of using brown sugar here, you can use coconut sugar or keto brown sugar.
- For the paleo version, use Paleo Chinese Inspired Plum Sauce instead of hoisin sauce, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch.
- For the keto version, keto teriyaki sauce instead of hoisin sauce and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Omit the cornstarch slurry.
What Lettuce Can I Use For Lettuce Wraps?
Lettuce with sturdy leaves works well for lettuce wraps. A few types of lettuce that are good for wraps are:
- Iceberg lettuce – Also known as Crisphead lettuce, this lettuce grows in tight, round heads that have crisp leaves and a pale green color. It’s frequently used in wedge salads and to make lettuce wraps.
- Butter lettuce – This includes Bibb lettuce and Boston lettuce. These types of lettuce are loose heads that have tender leaves and a mild flavor.
- Romaine lettuce – Also called Cos lettuce, this type of lettuce grows in a long head with sturdy leaves, each with a thick rib running down the center.
- Little gem lettuce – This is a cross between Romaine and Butter lettuce with tender and mild green leaves. It looks similar to a Romaine heart.
What to Serve with Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Steamed rice
- Cauliflower rice
- Thai Noodles Recipe with Vegetables and Chicken
- Crunchy Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
Let's Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
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Copycat PF Chang Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
Hoisin Dipping Sauce (optional):
- ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar lightly packed (see Notes)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 small clove garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
Chicken Lettuce Wraps:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 5 ounces shiitake mushrooms chopped small
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pound lean ground chicken
- 3 large cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger
- ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce more or less to taste (you can use sambal oelek or sriracha)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts rinsed, drained, and chopped
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 head lettuce leaves left intact (see Notes)
Instructions
For the Hoisin Dipping Sauce:
- Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until using.
For the Chicken Lettuce Wraps:
- Heat the vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushroom and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken, garlic, and ginger, and cook until the chicken is browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn down the heat to medium. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch slurry, chili garlic sauce, black pepper, salt, and water chestnuts. Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
To Serve:
- Sprinkle the scallion on top of the chicken mixture. Serve warm, along with the lettuce leaves to wrap the chicken mixture in and the hoisin sauce for dipping.
Faith's Tips
- Storage: Store the chicken mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. To avoid the lettuce wilting, don’t pre-wrap the chicken in lettuce leaves; instead, serve them together and wrap the chicken in lettuce as you eat.
- Hoisin Dipping Sauce: This sauce is completely optional.
- Brown Sugar: Instead of brown sugar in the hoisin dipping sauce, you can use coconut sugar or keto brown sugar.
- Paleo Version: Use Paleo Chinese Inspired Plum Sauce instead of hoisin sauce, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch.
- Keto Version: Use keto teriyaki sauce instead of hoisin sauce and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Omit the cornstarch slurry.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on January 12, 2015. I updated it with more information on October 20, 2022.
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
I love lettuce wraps and can't think of a better thing to wrap with them than this sweet and spicy goodness!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love lettuce wraps, these look so good!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
Love this Faith and the photos are beautiful! I also am not a big fan of chain restaurants (except for Chipotle!!) but love these lettuce wraps. Printing this off :)
Barbara says
I learned to love these back in the 80's, in Paris, when my daughter was living there. We have a restaurant locally that does them well (and I've introduced everyone I know to them), but I've never tried them at home. Never have tried them at Chang's either, but I don't go there often. Your recipe looks delicious and so beautifully photographed, which I've come to expect from you!
Lori R. says
I haven't been to a PF Chang's in years, but I do remember these! So good! I can't wait to give them a try. I have no doubt that yours will be even better than the real thing!
Erica says
LOVE hoisin! And I love it extra saucy too :) This sounds great! I don't think I've ever eaten at PF changs...and we have one super close to our house too!
Julia says
Oooof these lettuce wraps look awesome! I've never had PF Chnag's version, so I'm happy to skip right to your recipe. Looks like such a great meal to whip up any night of the week!
Rosa says
So tasty! A wonderfully light dish.
Cheers,
Rosa