Carefully separate 8 large butter or bibb lettuce leaves, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels or spin in a salad spinner. Trim thick center stems if needed so leaves lay flat.

Slice green onions thinly on a bias. Rinse and dry cilantro. Shred carrots or use pre-shredded. Chop roasted peanuts if using. Arrange leaves, garnishes, and lime wedges on a serving platter so diners can assemble their own wraps.

Filling

Cook aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic (3 cloves) and grated ginger (1 tsp) and sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so they don't burn.

Brown the protein

Add 1 lb ground chicken to the pan. Break it up with a spatula and cook 4–6 minutes until mostly browned.

Add vegetables

Add 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts, and 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook 3–4 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and peppers soften.

Season and finish

Stir in 3 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional), and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly and cook another 1–2 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced and flavors are combined. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more soy sauce for saltiness, vinegar for brightness, or chili sauce for heat.

Remove pan from heat and let filling cool for 2–3 minutes so it is warm but not piping hot when placed into lettuce.

Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of the warm filling into the center of each lettuce leaf. Top with shredded carrots, a few cilantro leaves, some sliced green onion, and chopped peanuts if using. Squeeze a little lime over the filling before folding the leaf around it and eating.

Leftovers: store cooled filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep lettuce and garnishes separate to remain crisp.