Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Here’s a  recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps—they’re fresh, flavorful, and pretty easy to make. I’ll break it down step-by-step with ingredients and instructions.

Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Ingredients

For the Teriyaki Chicken:

• 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, finely chopped or ground

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or sesame oil for more flavor)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)

• 2 tablespoons mirin (optional, Japanese sweet rice wine) or substitute with honey

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening sauce)

• 1/4 cup water or chicken broth (optional, for sauce consistency)

For the Wraps:

• 1 head of butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated and washed

• 1 medium carrot, shredded or julienned

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews (optional, for crunch)

• Sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken:

   • If using whole chicken breasts or thighs, finely chop or pulse in a food processor to get a ground-like texture.

   • Heat the vegetable or sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

   • Add the minced garlic and ginger; sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

2. Cook the Chicken:

   • Add the chopped chicken to the skillet.

   • Cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink (about 6-8 minutes).

3. Make the Teriyaki Sauce:

   • In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, mirin (or honey), brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.

   • Pour this sauce over the cooked chicken.

   • Add 1/4 cup water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce if needed.

4. Thicken the Sauce:

   • Stir the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water) into the skillet.

   • Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken nicely.

5. Assemble the Wraps:

   • Spoon a generous amount of the teriyaki chicken mixture into each lettuce leaf.

   • Top with shredded carrots, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, and chopped nuts.

   • Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish.

6. Serve:

   • Serve immediately while warm, and enjoy the fresh crunch of the lettuce with the savory, sweet chicken filling.

Tips:

• You can add finely diced bell peppers or water chestnuts for extra texture.

• For a spicy kick, drizzle some sriracha or sprinkle red pepper flakes.

• If you want to keep it vegetarian, substitute chicken with diced tofu or tempeh.