Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Prep the chicken and vegetables

Trim any excess fat from the chicken and dice into small 1/4-inch pieces so they finish quickly and evenly. Finely dice the onion, grate or julienne the carrot, and seed then small-dice the cucumber. Mince the garlic and set everything within reach.

Cook the aromatics

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add the diced onion and cook 2–3 minutes until softened and beginning to turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Cook the chicken

Add the diced chicken to the skillet in an even layer. Let it sear undisturbed 2 minutes, then stir and continue cooking 4–6 minutes until the chicken pieces are cooked through and no pink remains. Break up any larger pieces with the spatula so the filling is bite-sized.

Season and combine

Reduce heat to medium. Add the grated carrot and diced cucumber to the skillet and stir for 1–2 minutes to warm through but remain slightly crisp. Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a little more soy for saltiness or a splash more rice vinegar for brightness.

Finish

Cook one more minute until everything is combined and most liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let the filling rest 3–5 minutes while you prepare the chipotle mayo and lettuce cups. This keeps the filling from wilting the lettuce.

Make the sauce by combining the mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo, lime juice, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and taste; add more chipotle for heat or more lime for brightness. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Prepare lettuce cups

Separate Romaine leaves into 8 large whole leaves, rinse and pat dry. Trim the thick stem end slightly so leaves sit flat but do not tear the cup.

Fill the cups

Place 2–3 tablespoons of the warm chicken filling into each Romaine leaf cup. Top each with a drizzle (about 1/2 teaspoon) of chipotle mayo, a sprinkle of sliced green onion, chopped cilantro if using, and toasted sesame seeds for texture and visual contrast.

Serve

Arrange the filled lettuce cups on a platter and serve immediately while the filling is warm and the lettuce is crisp. Provide extra chipotle mayo on the side for guests who want more heat. Leftover filling keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently before assembling.