A copycat recipe from P.F. Chang's for Chicken Lettuce Wraps you can make at home in 20 minutes, and it tastes even better and is healthier! Your friends and family would love you for it. And this lettuce wrap is so easy to make and it is budget-friendly too!
How often have you gone to a restaurant and said "I wish I could make this at home!?" Lucky for you, I always love a challenge, and recreating restaurant dishes at home is something I enjoy doing. And if you love another copycat recipe, look at my fan-favorite recipe for P. F. Chang Dynamite Shrimp.
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Why this recipe works
- The flavor from this Chicken Lettuce Wrap is a common base used in many Asian cuisines, so it was fairly easy for me to recreate.
- Lettuce wraps are a great way to have a very satisfying guilt-free meal in minutes!
- This recipe has been kid-tested and approved!
- And most of the ingredients can be found in your local grocery store. Take a look below for a list and photo of what you will need to make this chicken lettuce wrap copycat recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sesame oil - I used roasted pure sesame oil. It gives the dish a smoky flavor which goes well with the other sauces used in this lettuce wrap recipe. You can find Sesame oil in the Asian aisle of the grocery store. This one is my favorite! Olive oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil can be used instead of sesame oil if desired.
- Ground chicken - any other protein like ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork will work as well. Tofu can also be used as a vegetarian option.
- Onion - any variety will work. Shallots can also be used.
- Garlic
- Soy sauce - You can use either regular or low-sodium. For a gluten-free option use coconut aminos.
- Hoisin sauce - Gives this lettuce wrap recipe an authentic Asian flavor. There are gluten-free brands, be sure to read the label.
- Ginger
- Rice vinegar
- Sriracha sauce - any of your other favorite hot sauces will do. Note that Sriracha sauce is naturally gluten-free. Make this recipe kid-friendly and omit this ingredient if they do not like spicy!
- Water chestnuts - They are canned and you can get them whole or sliced. Sliced radish or jicama would be a great substitute in place of water chestnuts.
- Green onions
- Lettuce - Other types of green leafy lettuce like - Iceberg Lettuce, Romaine Hearts, Boston, and Butter Lettuce Leaves are all great options.
- Mung bean noodles (optional) - They are also known as Bean Thread noodles and are typically gluten-free. Cellophane noodles, vermicelli rice noodles, and glass noodles can also be used instead of mung bean noodles. These noodles are typically gluten-free. So be sure to read the label.
*See the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full written instructions on how to make this chicken lettuce wraps with noodles.
How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps
STEP 1: Add sesame oil to a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook until it is no longer pink.
STEP 2: In the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until soft and translucent.
STEP 3: Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, and sriracha sauce.
STEP 4: Fold in water chestnuts, green onion, and more sesame oil. You can stop right here, and start enjoying your chicken lettuce wraps if you wish. Steps 5 and 6 are for preparing the mung bean noodles if you want to add noodles to your lettuce wraps.
STEP 5: If stir-frying, first soak the noodles. Drain. Using the same skillet, add the noodles and stir-fry. Add a bit of water to scrape off bits from the pan.
STEP 6: Serve ground chicken mixture on a bed of stir-fried (or deep-fried) mung bean noodles and wrap it in a lettuce leaf. Garnish with sliced green onions and more sriracha sauce as needed.
*See the recipe card below this post for full written instructions on how to make chicken lettuce wraps with noodles.
How To Cook Mung Bean Noodles
You have the option of stir-frying the noodles or deep-frying them.
Some people like to deep fry the mung bean noodles because it gives an extra crunch to the dish. In my personal opinion, the water chestnuts give the lettuce wrap that crunches and it has flavor. Deep-fried mung beans don't have flavor by themselves. They need to be eaten with savory dishes.
I chose to stir-fry the noodles in this recipe because it gives the noodles more flavor and gives them a nice golden color. Stir-frying also eliminates the extra fat from deep-frying the noodles.
But you have options!
- If stir-frying, first soak the noodles. Drain. Using the same skillet, add the noodles and stir-fry. Add a bit of water to scrape off bits from the pan.
- If deep-frying put dry noodles in oil and cook until noodles puff up. Using a slotted spoon, remove the noodles from the pan and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel to help absorb the oil from the noodles.
