These Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps use rotisserie chicken, or any kind of leftover chicken, to create a quick, intensely satisfying meal that will be on the table in about 15 minutes.
Simply stir pre-cooked chicken into a quick and easy Asian sauce flavored with ginger, soy, chili, garlic, and honey, and serve with crisp lettuce leaves, chili garlic sauce, and roasted peanuts.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps made with Rotisserie or Leftover Chicken
Chicken Lettuce Wraps have been a staple meal in our house for years, and, years, and years. I think could eat them every day for a month and still not be tired of them. There's just SO much about these lettuce wraps to love:
- They are super quick. If you have the ingredients on hand, you could be eating chicken lettuce wraps in about 15 minutes. Speaking of having the ingredients on hand...
- I almost always do. Have {most of} the ingredients on hand. Aside from the chicken and lettuce, the ingredients are pantry staples for any of us who make dishes with Asian flavors every now and then. And, as for the lettuce and chicken...
- Both can be picked up at most grocery stores as the mood strikes. Often, you can find little packages of "lettuce boats" in the produce section that are simply large Romain lettuce leaves washed and ready to fill. I love these because they are, as I just mentioned, washed and ready to fill. But, a head or two of Romain, iceberg, or butter lettuce works just as well.
What Kind of Chicken Should You Use to Make Lettuce Wraps?
When I first started making Chicken Lettuce Wraps, I used ground chicken. This is still a great option, except... my local market doesn't always have ground chicken in stock. And, speaking of first world problems (which I know we weren't, but now we are), staring at the section of the meat case that should contain ground chicken but doesn't when all I want is chicken lettuce wraps RIGHT NOW is annoying.
Anyhoo... it doesn't even matter anymore because making chicken lettuce wraps with rotisserie chicken (or any kind of leftover chicken) is MUCH tastier, economical, faster, and easier.
Use Rotisserie Chicken, Roast Chicken, Grilled, Baked, or Sautéed Chicken
If you have any kind of cooked chicken, you're well on your way to eating a plate full of chicken lettuce wraps. Often this is as simple as picking up a rotisserie chicken at your local market. Pull the chicken from the bones and dice it into very small pieces. Whisk together the sauce, toss it in, and you're done.
But these lettuce wraps are a fantastic way to use up any kind of leftover chicken like simple roast chicken. Here are just a few kinds of leftover chicken that have happily found themselves remade into chicken lettuce wraps in my kitchen:
Or, if you don't have any leftover chicken on hand but happen to have some frozen chicken in the freezer, air fryer frozen chicken breasts will deliver cooked chicken in under an hour, with no thawing required.
What Should You Serve with Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps?
Top your lettuce wraps with a handful of roasted, salted peanuts, a few chopped scallions and fresh cilantro, and a dollop of Chili Garlic Sauce.
The salty crunch of peanuts and the spicy heat of chili garlic sauce are brilliant over the tangy chicken and cool, crispy lettuce leaves. Just two suggestions:
- The peanuts should be both salted and roasted.
- Select a brand of chili garlic sauce that's spicy without trying to kill you. You want to be able to add enough to taste the chili without burning your face off. This is the brand I like, having tasted many others over the years that were delicious, but requiring a fire hose to cool off your tongue if you dared add more than a drop.
Even using the not super crazy spicy chili garlic sauce, I nearly always make these too spicy. My poor family... 🥵😂
Chili garlic sauce is just so good. I'm obsessed with the stuff, and despite my best intentions, I can hardly help myself from adding too much. If you have a low tolerance for spicy foods, go easy on the chili garlic sauce, and consider using regular sesame oil instead of chili sesame oil for the Asian sauce.
Serve the wraps with extra chili garlic sauce on the side for people like me who can't get enough of the stuff and are willing to put up with a burning mouth in order to pile on as much as they can stand.
Cocktail Recommendation
Chicken Lettuce Wraps are absolutely delicious with a Pomegranate Ginger Spritzer. Just in case you needed an excuse for a cocktail tonight. 🍸😉
The drink is a refreshing blend of gin, orange liquor, fresh pomegranate seeds, ginger and lime. It's a cocktail that balance and compliment the spicy Asian flavors in these lettuce wraps.
More Great Ways to Use Leftover Chicken
20-Minute Garlic Chipotle Pasta {with or without Chicken}
Garlic Chipotle Pasta with Chicken. This delicious garlic chipotle pasta with chicken requires only 7 ingredients and will be on your table in 20 minutes.
