Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Whole30)

These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the answer to your take-out cravings. So. much. flavor. The chicken is loaded with ginger, and the creamy almond butter sauce tops it all off. And so healthy, too! Low carb, Paleo, and Whole30 compliant.

I did the Whole30 last year, and one of my key take aways was that meals full of nutrient dense foods (proteins, veggies, nuts and seeds, fruit) make me feel the best. Although the Whole30 is too restrictive (for me) to stay on long term (I just don’t like meat enough!), I do try to incorporate Whole30 meals daily – whether that’s chia pudding for breakfast, a salad for lunch, or a delicious combination of Thai ingredients wrapped into crunchy lettuce leaves for dinner.

Now what makes these magical is the sauce. I am allergic to peanuts, but always thought peanut sauce sounded like a pretty good idea. I started making my own version with almond butter and coconut milk years ago– and holy flavor!

The chicken in these wraps is flavor loaded as well. If you’ve tried to make Thai at home, but never quite mastered the flavors, try using Thai shallots! That was a real turning point for me in learning to cook Thai food. To be honest, they are a pain to chop up. They are small, so you have to peel quite a few. And then they are super strong, so they make my eyes burn and tear up.

But the flavor is worth it! I run back and forth between the kitchen and bathroom crying, rinsing my eyes out, patting them, and then braving the kitchen again to chop a few more. Maybe it’s time for onion goggles? Did you know those were a “thing?” Well, they are my friends.

And once you taste these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, you might realize the shame of wearing onion goggles isn’t as great as the joy of eating these.

Tips for Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

•  These are so versatile! We also use carrots and red bell pepper in these, or top with toasted almonds instead of the cashews. I bet grilled pineapple would be just as delicious as the mango. I am sure ground turkey would work in place of the chicken.
• Make it Gluten Free: Be sure to use Tamari (wheat free soy sauce) or Coconut Aminos.
• Make it Ahead: These make a great party appetizer or option for a weekly meal prep. The chicken is delicious cold in these. Simply prepare all ingredients, and keep the chicken, sauce, and chopped mango and cabbage in separate containers, and assemble when you’re ready to eat.
• Make it Vegan: Sub chickpeas or tempeh for the chicken and you have a super flavorful vegan meal.
• Make it Paleo/Whole30: Be sure to use Coconut Aminos, and be sure your chili sauce is compliant.

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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Whole30)

These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the answer to your take-out cravings. So. much. flavor. The chicken is loaded with ginger, and the creamy almond butter sauce tops it all off. And so healthy, too! Low carb, Paleo, and Whole30 compliant.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 497kcal

Ingredients

Lettuce Wraps

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 cup red cabbage shredded
• 1 mango sliced
• 1/2 cup cashews roasted
• cilantro and Thai basil to garnish
• red chillis optional

Spicy Ginger Chicken

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger grated
• 1/4 cup Thai shallots minced
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (can sub Tamari or soy sauce)
• 1/2 tablespoon chilli sauce (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or more, to taste)

Thai Almond Sauce

• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat, from the can)
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (sub white wine vinegar for Whole30 or Paleo)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (half a large lime)
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• pinch of salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Prepare the chicken by heating sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and adding ginger and shallots. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until very soft and fragrant.
• Add ground chicken, and brown. Add sea salt, coconut aminos, and chili sauce to taste.
  
• To make the almond sauce, add all ingredients to a blender, and process. You can also do it with a bowl and a small whisk, but it takes a while and it gets smoother in a blender. Chill the almond sauce until ready to use.
  
• To assemble the wraps, add cabbage, mango, and chicken, and then top with chopped cashews and herbs.
  
• Drizzle with spicy Thai almond sauce or serve on the side.
  

Notes

These are customizable! We also love red bell pepper and carrots in these. You can also sub peanut butter for the almond butter if you're not allergic.

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 1381mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 286.5% | Vitamin C: 42.2% | Calcium: 13.6% | Iron: 26.6%

Other Lettuce Wrap Recipes:

• BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Lettuce Wraps, by How Sweet It Is
• Creamy Miso Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps, by Pinch of Yum
• Ultimate Green Taco Wraps with Lentil Walnut Taco Meat, by OhSheGlows
• PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps, by Damn Delicious

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