This PF Changs Lettuce Wrap recipe is one of our first viral recipes. It went viral on Pinterest when it first came out back in the dark ages of the early 2000s. These lettuce wraps not only taste exactly like the ones you get at PF Changs but they’re made with pantry staples.
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Absolute best recipe! I go back to this one time and time again and it never fails. As a great back up when I can’t think of anything else to make. -Lydia
I am a PF Changs girlie (ask anyone that knows me) and every time I go, I order their famous appetizer –> chicken lettuce wraps. Sometimes I even get it as a main meal!
What I’m trying to say is that my expertise in eating PF Changs Lettuce Wraps helped me perfect this 5-star recipe (just look at the comments!).
What is in PF Changs Lettuce Wraps?
- ground chicken: lean ground chicken is what makes up the bulk of the “meat.”
- mushrooms: sneaky, but necessary. Umami adds so much flavor to this recipe and really gives it a unique flavor.
- water chestnuts: this is what gives them their famous crunch.
In addition to the meat of the lettuce wraps, is the sauce. The sauce is truly what makes these chicken lettuce wraps so special.
PF Chang Lettuce Wraps Sauce
The sauce in these chicken lettuce wraps is truly what makes the recipe. It’s sweet, fresh, and tastes exactly like the sauce from the restaurant. Here’s what you need:
hoisin sauce: hoisin is sweet and flavorful. It’s not gluten-free, but you can find a few different gluten-free hoisin sauces out there, so keep an eye open if you’re gluten-free!
freshly grated ginger: ginger is a must for this sauce. We highly recommend you use freshly grated ginger. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can always sub our favorite ginger squeeze product!
soy sauce: It wouldn’t be a lettuce wrap recipe without a little bit of soy sauce.
minced garlic: don’t skimp on the garlic! That is all.
rice vinegar: A little rice vinegar goes a long way. I’m a firm believer that vinegar of any kind should be added to most sauces because it brings out the other flavors of the sauce.
rice vinegar: A little rice vinegar goes a long way. I’m a firm believer that vinegar of any kind should be added to most sauces because it brings out the other flavors of the sauce.
corn starch: corn starch is used to thicken the sauce up a bit so it’s not so runny.
FAQ
What is in the lettuce wraps at PF Chang’s?
PF Chang’s famous lettuce wraps are made from a combination of ground chicken, diced mushrooms, and minced water chestnuts with a super simple sauce made from hoisin, ginger, soy, and garlic.
What is the sauce for PF Changs lettuce wraps?
PF Changs lettuce wraps have a sweet and gingery sauce made from a base of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar.
What goes well with lettuce wraps?
Other Asian-inspired dishes pair nicely with chicken lettuce wraps such as chicken fried rice, egg rolls, cream cheese wontons, beef and broccoli, and cashew chicken stir fry.
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Cast Iron Pan
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Variations
Make it vegetarian: skip the chicken and double the mushrooms to make these PF Chang Lettuce Wraps vegetarian.
Make it a bowl: looking for more of a hearty way to serve these lettuce wraps? Serve them as a bowl with either white rice or noodles.
Add some spice: add some heat with sriracha or red chili garlic paste if you like it spicy.
Serving Suggestions
Eating these chicken lettuce wraps as an appetizer? Serve them with one of our other take-out-inspired recipes from Fit Foodie Finds!
- Cashew Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Shrimp Stir Fry
- Pad Krapow
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
PF Changs Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the meat
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 8 oz. white mushrooms minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 oz. water chestnuts drained and minced
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
For serving
- 1 head lettuce
- diced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- First, make the sauce. Place all the ingredients for the sauce into a small bowl. Whisk until the corn starch has dissolved and then set aside.
- Next, cook the ground chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat and add the sesame oil. When the oil is fragrant, add the mushrooms to the pan and season them with salt. Sauté the mushrooms for 5-7 minutes so that the moisture is released from the mushrooms and then cooks off a bit.
- Add the water chestnuts to the pan and toss them with the mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and water chestnuts from the skillet and set aside.
- Place the skillet back over the heat and add the ground chicken. Break it up into small pieces with a spatula and cook the chicken over medium/high heat. Add the soy sauce to the skillet and mix with the chicken. Cook the ground chicken for 5-6 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Add the mushrooms and water chestnuts back to the skillet and toss with the chicken.
- Next, pour the sauce over all of the ingredients and toss the sauce with all of the ingredients. Heat the mixture over medium/high heat. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Once the sauce has thicken remove the skillet from the heat and fold in Thai basil and cilantro. Serve the chicken mixture inside of the lettuce wraps with sliced green onion for garnish.
