Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

5 from 4 votes

Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a quick, nutritious low-carb meal! Packed with seasoned chicken, crisp veggies, fresh herbs, crunchy peanuts, and a sweet peanut sauce, they’re ready in just 30 minutes.

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: peanut chicken lettuce wraps

Servings: lettuce wraps (3 to 4 servings)

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $9.24

Equipment

Small blender I use a mini Blendtec/Twister Jar

Ingredients

Lettuce Wraps

3/4 of 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 13 ounces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 large Boston lettuce leaves or butter lettuce leaves
1 large red bell pepper thinly sliced into matchsticks, 1 cup
1-1/4 cup matchstick carrots (julienned)
1-1/4 cup matchstick Persian cucumber (julienned), or English cucumber, 2 to 3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts
lime juice for topping
Fresh cilantro for topping

Peanut sauce/dressing

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons water
1-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, depending on your preference for heat

US - Metric

Instructions

Sauce: In a small, powerful blender, add creamy peanut butter, honey (see note 1), olive oil, the water, rice vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Blend until smooth and refrigerate while finishing everything else.
Remove fat and halve breasts lengthwise if they are thick. Pound chicken to get the pieces uniformly thick throughout. (with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy frying pan.) Pat both sides of the chicken with paper towels. On one side of the chicken, drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and rub it in. Sprinkle on half the salt, half the pepper, half the turmeric, and half the cumin. Gently press in the spices and flip the chicken to the other side. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and spices.
To sauté the chicken instead, see note 3. Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F on an outdoor grill) and generously oil the grates (see note 2). Cook on preheated grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 4–5 minutes per side (or until the chicken registers 165°F). Remove, cover with foil, and let stand 5–10 minutes. When cooled slightly, dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Prep veggies while chicken is cooking: Slice a bell pepper into small, matchstick-sized pieces, cut matchstick carrots (or use prepared matchstick carrots). Cut cucumber(s) into matchstick pieces. If you aren’t using salted nuts, add a pinch of salt to the veggies. Finely chop the peanuts.
Wash and completely dry 12 lettuce leaves. Divide the cooked chicken evenly among the 12 lettuce leaves, followed by the veggies and peanuts. Add fresh cilantro and lime wedges to plates. Drizzle sauce generously over the wraps and enjoy immediately.

Notes

Note 1: I love this sauce exactly how it’s written, but it is quite sweet. If you prefer less sweetness, add honey slowly or add some red pepper flakes to make it a bit spicier.

Note 2: I oil the grill grates by rolling up a few paper towels, drenching them in oil (canola or vegetable), and using tongs, rub the drenched paper towels along the grill grates right before adding the chicken.

Note 3: To sauté the chicken instead, cut it into bite-sized pieces and toss with all the seasonings. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet and sauté until chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F. Timing will vary depending on the size of the chicken but should take around 5–7 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool (tented with foil), then dice the chicken into even smaller pieces.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken, veggies, and sauce separate for the best texture. Reheat the chicken, then assemble fresh wraps when ready to eat.

Nutrition