Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This recipe was inspired by the staple appetizer at P.F. Chang's restaurant, which has been on the menu since day one in 1993—they’ve never revealed the recipe. Cofounder Philip Chiang was inspired by the cult-favorite lettuce wraps his mother, Cecilia, served at her upscale restaurant The Mandarin in San Francisco (she’s credited with popularizing Chinese food in America in the ’60s). He swapped out squab for chicken in the now iconic version we replicated.
In our attempt to copy the fan favorite, we flavored ground chicken with hoisin sauce (a fermented bean paste that gives the chicken the quintessential Chinese-American flavor), soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, and sesame oil. Water chestnuts (aquatic tuber vegetables—not nuts) are used often in stir fries and add a nice crunch here.
If you're not a fan of water chestnuts, diced celery or red bell pepper are tasty alternatives. You can also top these with roasted, chopped peanuts, wonton strips, or chow mein noodles for even extra crunch.
For your lettuce, it's best to go with a head of lettuce that has thicker ribs with wide, sturdy leaves to support the filling. When building your lettuce wrap, it helps to let the filling cool down a bit before piling it into your lettuce to protect the lettuce from wilting before you get a chance to devour it.
The filling can be refrigerated for for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Editor's note: This recipe was updated on February 13, 2022, to provide more information.
hoisin sauce
low-sodium soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
Sriracha (optional)
sesame oil
extra-virgin olive oil
medium onion, diced
cloves garlic, minced
freshly grated ginger
ground chicken
canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced
green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Large leafy lettuce (leaves separated), for serving
Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, and sesame oil.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add ground chicken and cook until opaque and mostly cooked through, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
- Pour in sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces slightly and chicken is cooked through completely. Turn off heat and stir in chestnuts and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon rice, if using, and a large scoop (about 1/4 cup) of chicken mixture into center of each lettuce leaf. Serve immediately.
