These chicken lettuce wraps bring that P.F. Chang’s flavor right into your kitchen, with savory ground chicken, crunchy water chestnuts, and a bold, slightly sweet sauce. They’re the kind of dish that feels a little special but comes together quickly, making them perfect for a weeknight or a casual get-together.

What makes these stand out is the contrast of textures and flavors. You’ve got crisp lettuce, warm and savory chicken, and that tangy special sauce on the side. Add the crispy vermicelli noodles if you want that restaurant-style crunch, and it instantly feels like something you’d order out.

Helpful Tips

Don’t skip the ice bath for the lettuce – it keeps the leaves crisp and makes them easier to handle when filling.
Chop everything small and even so each bite has a little bit of everything, just like the restaurant version.
Fry noodles in small batches and watch closely, they puff up fast and can burn just as quickly.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These chicken lettuce wraps bring that P.F. Chang’s flavor right into your kitchen, with savory ground chicken, crunchy water chestnuts, and a bold, slightly sweet sauce.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 8

Total Time 28

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings Servings

Calories 770 kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken sauce:

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine or sake
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon warm mushroom water reserved from soaking mushrooms
1 tablespoon sugar

For the special sauce:

1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar unseasoned
2 teaspoons Chinese-style hot mustard
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce Huy Fong Foods

For the wraps:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 pound ground chicken
4 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and chopped
2 tablespoons water chestnuts chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 green onions thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 head iceberg lettuce

For the fried noodles:

4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
1 cup peanut oil

Instructions

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
For the special sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the 6 ingredients listed. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Set that aside.
In a wok or large pan, heat the peanut oil. Once hot, add the ground chicken and cook, break up into small pieces, until nearly cooked through. Then add the water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms. Add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring, to avoid burning the garlic. Now add the green onions and sesame oil. Toss it all together. Pour in the chicken sauce and mix until fully combined. Remove from the heat.
If you’re making the noodles, heat a high-smoke-point oil (like peanut oil) in a pot. Break up a handful of the rice noodles, into match-stick-sized pieces. When the oil reaches 400-420° F(205-215°C), add the rice sticks, a little at a time, and cook just until they puff up, about 20 seconds. Remove right away with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel.
To prepare the lettuce, cut half a head of Iceberg lettuce in half again. Cut off the stem. Carefully pull apart the leaves. Set the leaves in an ice bath for about a minute, then remove them to a paper towel and pat them dry.
It’s best to assemble the wraps individually right before eating so they don’t become soggy. Serve the chicken on top of the fried noodles with the special sauce on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 770kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 14gFat: 64gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gMonounsaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 1052mgPotassium: 513mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 400IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg

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