If you love classic restaurant-style chicken lettuce wraps, but want something lighter, healthier, and gluten free, this version is for you.
These are slightly sweeter and less spicy than most lettuce wraps, which makes them even more crowd-friendly (add extra hot sauce on yours if desired). They’re flavorful without being overpowering, easy enough for a weeknight, and simple enough to make even when cooking is not your thing.
I’ll be honest: sometimes “healthy” dinners can be a letdown if they turn out dry, bland, or just feel like a lot of effort. This is not one of those recipes. It’s fresh, simple, and hard to mess up, which is one of the reasons I keep coming back to it.
They’re easy, healthy, and they’re ready in about 30 minutes.
Why I Love These Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I love recipes that feel impressive, but are secretly simple. These have a savory, slightly sweet, Asian-inspired flavor you expect from restaurant-style lettuce wraps, but without soy sauce or other heavy sauces. The mushrooms, garlic, coconut aminos, and water chestnuts give the filling fresh flavor and texture, while the butter lettuce keeps everything light.
They’re also: naturally gluten free, Paleo and Whole30 compliant with one simple swap, high in protein, great for meal prep, and perfect for a lighter dinner. Since they’re less spicy than many takeout versions, they work well for guests, kids, and anyone who doesn’t love a lot of heat. If you want more spice, it’s easy to add.
Ingredients (Plus Variations & Easy Add-Ins)
This recipe keeps things simple and approachable with easy-to-find ingredients:
- Cabinet ingredients: olive oil, coconut aminos, sriracha (optional)
- Produce: sweet onions, garlic, portobello mushrooms, water chestnuts, butter lettuce, green onions
- Protein: shredded chicken
Easy Variations and Extras
As written, these lettuce wraps are mild, lightly sweet, and very crowd-friendly. If you want to tweak the flavor a bit, here are a few easy options:
- Add fresh grated ginger for a little more depth/spice
- For heat: add extra sriracha or red pepper flakes
- Add a squeeze of lime juice for brightness/citrus
- Use tamari instead of coconut aminos if gluten free is your only concern and you want a saltier, more savory flavor
- Additional contents options: shredded carrots, finely diced bell pepper, scallions, cabbage, celery, bean sprouts, or cauliflower.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps FAQs
If you need these lettuce wraps to stay gluten free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Coconut aminos are slightly sweeter, while tamari gives a saltier, more traditional savory flavor. If you are not gluten free, regular soy sauce can also work, but it will change the flavor a bit.
Butter lettuce is my favorite for these because it’s soft, flexible, and has a fresh flavor.
If I’m just making these for dinner and using what I have, I’ll also use romaine or green leaf lettuce. Romaine is crunchier/sturdier, while butter lettuce feels lighter and more classic for wraps.
The filling will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing the lettuce separately and assembling the wraps right before serving so the lettuce stays crisp.
What to Serve with Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These are great on their own, but if you want to round them out to be a full dinner, here are a few easy options:
- Cauliflower or Jasmine rice
- Cucumber salad
- Roasted broccoli or green beans
How to Store (And Can You Freeze Them?)
Store the chicken filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave until heated through.
Yes, you can freeze the filling for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. I would not freeze assembled lettuce wraps since the lettuce will not hold up well.
More Easy Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
If you love easy, healthy gluten free dinners like this, here are a few more dinner recipes you may also like:
Simple, healthy dinners that feel put together without being complicated are always a win.
Here’s to easy meals and regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Gluten Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium sweet onions diced
- 10 garlic cloves minced
- 1 8 ounce container portobello mushrooms, diced
- 2 8 ounce cans sliced water chestnuts, drained and diced
- 5 cups shredded cooked chicken
- ¾ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon sriracha optional – omit for Whole30 or paleo
- Himalayan or sea salt to taste
- 1 head organic butter lettuce leaves separated
- Green onions sliced (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large frying pan. Sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts and continue sautéing for 3-5 minutes.
- Mix in chicken, coconut aminos, and sriracha (optional). Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through and most of the liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes.
- Season with sea salt to taste. Spoon the chicken mixture into the butter lettuce leaves and garnish with green onions.
Leave a Reply