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Skip the restaurant and make this iconic dish at home. Easy P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Cups recipe has tender chicken, full flavor, and lots of crunch!
P.F. Chang's used to be one of my favorite restaurants before I went gluten-free. I mean, who doesn't love it there? The food was so full of flavor, and the atmosphere was always fun. Asian food is one of those cuisines that I did stop eating out simply because of the abundance use of soy sauce, which typically has wheat. It was so hard to try to navigate with the staff places on what was safe. I was determined to be still able to have some of my favorites even though I was gluten-free. I mean, hello, it's delicious!
I love lettuce wraps, and I do make them often with all kinds of fillings. These just happen to probably be my favorite when I want to spice things up a bit.
What Makes these Lettuce Cups Amazing?
- Easy to make - Make the filling and sauce, add it to your lettuce, and eat? How much easier can it be?
- Perfect for all the time - No matter if you make these for an easy meal, a fun appetizer for a dinner party, or even a make-ahead lunch. (Make the filling ahead of time and add to lettuce cups when you are ready to eat.)
- Better than the restaurant - Okay, I know this is a tall order because restaurants make the same things over and over again. Trust me, though; you won't be able to tell the difference. Plus, I know (and now you do) that they won't accidentally leave you feeling sick after being gluten-ed.
Tips and Tricks
- Brown the ground chicken - Trust me on this one. If you want an authentic copycat recipe, DO NOT skip this step. You want your ground chicken browned, and make sure it is nice and crispy. It is essential to the overall texture of this dish.
- Dice the vegetables small - I like to chop mine about the same size as the ground chicken ends up being or just slightly larger. Having all the ingredients about the same size helps ensure that the filling gets the flavor in every bite.
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What lettuce is best for these lettuce cups?
There are several varieties of lettuce, and really you can use any kind you like. There are a few that I prefer for these lettuce cups, though.
- Butter Lettuce
- Green Leaf
- Romaine
My first choice will always be the butter lettuce. I love the flavor it adds to these lettuce cups.
Add-ons
If you've had these at P.F. Chang's, you know they always give you the option of adding the crispy rice noodles. Since I am grain-free, I don't add these to mine when I make them at home. I do, however, like to add thinly sliced carrots in their place. It adds a nice texture with the crunch without the flavor overpowering the whole dish.
More Easy One-Pan Dinners
Melt in Your Mouth Pork Carnitas
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Cups
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken
- 1 Small Onion diced
- 1 8 oz Water Chestnuts diced
- 2 TBS Sesame Oil
- 1 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ C Coconut Aminos
- 1 TBS Fresh Ginger minced
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 ½ TBS Sriracha Sauce
For Serving
- Sliced Carrots
- Green Onion
- Butter Lettuce
- Chopped Nuts
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, add the ground chicken and sesame oil. Allow the chicken to cook until it becomes golden brown and slightly crispy; drain any excess fat.
- Add the diced onion to become somewhat transparent, stirring occasionally. (about 5 minutes)
- Stir the remaining sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Next, add in the sauce to the pan and cook about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir the chestnuts and green onion and stir, letting it cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and serve in your lettuce cups topped with your favorites and enjoy!
Notes
- Butter Lettuce
- Green Leaf
- Romaine
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.