This recipe for Korean BBQ Chicken Lettuce Cups is a favorite of mine. I make it a lot, especially when I want something tasty, healthy, and fast.
It’s great for a light dinner, a fun snack, or even for a party when watching the game.
What I really like is how the savory, a little bit sweet, chicken tastes with the crunchy lettuce and fresh toppings. Every bite is full of flavor!
Recipe Overview
These Korean BBQ Chicken Lettuce Cups are yummy and good for you. They have ground chicken with a flavorful, savory-sweet sauce. You put the chicken in crisp lettuce cups and add your favorite fresh veggies and toppings.
This dish is all about the mix of flavors and how things feel in your mouth. The chicken is soft and tasty. The lettuce is cool and crunchy. The toppings make it even fresher.
These lettuce cups can be used in many ways. You can eat them as a light main meal, a snack at a party, or a quick dinner on a busy weeknight.
They’re also good for making ahead of time. You can cook the chicken early and just put the cups together when you’re ready to eat.
Ingredients for Korean BBQ Chicken Lettuce Cups
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 pound of ground chicken
- 1 small onion, chopped up small
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced (chopped really fine)
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce (low-sodium is good!)
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (if you want it a little spicy)
- 8-10 big lettuce leaves (Butter or Bibb lettuce are best)
- Toppings: shredded carrots, chopped green onions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, sriracha (for extra spice)
A quick tip: If you want it less sweet, use less brown sugar. If you don’t have rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar can also work. You can use any toppings you like!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- First, heat the olive oil in a big pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground chicken. Cook it, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s brown. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Make sure it’s not pink.
- Next, add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook until it’s soft, about 3 minutes. Mix it with the chicken.
- Now, add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute, until you can smell it. Don’t burn it!
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes (if you’re using them). This is your yummy sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken and onion. Stir everything together so the chicken is covered in sauce.
- Turn the heat down to low. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce gets a little thicker. This makes all the flavors mix together. Taste it, and add more soy sauce or brown sugar if you want.
- Carefully take the cooked chicken off the heat.
Spoon the Korean BBQ chicken into the lettuce cups. - Finally, add your toppings. I like the crunch of shredded carrots and green onions. Sesame seeds and chopped peanuts add a nutty taste!
Variations & Tips
- Make it spicier: Add more red pepper flakes or some sriracha to the sauce or on top.
- Add more veggies: You can cook some bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms with the onion. This adds more good stuff and flavor.
- Make it ahead: You can keep the cooked chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Storage: If you have leftover cooked chicken, keep in a sealed container and put in the fridge.
- Reheating: Heat the chicken gently in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave.
- Serving suggestions: These are great by themselves. You can also serve them with rice or quinoa.
Key Details for Korean BBQ Chicken Lettuce Cups
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 4
- You’ll need: Large skillet, small bowl, spoon, knife
FAQ
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?
Yes! Ground turkey works great instead of ground chicken. The taste will be very similar.
What type of lettuce is best for lettuce cups?
Butter lettuce and Bibb lettuce are the best. Their leaves are big, bendy, and don’t have a strong taste. Iceberg lettuce can also work, but it might break more easily.
How can I prevent the lettuce cups from falling apart?
Don’t put too much filling in the cups. Use two lettuce leaves for each serving if you need to. Also, make sure your filling isn’t too wet.
Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Yes, you can use crumbled tofu or a plant-based ground meat instead of the ground chicken. You might need to cook it for a different amount of time.
How do I store leftover lettuce cups?
It’s best to keep the chicken filling and lettuce leaves separate. This keeps the lettuce from getting soggy. Keep them in sealed containers in the fridge.
I don’t have sesame oil. What can I use instead?
Sesame oil has a special flavor. But you can use another oil, like canola or vegetable oil. It just won’t have the same toasted sesame taste.
Korean BBQ Chicken Lettuce Cups
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 pound of ground chicken
- 1 small onion chopped small
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce low-sodium is good!
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes optional
- 8-10 big lettuce leaves Butter or Bibb lettuce are best
- Toppings: shredded carrots chopped green onions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, sriracha (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook until softened (about 3 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken and onion, stirring to coat the chicken.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Remove from heat and spoon the Korean BBQ chicken into lettuce cups.
- Add desired toppings such as shredded carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and sriracha.