Cheese Enchilada Casserole with {or without} Chicken
The BEST cheese enchiladas aren’t rolled – they’re layered. Easy cheese enchilada casserole requires just three ingredients: corn tortillas, a ridiculous amount of cheese, and a kick-ass red chili enchilada sauce. Layer it up with or without chicken for super easy cheese enchiladas with very little fuss.
Chicken Chopped Salad
This chicken chopped salad begins with a bed of leafy greens studded with chopped cucumbers, radishes, and red bell peppers that's topped with stripes of hard boiled eggs, sliced avocado, roasted chicken, crispy bacon, and sweet cherry tomatoes.
Chicken Salad Niçoise
This gorgeous, hearty Chicken Salad Niçoise can be made with any seasonal vegetables that you happen to have on hand. Topped with roast chicken and homemade croutons, a free-form Salad Niçoise makes an easy, colorful, delicious meal.
Chili Chicken Nachos with Chimichurri Sauce
Chunks of juicy chicken marinaded in chili, garlic, and lime top a plate of tortilla chips covered in melted cheese, caramelized onions, and brightly flavorful chimichurri sauce.
Classic Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie
Homemade double crust Chicken Pot Pie is comfort food to the max and THIS classic recipe has been a staple in our home for decades.
Creamy Chicken and Rice
This versatile creamy chicken and rice is the most delicious kind of magic. It's one of those recipes that is the perfect opportunity to use up whatever leftover meat and veggies are in your refrigerator, transforming them into an amazing meal.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Garlic and Mushrooms
Creamy, lemony, mushroom soup with roasted garlic, roast chicken, and noodles is exactly the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out.
Mushroom & Noodle Stir Fry with Strawberries & Chicken
Yes, this noodle stir fry contains mushrooms AND strawberries. And you're not going to believe how delicious it is.
Open Face Chicken Salad Sandwiches
These open face chicken salad sandwiches (also known as tartines) are bursting with the flavors of chives, tarragon, capers, and lemon juice, and will come together in about 15 minutes, thanks to using pre-roasted chicken.
Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Using pre-cooked chicken, this Chicken Tortilla Soup is hearty, mouthwatering, and on the table in just over 30 minutes.
Easy, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
These super cheesy chicken enchiladas verdes require one bowl and one pan, and about 15 minutes of your time. They are the kind of simple, basic, casual comfort food that takes so little time and energy, they are within reach any time you crave them. Which, if you're anything like me, is about every other day.
Thai Chicken Soup with Noodles
This quick Thai chicken soup is slightly spicy, light and creamy, and packed with tender chicken, bok choy, rice noodles, and the flavors of curry and coconut.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps {Rotisserie or Leftover Chicken Recipe}
These Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps use rotisserie chicken, or any kind of leftover chicken, to create a quick, intensely satisfying meal that will be on the table in about 15 minutes.
Simply stir pre-cooked chicken into a quick and easy Asian sauce flavored with ginger, soy, chili, garlic, and honey, and served serve with crisp lettuce leaves, chili garlic sauce, and roasted peanuts.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (78ml) soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon chili sesame oil (use regular sesame oil, or a combination of the two, if you want a less spicy dish)
- 3 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey
- 2-4 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (depending on how spicy you like your lettuce wraps) - plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 cups (about 16 ounces) diced cooked chicken (leftover roast, grilled, or baked chicken - OR rotisserie chicken)
- 8 oz water chestnuts, diced
- 1 bunch of green onions, white and light green parts sliced thin
- 1 cup (125g/ 4.4oz) roasted, salted peanuts
- 1 cup (16g) chopped fresh cilantro
- Large romaine lettuce leaves (plan on 3 per person)
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili sesame oil, peanut butter, honey, and chili garlic sauce to a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the sesame oil (or vegetable oil) and diced onion to a large saucepan and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer.
- Stir in the soy sauce mixture. Cook, staring constantly, until the peanut butter is melted and the sauce looks homogenous. Taste and add more salt or chili garlic sauce if you like.
- Add the diced chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until the chicken is heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the water chestnuts and sliced green onions.
- Serve chicken mixture with lettuce leaves, roasted peanuts, cilantro, and additional chili garlic sauce.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 720Total Fat: 47gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 1930mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 6gSugar: 13gProtein: 43g
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me, or take a picture and tag it @alittleandalot on Instagram.
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Liz says
A great recipe to use up some leftover chicken!
RebeccaBlackwell says
Yes! This is one of my favorite ways to use leftover chicken! I'm happy to hear you feel the same. 🙂