Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Thai-style peanut chicken lettuce wraps are what happens when you take all the best parts of takeout and make them actually good for you. Ground chicken gets cooked down with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and shallots, then tossed in a quick peanut sauce that’s got everything—sweet, salty, tangy, spicy. The lettuce keeps it light and crisp, letting all those bold flavors come through without weighing you down. Top with pickled vegetables, fresh mint, and crunchy red cabbage, and you’ve got something that feels special without being complicated.

I made this in resort kitchens where people wanted fresh, bright food that didn’t feel like salad. Lettuce wraps were the answer. They’re hands-on, interactive, and way more fun to eat than you’d think. The peanut sauce is the real MVP here—it comes together in five minutes and does all the heavy lifting. No complicated curry pastes or hard-to-find ingredients. Just straightforward technique and big flavors.

Chef Griffin

Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ground chicken cooked with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and shallots, then tossed in a quick peanut sauce. Served in crisp lettuce cups with pickled vegetables, mint, and red cabbage.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Peanut Sauce

• 1 cup natural peanut butter smooth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated

For the Chicken

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 lb ground chicken
• 8 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms stems removed, sliced
• 3/4 cup carrots diced small
• 1/2 cup shallots minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped

For Assembly

• 12-14 large butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce leaves washed and dried
• 3/4 cup pickled carrots and daikon quick pickle
• 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1.5 cups red cabbage thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges for serving

Method

 

Make the Peanut Sauce

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and grated ginger until smooth.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if needed to reach a pourable consistency. Set aside.

Cook the Chicken

1. Heat canola oil and sesame oil in a large rondeau or wide pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add ground chicken and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it starts to brown, 4-5 minutes.
3. Add shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and shallots. Cook until vegetables soften and chicken is browned and crumbly, 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
4. Stir in the grated ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and fish sauce. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 30 seconds.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut sauce and fresh cilantro.

Assemble the Wraps

1. Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter or individual plates.
2. Spoon chicken mixture into each lettuce cup (about 1/4 cup per wrap).
3. Top with pickled vegetables, mint leaves, shredded red cabbage, and fresh cilantro.
4. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Pickled Vegetables: Make a quick pickle by thinly slicing 3/4 cup each of carrots and daikon radish, then tossing with 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Mushrooms: Shiitakes add meaty texture and umami. If you can’t find them, cremini or button mushrooms work too.

Peanut Butter: Use natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt). The sweetened stuff throws off the balance.

Make Ahead: The chicken mixture keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge. The flavors actually improve overnight.

Lettuce Choice: Butter lettuce (Bibb or Boston) has the perfect cup shape and tender texture. Iceberg works too if you want extra crunch. Romaine hearts are another good option.

Spice Level: Control heat with the chili garlic sauce. Start with less if you’re sensitive to spice.