Chicken
P.F. Chang's Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Savory ground chicken with mushrooms, water chestnuts, and a glossy ginger-garlic sauce, spooned into crisp lettuce cups.
Inspired by P.F. Chang's
Prep
25 min
Cook
15 min
Serves
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Cooking Tools
Pantry match
Uses the current servings and temporary recipe changes.
Missing 13 ingredients
- • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- • 1 pound ground chicken
- • 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely diced
- • 1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely diced
- • 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced
- • 2 cloves garlic, minced
- • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- • 1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separated
View ingredient-by-ingredient match
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauceMissing
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauceMissing
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegarMissing
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oilMissing
- 1 teaspoon cornstarchMissing
- 1 tablespoon neutral oilMissing
- 1 pound ground chickenMissing
- 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely dicedMissing
- 1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely dicedMissing
- 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and slicedMissing
- 2 cloves garlic, mincedMissing
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh gingerMissing
- 1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separatedMissing
Optional ingredients are not counted as required.
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Method
Recipe notes
Finely dicing the mushrooms and water chestnuts gives every spoonful the crisp, savory texture that defines the dish. Reduce the filling until glossy and nearly dry so it stays inside the lettuce cups.
Planning, storage, and serving
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate the cooked filling within 2 hours for up to 3 days and keep washed lettuce separate and dry. Reheat the filling to 165 F before assembling fresh cups.
Make-ahead tips
Mix the sauce and dice the vegetables up to 2 days ahead. The filling can be cooked 1 day early, but separate and wash the lettuce close to serving so it remains crisp.
What to serve with it
- - Steamed jasmine rice
- - Cucumber salad with rice vinegar
- - Edamame with a pinch of salt
Equipment needed
- - Large skillet or wok
- - Sharp chef's knife
- - Instant-read thermometer
Difficulty explained
Careful chopping takes a little prep, but the filling cooks quickly in one skillet and the sauce is forgiving.
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Nutrition facts
Updating nutrition…
Alternatives
Apply a reviewed substitution to this temporary working copy. The published recipe stays unchanged.
Browse reviewed options
Tamari
Use tamari in the same amount for a similar savory profile.
Plant-based butter
Use a firm, baking-style plant butter in the same amount.
Arrowroot starch
Use an equal amount of arrowroot starch for thickening or crisp coatings.
Type the ingredient you're missing — we'll find what you can use instead.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Wet lettuce leaves dilute the sauce and make the wraps slippery, so dry them thoroughly after washing.
- Leaving large mushroom or water-chestnut pieces makes the filling harder to spoon and causes lettuce cups to tear.
- Too much sauce or too little reduction creates a runny filling that pools instead of clinging to the chicken.
Nutrition Context
- Ground chicken supplies protein while lettuce keeps the wrapper light; hoisin and soy sauce provide most of the sodium and added sugar.
- Serving rice on the side makes the portion more substantial, while extra lettuce cups keep it appetizer-light.
FAQ
Which lettuce works best?
Butter lettuce is pliable and cup-shaped. Small iceberg leaves are crisper but can crack more easily.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate it promptly, reheat to 165 F, and assemble only when ready to eat.
Why is my filling watery?
Mushrooms or sauce need more reduction. Cook over medium-high heat until the pan looks glossy rather than wet.
Can I make the wraps less sweet?
Reduce hoisin by one tablespoon and add an extra teaspoon of soy sauce or rice vinegar after tasting.
What adds the signature crunch?
Finely diced water chestnuts stay crisp during cooking and contrast with the tender chicken.
What sides pair best with this dish?
Good pairings include Steamed jasmine rice; Cucumber salad with rice vinegar; Edamame with a pinch of salt. Choose one or two based on how substantial you want the meal to be.