Tips & Notes
- This recipe was slightly updated on 5/23/22. Here is a link to the old recipe.
Watch It
Nutrition facts
Similar recipes:
More Lettuce Wraps Recipes
If you love this PF Changs Lettuce Wrap recipe, you will love our other lettuce + wrap recipes from Fit Foodie Finds! Check it out below.
- Buffalo Chicken Wraps
- 30-Minute Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- BLT Quinoa Lettuce Wraps with Homemade Ranch
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
LOVE these!
Absolute best recipe! I go back to this one time and time again and it never fails. As a great back up when I can’t think of anything else to make.
So enjoyed this! And easy to make!
Going to try this recipe today, but with chicken breasts instead of ground chicken! Can’t wait!!
Loved it! The sauce is the bomb and makes the dish. My wife and I make these with a coconut rice and have them for dinner.
I LOVE these! These have been my “go-to” for the past couple years when I can’t decide what to prep and bring for lunches in the office. Super easy and yummy!
Glad you love them!! I haven’t made them in so long <3
So how can you tell when the chicken is “coked”? LOL! I am trying this recipe tonight! Looks delicious!
LOL. You’ve never had coked chicken?
Hi do you have the link for your previous recipe? My family liked the old recipe better
I used to use this recipe all the time. I haven’t used it in a few months, and I noticed that you’ve modified it. Wasn’t there a second round of sauce making in the first recipe? The meal comes out so flavorful with that second sauce round. Also, I could have sworn there was teriyaki sauce in it before. Any way you could send me the old version, I loved it!
Sorry, Didn’t mean to write this twice. Second sauce round??
Hi,
I used to use this recipe before you updated it, and haven’t used it in a while. Weren’t there two instances where you made and added the sauce in the old recipe? It was so flavorful with the double sauce, I was wondering if you could let me know how it used to be done. Thanks a lot!
Hi Gen! We actually didn’t change this recipe very much at all. Tweaked it a tad and updated the photos.
Great recipe. I love different types of simple Asian food. Just got back from SE Asia, esp. Thailand and actually took some quick cooking classes. A whole new world of spices and sauces opened up to me. On this recipe, how do you incorporate the rice you mention? As a side, incorporated into the filling, on top, etc… I suppose ‘anything goes’.
Hey Jim! I would either serve it inside of the wraps, or serve it on the side! Anything does go 😀
I completely agree with you Alex~
Is this recipe supposed to be gluten free. You call for Gluten Free soy sauce but I didn’t think hoisen sauce was gluten free?
Hey Jamie! There are brands of hoisen that are gluten free. I revised the recipe so that it doesn’t say it’s gluten free, rather it’s easily gluten free modifiable!
This recipe was amazing! I’m normally disappointed by copycat recipes but this was spot on! I’m seriously so impressed.
I added 1/2 cup of water chestnuts and topped with matchstick carrots, chopped green onions, and 1/2 cup of crunchy noodles. I highly recommend it 🙂
<3 Love the chestnut addition!!!!
My daughter was recently diagnosed with celiac disease. She loves lettuce wraps so I search gluten free lettuce wraps and come across this. Do all the shopping and check the ingredients just to be sure when u say these sauces are gluten free u didn’t miss something. Sure enough, there’s gluten 🙁 and there goes dinner as my daughter is severely intolerant. recipe looks great.. I’ll have to shop again tomorrow 🙁
I had to laugh at your comment on things people say in Minnesota. I grew up in southern California but I’ve lived here for 38 years. I still get upset when I hear someone say, “Can you borrow me that?” LOAN, people, it’s LOAN! LOL!! I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say, “com-mear once” though. I’ll have to start paying attention to that. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
OMG! These chicken lettuce wraps ARE Amazing! I will definitely make again.
YAY! So glad you loved them, Karen!
May be healthy for nutrition info you have tracked; but, what about salt/sodium content. . . ?
I’m so excited to try these tonight. I’m actually going to whip up a batch to take to a friend of mine who just had a baby…and, of course, a batch for my family. What do you do with the basil? Put it in whole? Or do you chop it?
Ahhh that is SO NICE OF YOU! Nothing better than the gift of food 🙂 You can do either or. I prefer it chopped!
Just made these last night……. BEST recipe I have made from online ever!!!!
So easy and delicious!
Will be making this a weekly thing.
I used real ginger instead of powdered, everything else by the recipe.
LOVE!!!! So glad you loved this recipe. Real ginger is a good call 🙂