These lettuce wraps have become my favorite thing to make. I love them because they’re tasty, healthy, and super quick to put together.
They’re great for a light lunch, a fun snack, or even a quick dinner during the week.
What makes them so good? It’s the mix of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors all wrapped in a crunchy lettuce leaf. It’s really yummy!
Recipe Overview
These Honey Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps are super tasty and easy to make. You cook ground chicken with a sweet and spicy sauce, then put it in crisp lettuce cups.
The sauce is just honey, sriracha, soy sauce, and a few other things mixed together. It makes all the flavors taste just right.
You can eat these as a main dish, a light lunch, or even a snack. They’re perfect for parties or just a fast dinner on a busy night.
The fresh veggies and herbs on top give it a nice crunch. It is a really nice touch to the chicken.
You can also change them up easily. Want it spicier? Add more sriracha. Want different toppings? Go for it!
Ingredients for Honey Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped into small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped really small
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari if you can’t have gluten)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha (add more or less, depending on how spicy you like it)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 head of butter lettuce, with the leaves separated and washed
- Optional toppings: chopped green onions, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro
I like using butter lettuce because the leaves are big and bendy. They’re perfect for making wraps. Romaine lettuce works too, but it’s a bit crunchier.
If you can’t have gluten, use tamari instead of soy sauce. It’s gluten-free.
You can start with a little sriracha and add more if you want it spicier. If you don’t like it too spicy, use less.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Put the olive oil in a big pan and heat it up on medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook it, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon. It takes about 5-7 minutes, until it’s not pink anymore. Pour out any extra grease.
- Add Aromatics: put the chopped onion in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it’s soft. Then, add the tiny pieces of garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until it smells good. Don’t let the garlic burn!
- Make the Sauce: In a little bowl, mix together the honey, soy sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and sesame oil.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pan. Stir it all up. Let the sauce bubble a little and cook for 3-5 minutes. The sauce should get a bit thicker and cover the chicken.
- Prepare Lettuce Cups: While the chicken is cooking, gently pull apart the leaves of the butter lettuce. Wash them and dry them carefully.
- Assemble Wraps: Use a spoon to put the honey sriracha chicken into the lettuce cups.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle on your favorite toppings. I like chopped green onions, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds. Fresh cilantro is also yummy!
- Serve Immediately: It’s best to eat these right away. The chicken is warm, and the lettuce is crunchy.
Variations & Tips
- Spice Level: You can change how much sriracha you use. More sriracha makes it spicier, less makes it milder.
- Add Veggies: You can add other veggies to the chicken, like small pieces of bell peppers, mushrooms, or water chestnuts. This makes them crunchier and adds more flavor.
- Make-Ahead: You can cook the chicken ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, just heat it up and put it in the lettuce wraps.
- Storage: If you have leftover chicken, put it in a container with a lid in the fridge.
- Reheating Heat the chicken gently in the pan or microwave.
- Serving Suggestions: Eat these lettuce wraps with rice or quinoa to make it a bigger meal. They’re also good with a small salad.
Key Details for Honey Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4-6
- Equipment you’ll need: Large skillet, small bowl, spoon, cutting board, knife
FAQ
How can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Instead of ground chicken, use crumbled tofu, tempeh, or a plant-based ground meat. Cook it how it says on the package, then add the sauce.
Can I use a different type of lettuce?
Yes, you can use romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, or even big collard greens. Butter lettuce is my favorite because it’s soft.
What if I don’t have rice vinegar?
You can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. Add a little bit of sugar to make it taste right.
How do I store leftovers?
Put the cooked chicken and the lettuce leaves in separate containers with lids in the fridge. This keeps the lettuce from getting wet.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can cook the chicken up to 3 days before. Keep it in the fridge and heat it up when you’re ready. It’s best to make the lettuce cups right before you eat them.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, if you use tamari instead of soy sauce. Make sure all the other ingredients are gluten-free too by checking their packages.
Honey Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 cup onion chopped into small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic chopped really small
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari if you can't have gluten
- 2 tablespoons sriracha add more or less, depending on how spicy you like it
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 head of butter lettuce with the leaves separated and washed
- Optional toppings: chopped green onions shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Put the olive oil in a big pan and heat it up on medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook it, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon. It takes about 5-7 minutes, until it's not pink anymore. Pour out any extra grease.
- Add Aromatics: put the chopped onion in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it's soft. Then, add the tiny pieces of garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until it smells good. Don't let the garlic burn!
- Make the Sauce: In a little bowl, mix together the honey, soy sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and sesame oil.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pan. Stir it all up. Let the sauce bubble a little and cook for 3-5 minutes. The sauce should get a bit thicker and cover the chicken.
- Prepare Lettuce Cups: While the chicken is cooking, gently pull apart the leaves of the butter lettuce. Wash them and dry them carefully.
- Assemble Wraps: Use a spoon to put the honey sriracha chicken into the lettuce cups.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle on your favorite toppings. I like chopped green onions, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds. Fresh cilantro is also yummy!
- Serve Immediately: It's best to eat these right away. The chicken is warm, and the lettuce is crunchy.