Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Wondering what to do with leftover rice, peanut butter and lettuce? Make these copycat lettuce wraps with peanut sauce today for a healthy lunch or an easy dinner.

A hand holding a lettuce wrap filled with ground chicken, rice  and cucumbers.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Lettuce wraps with peanut sauce are a creative and delicious way to use leftovers so that nothing goes to waste. This dish combines the fresh crunch of lettuce with the protein power and Asian taste of peanut sauce. And if you’re a fan of lettuce wraps from PF Chang’s, the Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen or Chili’s, you must try this recipe!

It’s a perfect balance that will satisfy your cravings. It’s a lighter lunch dish than my Crunchy Kale Chicken Salad recipe.

To make it a heartier meal, add a bowl of Carrot and Red Lentil Soup. You can also follow it up with a couple of Lemon Meltaway cookies for a colorful meal your family or guests will love.

Ideal for a light lunch, a healthy snack or a quick dinner, these wraps are easy to make and also customizable. Just add your twist based on what you have in your fridge.

Ingredients

The ingredients for lettuce wraps with peanut sauce in bowls on a blue background.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious lettuce wraps with peanut sauce.

For the Peanut Sauce

  • Peanut butter: 1/4 cup
  • Soy sauce: 2 tbsp
  • Honey: 2 tbsp
  • Sesame oil: 1 tbsp
  • Olive oil: 1 tbsp
  • Water: 1 tbsp

For the Filling

  • Green onion: 1/4 cup, chopped
  • Hot pepper: 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Garlic: 1 tbsp, minced
  • Ginger: 1 tbsp, minced
  • Ground chicken: 1 1/2 cups
  • Cucumbers: 1 cup, chopped
  • Brown rice: 1 cup, cooked
  • Parsley: 1/2 cup, chopped
  • Lettuce leaves: 6-8 (large, for wrapping)
  • Jicama: 1 cup, julienned
  • Lime: 1 (optional, for serving)

This is a very forgiving recipe. So don’t be afraid to mix and match the proteins, veggies, and herbs to make your own wraps.

Directions

Honestly, this is a very easy recipe. You don’t need to turn the oven on — even a child could make make these lettuce wraps.

Making the Peanut Sauce

A spoon is pouring a peanut sauce into a bowl.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, olive oil, and water until smooth. Set aside.

Preparing the Filling

A frying pan with meat, onions and green onions.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.
  1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the hot pepper, white part of the green onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute.
  3. Add the ground chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
  4. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut sauce prepared earlier.
  5. Mix in the jicama and the green parts of the green onions.
A frying pan filled with ground chicke and onions for lettuce wraps.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Assembling the Lettuce Wraps

  1. Place a spoonful of cooked brown rice on each lettuce leaf.
  2. Top with the chicken and peanut sauce mixture.
  3. Garnish with chopped cucumber, parsley, and a squeeze of lime if desired.
  4. Serve immediately.
Lettuce wraps with peanut sauce on a white plate with lime wedges.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Substitutions/Variations

  • Vegetarian Option: Substitute ground chicken (or ground turkey) with crumbled tofu or chickpeas for a vegetarian version.
  • Rice Alternatives: Quinoa or couscous can be used instead of brown rice for a different texture.
  • Additional Toppings: Feel free to add shredded carrots, bell peppers, or any other vegetables you have on hand.

Lettuce wraps with peanut sauce are so versatile. This recipe is easily adjusted to suit your taste preferences or to use up whatever leftovers you have. Even better, this recipe provides a healthy option to wraps using tortillas or other flatbreads.

FAQ

A person squeezing a lime over copycat lettuce wraps.
Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

You have questions? Here are some answers. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, pop your question into the comments section and I’ll answer it.

Can I prepare the peanut sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the peanut sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. If it separates, just whisk it well before using.

How can I make this dish spicier?

To increase the heat, you can add more chopped hot pepper to the filling or drizzle your wraps with hot sauce before serving.

Are there any alternatives to lettuce for the wraps?

Absolutely. If you’re looking for a different base for your wraps, cabbage leaves or thinly sliced jicama can be great alternatives to lettuce, providing a similar crunch.

Lettuce wraps with peanut sauce offer a delightful way to turn simple ingredients into a nutritious and flavorful meal. Whether you’re looking to clear out the fridge or just need a light, satisfying dish, this recipe is a go-to that promises to impress.

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A colorful promotional image for lettuce wraps, featuring a hand holding a wrap with peanut chicken and cucumber, with recipe details and website link.
Lettuce wraps filled with greens and nuts, topped with peanut sauce, displayed beside lime slices with text promoting a copycat restaurant recipe.
Hand holding a lettuce wrap filled with ground meat, cucumber slices, herbs, and topped with peanut sauce, with text describing the dish above.
Lettuce wraps with peanut sauce chicken and rice on a plate.

Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Sarita Harbour
Craving something light yet flavorful? Our restaurant copycat Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce recipe is the answer. Click now for the full recipe and enjoy a meal that satisfies.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 4 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Course lunch, Salad, Snack
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 wraps

Ingredients
  

  • Peanut butter 1/4 cup
  • · Soy sauce 2 tbsp
  • · Honey 2 tbsp
  • · Sesame oil 1 tbsp
  • · Olive oil 1 tbsp
  • · Water 1 tbsp.
  • · Green onion 1/4 cup
  • · Hot pepper chopped 1 tbsp.
  • · Cucumbers 1 cup
  • · Rice brown cooked 1 cup
  • · Chicken ground 1 1/2 cup
  • · Parsley 12 cup
  • · Lettuce 6-8
  • · Garlic 1 tbsp
  • · Ginger 1 tbsp
  • · Jicama 1 cup
  • · lime 1 if desired

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl add peanut butter, sesame oil, water, honey and soy sauce. Whisk.
  • Pour olive oil into a frying pan and fry hot pepper, white part of green onion, ginger and garlic. Add ground chicken after a minute.
  • After 3-4 minutes, add peanut sauce. Switch off. Add jicama and the green part of the onion.
  • Put rice and minced chicken mixture on lettuce wraps.
  • Add chopped cucumber, parsley, lime.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Keyword lettuce wraps with peanut sauce
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The peanut sauce was perfectly balanced—creamy, savory, and just a little bit spicy. I loved how customizable the recipe was—I added some extra veggies I had in the fridge, and it turned out great. Definitely a new favorite!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this today and it came out so well. All of us loved it and was pretty easy to make. I plan to make this again for a potluck!

  3. 5 stars
    This peanut sauce was spectacular! So flavorful and just the right consistency. I’ll be making this recipe all summer. 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    The peanut sauce blew me away. It was super creamy and balanced. I cut back on the spice a bit for the hubby but we loved this recipe.

5 from 5 votes

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