If you're looking to spice up your weekly dinner routine, these Thai inspired lettuce cups are a perfect place to start! This is a great low-carb option too since it’s wrapped in lettuce, so it’s got that healthy feel. I recommend some fried rice or pre-made dumplings on the side of this dish if you're looking to beef it up. (I love Trader Joe’s Asian inspired frozen section!) But if you're looking for a light dinner, you can always serve the cups a la cart. Also, as many of my recipes are, this too is a quickie! I’d budget 30-40 minutes from start to finish with these, making it a busy week night life saver.
This is another one of my boyfriend's favorite recipes. (I’ve been making a lot of those lately…) Nolan doesn't love to cook like I do, but when I made these for the first time a few months ago, he saved the recipe and has made the lettuce cups (which is how we refer to them in our house) for himself numerous times! So if you don't want to take my word that these are super easy and tasty, maybe you’ll take his.
Or, maybe you’re waiting to see what Chloe thinks. (Did you think I’d forget?) To no one’s surprise, she is a fan! When I last made these, she was rubbing my legs and trying to get my attention. That might have been because her water dish was empty, but I like to think she wanted the lettuce cups. In any event, she’ll be rating this recipe an 8/10!
I was so excited to use the head of butter lettuce that I grew in my garden, that I didn’t stop to consider that the leaves were super small. I had to put about six pieces together to make a little cup. If you look closely at the pictures, you’ll see the tiny leaves. Haha! At the grocery store, it’s going to be important to inspect your lettuce for size and shape. I recommend butter lettuce for this recipe, if you can find it at your grocery store. But, if you can't, or if butter lettuce isn't your jam, romaine and iceberg are a great substitute.
I found this recipe on a Pinch of Healthy! I love it (obviously) and I've only made a few changes for personal preferences. Check out the original recipe here.
Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 Tbsp sesame oil
⅓ cup white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger paste, or fresh grated
1 lb ground chicken
Salt and pepper
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp Thai sweet red chili sauce
Juice of one lime
1 tsp honey
⅓ cup unsalted peanuts
¼ cup green onion, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
⅓ cup carrots, shredded
Sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
1 head butter lettuce (sub romaine or iceberg)
Directions
Heat the sesame oil on medium heat in a large sauté pan. When the sesame oil is hot, add in the onions. Cook until they are translucent, about 3 minutes. Once the onions are cooked, add in the garlic and ginger. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the ingredients are fragrant.
Next, add the ground chicken to the pan. Break up the chicken into small pieces with your spoon. Season the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Let the chicken cook until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes.
While you wait for the chicken to cook, use a small bowl to combine the soy sauce, Thai sweet red chili sauce, lime juice, and honey. Stir the mixture well.
Add the sauce to the pan along with the peanuts. Turn the heat down to low, and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce has coated the chicken. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool for 3-5 minutes.
After the meat has cooled a bit, fold the green onions, cilantro, and carrots into the meat mixture.
Next, begin assembling your lettuce cups. Pull a large leaf off the head of lettuce, rinse off the dirt, if necessary, and fill it with a generous spoonful of the meat mixture. Continue until all of the cups have been assembled. Top it with some sesame seeds and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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