PF Changs Lettuce Wraps
Published 7/15/2023 • Updated 8/20/2024
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This PF Changs Lettuce Wrap recipe is one of our first viral recipes. It went viral on Pinterest when we first published it 2014. These chicken lettuce wraps not only taste exactly like the ones you get at PF Changs but they’re made with pantry staples and they just never get old.
Featured Comment
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 You Need for 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.
- Lettuce: you can use any kind of lettuce for this recipe, but we prefer butter lettuce!
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.
Are PF Changs Lettuce Wraps gluten-free?
This recipe is not gluten free, but here’s how you do it! Use tamari instead of soy sauce and a gluten-free hoisin sauce.
Vegetarian Options
You can either swap the ground chicken for even more mushrooms OR swap it for a plant-based ground or tofu.
Don’t have ground chicken?
Any kind of ground meat works for this recipe! Try a lean ground beef or ground turkey.
Types of Lettuce for Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you can’t find butter lettuce, try iceberg or romaine.
Great Jones
Cast Iron Pan
The Great Jones King Sear is our favorite cast iron pan. It’s definitely worth the splurge to add to your kitchen collection!
Variations
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.
Add more veggies: finely dice up any other veggies you have on hand such as bell pepper, broccoli, or onion.
What Goes Well with PF Changs Lettuce Wraps?
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 butter 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.
- Make it gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce and a gluten-free hoisin sauce.
- Make it vegetarian: swap the ground chicken for a plant-based ground or ground tofu.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
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.
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 🙂
These sound delish! Looking at your pic I noticed a jar of Penzeys spices. Had never heard of this place before this last weekend when I found one in Richmond, VA and fell in love! Ended up walking out with a whole bag full of stuff because it all smelled so good! So definitely making these now! Thanks
OMG PENZEYSSSSSSSS <3 So glad you found one near you!
In the Minnesota vernacular you forgot the one that doubles up my Arkansas friends into fits of laughter. It’s “Jeet,” as in, “Jeet yet?” Translation: Did you eat yet?
WAHTTTTTT?! I have never heard of that in my life! I’m going to add that into my vocab 😛
I have never eaten at PF Changs but I did marrie into a asian family. My wife’s family is from SE Asia, I love to cook and this gave me a great way to get close to my mother-in-law. She has taught me some very good family dishes, but she is kinda old school and cooks by sight and taste (no recpies lol) but your recpie is very close to how she taught me to make lettuce wraps. The only thing I do differently is add chopped bamboo shoots and crushed peanuts, other than that this is always a favorite any time I make it, great copycat Ms.Harsh thank you.
P.S. I do love messing with people that dont know I cook quite a bit of asian foods, no one expects the 6’3″ white guy to be the cook in a large Asian family lol
LOVE IT! When I started reading this comment I was like oh gosh he is going to tear my recipe apart! Chopped bamboo would be an excellent addition. Also- you can’t go wrong with peanuts. After all- peanut butter is my all time favorite food!
Overall this was pretty bland and disappointing.
Hoisin is NOT gluten free.
Looks great, but def NOT gluten free…. hoisen sauce and that specific teriyaki sauce are not gluten free
These were so easy to make and delicious! Love your blog, you betcha!
Yay! So glad you loved the recipe. Oh hey der, are you from Minnesooooooota too?
I am from the south in Louisiana . This is the correct way to spell “y’all” I love lettuce wraps !!!
😀 Clearly I am from the north 😀 haha thanks for the clarification!
So excited to try these tonight!! Sending John to the store now! Yum!
Have I told you lately that I love you Lee!!!! hehe I love chicken lettuce wraps! I’ve never been to PF Changs but I used to work at Pei Wei (owned by PF) and their lettuce wraps are AMAZING!!!!! I love how easy and delicious lettuce wraps are! And so healthy!!
PS my calves are killing me!!!!! loved sculpt! Hopefully I’m home in time to go on monday 🙂 I’ll let you know!
OMG GO TO PF CHANG’S. It’s such a good date night place! And they have brown rice 😀 I love that they have been shifting to more of a health focused menu! Yes- do let me know if you are coming Monday!