Thai Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Satay Sauce
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These Thai lettuce wraps take everything you love about aromatic Thai flavors, adding juicy chicken, then wrapping it up in crisp lettuce before slathering it with a velvety peanut satay sauce. It’s an easy and delicious appetizer or light meal. Embrace the drippy goodness – your hands might get a bit messy, but your tummy will be so satisfied!
These fresh, vibrant, and delicious Thai chicken lettuce wraps are bursting with bold, fresh ingredients. They’re a breeze to make and are super customizable, so it’s a good way to use up any veggies in the fridge. Start by making an easy peanut satay, then let the chicken simmer in Thai flavors. Add the veggies to the mix, then wrap everything up!
Is this an authentic Thai lettuce wrap recipe?
Thai lettuce wraps are a Westernized version of Laab Gai, which is made by cooking ground chicken with lots of tasty Thai spices and then served with rice and crunchy vegetables. We suggest you try this laab gai recipe.
Our Thai lettuce wraps are made with many of the Thai flavors we love such as ginger, garlic, peanut satay, fish sauce, and sriracha. While this is not an authentic version, we promise you that it is very tasty and will have you dreaming of Thailand!
Ingredients needed
While it looks like there are lots of ingredients, many of them are staples you’ll already have on hand. Just grab the ground chicken and any veg you don’t already have. It all comes together quicker than you think! This is what you need:
- Lettuce leaves: Opt for bibb lettuce or butter lettuce. They have the best leaf for this!
- The chicken: Sesame oil, ground chicken, onion, carrot, bell pepper, baby corn, green onions, cilantro, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Toppings: Lime, cilantro, or chopped peanuts.
- Peanut satay: Coconut milk, all-natural peanut butter, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, and lime juice.
- The sauce: Honey, chicken stock, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.
What to serve with Thai lettuce wraps
These Thai lettuce wraps are ideal to serve as either an appetizer or as the main dish! Some other dishes that go well include:
- Baked Coconut Shrimp with mango sauce
- Fresh Spring Rolls with tahini dipping sauce
- Thai Cucumber Salad
- Pineapple Pork Stir Fry
- Asian-Inspired Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
Peanut Satay
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a can)
- 3 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon EACH: brown sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
The Sauce
- ¼ cup EACH: honey, chicken stock, and soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon EACH: cornstarch, sesame oil, and rice vinegar
The Thai Lettuce Wraps
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 small onion (minced)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium carrot (diced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
- 14 ounce can baby corn (drained and cut into bite-sized pieces)
- ½ cup chopped green onions (cut on a diagonal)
- ¼ cup cilantro
- Bibb lettuce or butter lettuce (to serve)
- Lime, cilantro, chopped peanuts (to garnish)
Instructions
- Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sriracha to a small pot over medium heat. Whisk well and then let it heat until it thickens. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the lime juice.1 cup coconut milk, 3 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter, 1 tablespoon EACH: brown sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sriracha, 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Make the sauce next by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.¼ cup EACH: honey, chicken stock, and soy sauce, 1 tablespoon EACH: cornstarch, sesame oil, and rice vinegar
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated from the pan, about 7 minutes.1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 lb ground chicken, 1 small onion, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the carrot and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the corn and the sauce and stir until the sauce is bubbly and thick. Stir in the green onions and cilantro.1 medium carrot, 1 medium red bell pepper, 14 ounce can baby corn, ½ cup chopped green onions, ¼ cup cilantro
- Fill the lettuce wraps and then top with some satay sauce and any or all of the garnishes.Bibb lettuce or butter lettuce, Lime, cilantro, chopped peanuts
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use the peanut satay for anything else?
You should double (or triple?) the recipe and keep the satay for other recipes – it’s SO good! Use it as a dip for roasted veggies or spring rolls, pour it over rice or quinoa, dress up proteins, as a dressing for a crunchy Thai salad, or just straight from the spoon!
Can I store leftovers?
Yes! Store the lettuce and chicken mix separately. Put the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge, and the lettuce straight into your fridge, too! Heat up the chicken mix when eating the leftovers. It makes for a great lunch for tomorrow!
Can I add other ingredients to this Thai lettuce wraps recipe?
You sure can! This is a great way to use up any veg left in your fridge, so feel free to add anything you’d like, to your taste. Our top picks include zucchini, chili or red pepper flakes, water chestnuts, cabbage, or a sprinkling of crushed peanuts. You could also bulk out the mixture by adding some rice noodles.
Do you have any other lettuce wrap recipes?
Yes! Try making these carnitas lettuce wraps and these bruschetta chicken lettuce wraps.
Can I use another protein in these Asian lettuce wraps?
Sure! We love this with juicy chicken, but our top picks would be ground turkey or ground pork.
Oops. In the ingredient list, I’m sure you meant peanut butter, not just peanut.
Oops! you’re right, it’s peanut butter. All fixed now. Thank you for letting us know!
Thank you so much for the pin!!
These look so incredibly delicious! I’m happy to learn about Veggemo too – thanks so much for the information!
They really are! I hope you can find Veggemo where you live … it’s awesome!
What can I sub if I can’t get veggemo?
You can sub any dairy or non-dairy milk. I like Veggemo because of its really neutral flavour. 🙂
I love it! Best compliment ever .:)
What a great looking recipe, we are so enjoying using Veggemo!!
Thank you! Veggemo is awesome, isn’t it?!!
Since it sems that Veggemo is not available anywhere near me, what would be a good substitute?
You could sub unsweetened almond or cashew milk or even coconut milk. It would change the flavour, but it will still be super tasty. Do keep your eye out for Veggemo!
Oh my gosh these look amazing! So vibrant 🙂 and I loooove a good satay sauce! I’m seriously intrigued by the veggie milk- going to check for it next time I’m at the store.
You definitely should look for it! It’s so good!
This looks like a delicious recipe. Veggemo is not available in my area. Will unsweetened almond milk work in this recipe? Will it alter the flavor of the dish?
That’s too bad Veggemo isn’t available in your area yet. You could sub unsweetened almond milk in the recipe. Do keep your eye out for Veggemo in the future!
You definitely should! It’s so good!
Thank you so much! They really are tasty. 🙂
THIS IS AWESOME!! I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS OUT. THANKS KRISTEN 🙂
Thank you!!!