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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are full of freshness and bold flavor, easy to prepare, and satisfying in every bite!

The post Chicken Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Of all the small plate recipes, one of the easiest to prepare and one of my personal favorites is Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The crisp lettuce leaves hold a saucy ground chicken and vegetable mixture and every bite is full of freshness and bold flavor! If you love to make Asian-inspired recipes as much as I do, then you might already have a lot of these ingredients at home, which makes this recipe simple, easy to prepare, and satisfying in every bite!

Overhead shot of chicken lettuce wraps with a small bowl of chopped peanuts and a small bowl of peanut lime dressing served on the side.

Ingredients Needed For Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe includes 3 simple elements: a sauce, the chicken and vegetable filling and a dressing drizzled on top. The dressing is optional, but highly recommended :)

  • Ground Chicken – ground chicken is a very lean meat with not a lot of fat, but it comes to life with this delicious sauce poured on top. You can easily sub the chicken for ground turkey or ground pork if you prefer.
  • Vegetables – I kept things simple with some chopped water chestnuts and a diced red bell pepper. You can find the water chestnuts usually in the International food aisle.
  • The Sauce – the sauce is the star of the show in these lettuce wraps! It’s made with a simple mixture of asian sauces, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a little bit of fresh ginger and garlic.
  • Peanut Lime Dressing – when you order chicken lettuce wraps in a restaurant it’s often served with a dipping sauce, but we decided to pair ours with a half portion of our fav creamy Peanut Lime Dressing! You only need a little bit drizzled on each lettuce wrap and it adds great depth of flavor to these tasty wraps.

What Lettuce Is Best For Lettuce Wraps?

You can use a variety of different types of lettuce for chicken lettuce wraps including bibb lettuce, butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce or even romaine lettuce. We opted for these cute iceberg lettuce boats that we caught on sale, and the chicken filling fits perfectly inside each one. Bibb lettuce will wrap nicely around the filling and looks beautiful plated, but it can also be on the pricier side.

Ingredient Substitutions

I love recipes that you can easily customize with ingredients you already have in your fridge or pantry. Here are few suggestions:

  • Ground turkey – ground turkey also works well in these lettuce wraps. It’s leaner than beef and tastes great with the sauce! Just make sure you buy 93% lean ground turkey and not ground turkey breast which has almost zero fat in it. You definitely don’t want to make that mistake.
  • Vegetables – you can easily add or swap out the vegetables with some of your own favorites like diced onions, green bell peppers, or chopped baby bella mushrooms. Just make sure to dice them up into smaller bite size pieces so they fit nicely in the lettuce wraps.
  • Dressing & Toppings – we paired these lettuce wraps with our creamy peanut lime dressing, which worked beautifully, a few green onions and peanuts for extra texture; but feel free to skip the dressing and top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a little sriracha if you wanna add some spice!
Very close up shot of chicken lettuce wraps being drizzled with peanut lime dressing.

What to Serve With Chicken Lettuce Wraps

You can have chicken lettuce wraps as an appetizer or your main dish, but they also taste great paired with some coconut rice, a quick & easy vegetable lo mein, sesame cucumber salad, crispy rice noodles, or this simple cold peanut noodle salad. The noodle salad uses the same sweet & tangy peanut lime dressing so you can easily just make a full batch of the dressing and drizzle it on both!

How To Store Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, be sure to store the chicken filling and the lettuce separately. You can store the chicken filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Then store any extra lettuce in a food storage bag in the fridge for up to 4 days as well.

Side angle shot of chicken lettuce wraps
Overhead shot of chicken lettuce wraps with bowls of chopped peanuts, chopped green onions and peanut lime dressing on the side.
Print

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are full of freshness and bold flavor, easy to prepare, and satisfying in every bite!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Asian
Total Cost $12.94 recipe / $3.23 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 3 lettuce wraps each
Calories 496kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce $0.42
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.14
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar $0.10
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil $0.30
  • 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger $0.60
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced $0.16
  • 1 lb ground chicken $4.49
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil $0.04
  • 1 red bell pepper $1.25
  • 8 oz canned water chestnuts, drained $1.69
  • 2 green onions $0.22
  • 1/4 cup peanuts $0.12
  • 12 lettuce leaves $2.20

