Description
These Thai Peanut Chicken Lettuce Boats are a flavorful and healthy dish featuring ground chicken sautéed with garlic, ginger, and colorful veggies, all wrapped in crisp butter lettuce leaves. Topped with a creamy, tangy peanut sauce and crunchy peanuts, they make a perfect appetizer or main course that’s easy to prepare and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Filling
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
For the Peanut Sauce
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1–2 tablespoons warm water (to thin)
For Serving
- 8–10 large butter lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken Mixture: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground chicken, minced garlic, and grated ginger, cooking until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Add Seasonings and Vegetables: Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and sriracha (if using). Then add shredded carrots and diced red bell pepper, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened.
- Finish the Filling: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in sliced green onions and chopped fresh cilantro to incorporate fresh herbaceous flavors.
- Prepare the Peanut Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water until the sauce is smooth and pourable.
- Assemble the Lettuce Boats: Spoon the cooked chicken mixture into the butter lettuce leaves, drizzle generously with the peanut sauce, and sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts for crunch.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the lettuce boats right away to enjoy the crisp texture of the lettuce with the warm, savory filling and creamy sauce.
Notes
- You can prep the chicken filling and peanut sauce ahead of time and assemble the lettuce boats just before serving for convenience.
- For a low-carb alternative, substitute honey with a sugar-free sweetener like stevia or erythritol.
- Ground turkey works well as a substitute for ground chicken in this recipe.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha to control the heat level according to your taste.