- NOTE: Whether stir-frying or deep-frying the mung bean noodles, cut them first so they're not too long and will be easier to eat.
- Serve ground chicken mixture on a bed of stir-fried (or deep-fried) mung bean noodles and wrap it in a lettuce leaf. Garnish with sliced green onions and more sriracha sauce as needed.
*See the recipe card below this post for complete written instructions on making chicken lettuce wraps with noodles.
Fun Facts About P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps
Did you know lettuce wraps originated in Southeast Asia over a thousand years ago?
And did you also know that the name P.F. Chang originated from the names of the two guys who created the idea and the vision behind P.F. Chang's restaurant, named Philip Chang and Paul Fleming? Philip was born in Shanghai and came to the States with his mom Celia Chang. Philip started his own bistro and served small plate types of dishes, focusing on fresh ingredients.
One of his regular patrons, Paul Fleming, the co-owner of Ruth Chris Steakhouse, convinced Philip to open a restaurant specializing in Asian cuisine.
And the rest is history.
Want more recipes? Go to recipe index to see other gourmet recipes sorted by category!
Frequently Asked Questions
The filling for the chicken lettuce wraps is perfect to be made ahead of time. To save time, pre-cook the meat and the noodles, then assemble the lettuce wraps at dinner time.
Promptly store any ground chicken mixture leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Store any leftover lettuce leaves separately in a resealable plastic container or bag. Good for 2 or up to 3 days in the fridge.
While the ground chicken mixture may be frozen, some of its flavors will be lost, for this reason, I will not recommend freezing any of the leftovers. And lettuce leaves don't stand up well to freezing.
Other Chicken Recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 1 large Onion chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce regular or low-sodium
- ¼ cup Hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 3 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1 can Sliced water chestnuts drained, chopped
- 1 stalk Green Onion thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 head Lettuce washed and dried
Instructions
For the chicken filling:
- In a medium skillet on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Swirl the oil around the skillet then add the ground chicken. Using a spatula, separate the chicken into small pieces (see photo #2) and cook until it is no longer pink.
- On the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until soft and translucent.
- Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, and sriracha sauce.
- Fold in water chestnuts, green onion, and more sesame oil (if needed). Remove from the pan. You can stop right here, and start enjoying your chicken lettuce wraps if you wish. Steps 5 and 6 are for preparing the mung bean noodles if you want to add that to your lettuce wraps. See instructions on how to cook mung bean noodles below.
- Serve ground chicken on a bed of stir-fried (or deep-fried) mung bean noodles and wrap it in a lettuce leaf. Garnish with sliced green onions and more sriracha sauce as needed.
For the mung bean noodles:
- If stir-frying, soak the noodles in a bowl filled with tap water for 15 minutes. Drain. And now we're ready to stir-fry the noodles. Using the same skillet, add the noodles. Add a bit of water to scrape off bits from the pan. This will add more flavor to the noodles and will give them that nice golden color (see photo #6). See notes.
- If deep-frying, heat oil for about 345 °F (174 °C). Put dry noodles in oil, and cook until noodles puff up. This is kind of fun to watch! Using a slotted spoon, pick up the noodles and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel to help absorb the oil from the noodles. See notes.
Notes
- Whether you're stir-frying or deep-frying the mung bean noodles, be sure to cut them first so they're not too long and will be easier to eat.
- Serve ground chicken on a bed of stir-fried mung bean noodles and wrap it in a lettuce leaf. Garnish with sliced green onions and more sriracha sauce as needed.
- Can also be served with a side of steamed or fried rice.
- The following ingredients can be found in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store.
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- Hoisin sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sriracha sauce
- Water chestnuts
- Mung bean noodles
- For a vegetarian option, use tofu in place of ground chicken.
- Ground turkey or ground pork can also be used instead of ground chicken.
- Coconut aminos can be used instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- If you can't find mung bean noodles, you can replace them with other clear noodles, like glass noodles, cellophane noodles, and bean thread noodles, all of which are gluten-free options.
- Don't want to use water chestnuts? No problem. You can omit or use jicama or radishes to give some crunch to the dish.
Katerina
Really liked this version more than the original. I was looking for a copycat recipe that is easy to follow. Glad I found your website. Will be bookmarked for sure. Can I make this using tofu?