Peanut Lime Dressing

  • 1.5 Tbsp natural style peanut butter $0.11
  • 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.02
  • 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
  • 1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger $0.05
  • 1 lime $0.50
  • 1 tsp soy sauce $0.04
  • 2 Tbsp neutral oil $0.41

Instructions

  • First, make the sauce for the chicken lettuce wraps. In a small bowl combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, fresh grated ginger and minced garlic. Set the sauce aside.
  • Next chop the red bell pepper and water chestnuts into similar size pieces. Then slice the green onions and give the peanuts a rough chop. Set veggies and nuts aside.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Once oil is heated, add the ground chicken, crumble and cook until browned.
  • Add the red bell pepper and water chestnuts to the skillet. Saute for two minutes.
  • Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet and mix well. Cook for two more minutes to allow the sauce to soak into the chicken and vegetables.
  • Remove from heat and top with green onions and chopped peanuts. Serve 1/3 cup of the chicken and vegetable mixture inside each lettuce wrap and drizzle a little of the peanut lime dressing on top. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 3lettuce wraps | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 966mg | Fiber: 6g

How To Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Step By Step Photos

Overhead shot of a bowl of asian sauce mixture.

Start by making the sauce for the chicken. In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger, and 2 garlic cloves minced. Stir well and set aside.

Chopped bell pepper, water chestnuts, green onions and peanuts on a wood cutting board.

Dice one red bell pepper. Drain and dice one 8oz. can of water chestnuts. Slice 2 green onions and give the peanuts a rough chop. Set these ingredients to the side.

Cooked ground chicken in a large stainless steel skillet.

Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium. Once oil is hot, add 1 lb ground chicken, crumble, and cook until browned.

Cooked ground chicken with red bell pepper and water chestnuts.

Mix in diced bell pepper and water chestnuts into the skillet and saute for 2 minutes.

Asian sauce mixture being poured over cooked chicken and vegetables.

Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and mix well. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Finished chicken and vegetables with green onions and chopped peanuts sprinkled on top.

Remove from heat and add 2 sliced green onions and 1/4 cup chopped peanuts. Feel free to reserve some of the green onions and peanuts to add on top of the individual lettuce wraps.

Overhead close up shot of peanut lime dressing.

Next, make the peanut dressing. In a small bowl combine 1.5 Tbsp natural style peanut butter, 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 lime, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp neutral oil. Mix well.

Chicken and vegetable filling being added to chicken lettuce wraps.

Serve chicken filling inside lettuce with a drizzle of the peanut lime dressing and enjoy!

close up shot of chicken lettuce wraps with peanut lime dressing being drizzled on top.

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The post Chicken Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Budget Bytes.


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A spicy peanut sauce drenches pan-fried tofu and stir fry vegetables in these simple and delicious peanut tofu bowls.

The post Peanut Tofu appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Um, YUM! I just have to say that this Peanut Tofu is going to become a new staple in my house. It’s pretty easy to throw together, it’s a beautiful mix of colors and textures, and it’s absolutely deeeelicious! It’s definitely one of those meals that will give you that, “I can’t believe I made this myself” moment.

Overhead view of peanut tofu in a skillet on a black tile surface.

Freeze or Press Your Tofu

Lately, I’ve become a huge fan of freezing and then thawing my tofu before using it in a recipe. The freeze-thaw process changes the texture of the tofu, making it less jelly-like and more structured. The best part is that the texture change allows you to simply squeeze the tofu like a sponge to expel the extra liquid in seconds. To freeze the tofu, I just place the whole package (unopened) in the freezer, then the day before cooking I transfer it back to the fridge to thaw.

If you don’t pre-freeze your tofu, you’ll want to press it well before using it in this recipe. Either use a special tofu press or create one in your kitchen using items you already have on hand. I like to place the tofu on a rimmed baking sheet, then top with a cutting board and something heavy like a cast iron pan or a pot full of water. Let the tofu press for at least a half hour to get rid of the excess liquid.

Is This Peanut Tofu Spicy?

Yes, I used a lot of sriracha in the peanut sauce, so this dish has a decently spicy kick! While you can experiment with reducing the sriracha by half, I wouldn’t eliminate it entirely because the sriracha also provides extra acidity and garlic to the flavor profile, and the other ingredients would need to be adjusted to compensate.

How to Serve Peanut Tofu

I served my peanut tofu and vegetables over a bed of rice, but you could also serve them over rice noodles or even some cooked ramen.

Overhead view of a bowl full of peanut tofu and rice with a black fork.
Overhead view of a skillet full of peanut tofu with limes and cilantro.

Peanut Tofu

A spicy peanut sauce drenches pan-fried tofu and stir fry vegetables in these simple and delicious peanut tofu bowls.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Thai
Total Cost $6.74 recipe / $1.69 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Press Tofu 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 608kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

Peanut Sauce

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter $0.58
  • 2 Tbsp sriracha $0.22
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.08
  • 1 lime (2 Tbsp juice) $0.50
  • 2 tsp soy sauce $0.04
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced $0.16
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth $0.07

Tofu Stir Fry

  • 14 oz. extra firm tofu* $1.79
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce $0.06
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil $0.06
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch $0.03
  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil, divided $0.08
  • 16 oz. frozen stir fry vegetables $2.25

For Serving (optional)

  • 3 cups cooked rice $0.62
  • 1 handful cilantro $0.20

Instructions

  • Make the peanut sauce first so the flavors have time to blend. Whisk together the peanut butter, sriracha, brown sugar, 2 Tbsp lime juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, and vegetable broth.
  • Press the tofu for 30 minutes to expel the excess water or use previously frozen tofu and squeeze the water out with your hands. Cut the tofu block into 24 triangles (12 squares, then cut diagonally into triangles).
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and cornstarch. Add the tofu pieces and gently toss until they are coated in the mixture.
  • Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes total). Remove the tofu from the skillet.
  • Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to the skillet then add the frozen stir fry vegetables. Cook over medium heat until heated through.
  • Add the cooked tofu back to the skillet with the vegetables, then pour the prepared peanut sauce over top. Stir to combine and heat through.
  • Slice any remaining lime into wedges. Top the peanut tofu with the lime wedges and fresh cilantro (if desired) before serving over cooked rice or noodles.

Notes

*Either press your tofu for 30 minutes before beginning the recipe, or freeze and thaw the tofu a day or two prior, then squeeze out the excess water with your hands. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 608kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Sodium: 833mg | Fiber: 7g

How to Make Peanut Tofu – Step by Step Photos

Peanut sauce in a bowl with a whisk.

Make the peanut sauce first so the flavors have a little time to blend. Whisk together ½ cup natural peanut butter, 2 Tbsp sriracha, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ½ cup vegetable broth. Set the sauce aside.

A block of tofu being sliced into triangles

Press one 14oz. block of extra firm tofu for about 30 minutes to expel the excess water (or freeze then thaw the tofu in the days prior and squeeze out the water by hand). Cut the thickness of the tofu block in half, then cut it into 12 triangles (when stacked) to make 24 pieces.

Seasoned cornstarch slurry in a bowl with a whisk.

Next, whisk together 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch in a bowl. This will coat the tofu with flavor and help it crisp up a bit more in the skillet.

Tofu coated in seasoned cornstarch and oil.

Add the tofu pieces to the cornstarch and oil mixture then gently fold until the tofu is coated in the mixture.

Cooked tofu in the skillet.

Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook until browned on each side (about 10 minutes total). Remove the tofu from the skillet.

Stir fry vegetables in the skillet.

Add another 1 Tbsp cooking oil to the skillet, then once hot add one 16oz. bag of frozen stir fry vegetables. Continue to cook over medium heat just until the vegetables are heated through.

Tofu and peanut sauce being added to the skillet with vegetables.

Add the cooked tofu back to the skillet with the vegetables, then pour the prepared peanut sauce over top. Stir everything to combine and heat through.

Finished peanut tofu in the skillet with limes and cilantro.

Cut any remaining limes into wedges. Top the peanut tofu with cilantro (if desired) and the lime wedges before serving.

A bowl of peanut tofu with rice, lime wedges, and cilantro.

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The post Peanut Tofu appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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