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    Home » Main Course

    Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps (The Kids Cook Monday)

    Jan 31, 2011 · Modified: Jun 25, 2021 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Andrea Meyers

    When our boys see Asian dishes on the menu, they tend to get excited. Builder Guy inevitably asks if we’re having Chinese dumplings with the meal, Top Gun requests Chinese chicken and broccoli whether it’s on the menu or not, and Monkey Boy says he just wants chicken (or a lollipop). Fortunately Monkey Boy generally comes around once we start eating, so we are progressing out of the annoying overly picky phase.

    These chicken lettuce wraps are one of their favorites because they like the chicken and they like that it’s finger food. They are perfect for this week and the Chinese New Year celebration, and they make great party appetizers. I’ve doubled the original recipe from Helen Chen so we can have leftovers because the boys enjoy taking it to school and eating it for lunch with brown rice. They also like to help make it, though either Michael or I still take over on the stir-frying. As they grow older and learn more about kitchen safety we’ll give them more opportunities to get behind the wok.

    All the ingredients can be found in well-stocked grocery stores or international stores, though you can substitute fresh shiitake mushrooms for dried if you can’t find those. You can also find gluten-free versions of many of the sauces, which I have noted below. Read the labels carefully to make sure they are gluten-free.

    This is how you make the chicken, as modeled by Builder guy, age 8, and Michael, age withheld.

    Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water.

    Andrea Meyers - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, soaking the mushrooms

    Make the marinade and stir in the chicken.

    Andrea Meyers - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, marinading the chicken

    Make the sauce.

    Andrea Meyers - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, making the sauce

    Chop the vegetables.

    Andrea Meyers - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, chopped vegetables

    Wash and dry the lettuce.

    Andrea Meyers - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, wash and dry the lettuce

    Sitr-fry the chicken and vegetables.

    Andrea Meyers - Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, stir-fry the chicken and vegetables

    Enjoy!

    How Adults Can Help the Kids

    • Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, pouring, chopping, stir-frying.
    • Assign the simpler tasks, such as mixing the marinade and sauce and washing and drying the lettuce leaves, to the younger kids, and save the more challenging tasks for the older kids and adults.

    Safety Tips

    • Make sure an adult is present at all times.
    • Young children should not handle sharp knives or hot woks. Make sure an adult or older child or teenager does the chopping and stir-frying.
    • The oil in the wok will be hot, so be careful when adding the chicken and watch for splatters.

    [Updated January 2012.]

    Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Andrea Meyers
    Print Pin

    Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

    Adapted from Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, by Helen Chen.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Keyword: chicken, lettuce
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 340kcal
    Author: Andrea Meyers

    Equipment

    • 2 medium bowls
    • small bowl
    • wok

    Ingredients

    • 16 medium dried shiitake mushrooms (softened in hot water for 15 minutes)
    • 6 teaspoons cornstarch (divided)
    • 2 tablespoons gluten-free Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry)
    • 2 tablespoons gluten-free light soy sauce
    • 1 pound ground chicken
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • 2 tablespoons gluten-free hoisin sauce
    • 2 tablespoons gluten-free dark soy sauce
    • 4 tablespoons gluten-free chicken broth
    • 2 tablespoons gluten-free chili-garlic sauce (or more to taste)
    • 8 ounces canned bamboo shoots (diced)
    • 8 ounces canned water chestnuts (diced)
    • 4 stalks celery (diced)
    • 1 cup petite frozen peas (thawed)
    • 6 scallions (thinly sliced)
    • 4 tablespoons canola oil
    • 6 sliced unpeeled fresh ginger
    • 2 tablespoons sesame oil

    Serve With

    • romaine lettuce leaves (washed and patted dry, torn in half)
    • cooked brown rice
    US Customary - Metric

    Preparation

    Chicken Marinade

    • While the mushrooms soak, whisk together 4 teaspoons of cornstarch, wine, and light soy sauce in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and mix well.

    Sauce

    • In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sugar, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, chicken broth, and chili-garlic sauce. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

    Vegetables

    • Drain the mushrooms and squeeze them dry. Remove the stems and discard, then chop the rest into bite-size pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, celery, thawed peas, and scallions.

    Cook

    • Pour the canola oil into the bottom of a cold wok and add the sliced ginger. Heat until the wok and oil are very hot and the ginger releases its fragrance. Remove the ginger and discard. Add the chicken mixture and cook while stirring until the chicken is cooked and crumbly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetables and stir well, cooking until they are heated through, about 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in the sauce and continue cooking for about 1 more minute. Drizzle the sesame oil over it all and stir. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and serve with the lettuce leaves and rice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Share in the comments!

    More Delicious Chinese Recipes

    Kung Pao Chicken - Andrea Meyers
    Kung Pao Chicken
    Mu Shu Pork Lettuce Wraps - Andrea Meyers
    Mu Shu Pork Lettuce Wraps
    Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast - Andrea Meyers
    Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast

    For the complete list of The Kids Cook Monday recipes, visit my Cooking with Kids page.

    More Chinese Recipes from Other Blogs

    • Rasa Malaysia – Sweet and Sour Pork
    • Appetite for China – Chinese Scallion Pancakes
    • Use Real Butter – Chinese Almond Cookies
    • No Recipes – Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
    « Ham and Lentil Soup
    White Chili with Turkey and Cannellini Beans »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nisrine|Dinners & Dreams says

      January 31, 2011 at 8:43 pm

      I'm in Asian food mood lately which coincides well with the Chinese New Year. These yummy chicken lettuce wraps would be a great way to kick off the year.

    2. sonia says

      February 01, 2011 at 7:36 am

      This is amazing recipe, loving it !

    3. Drew says

      September 16, 2015 at 7:36 pm

      Yum! This definitely looks like something the kids I babysit could make and would love to make!

    Trackbacks

    1. Tweets that mention Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps | Andrea Meyers -- Topsy.com says:
      January 31, 2011 at 5:33 pm

      [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Elemental Deals and Elemental Deals, Andrea Meyers. Andrea Meyers said: {new post} Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps http://goo.gl/fb/I9b86 [...]

    2. Friday Night Feast… Lettuce Wraps, Sauteed Bok Choy & Orange Chicken « food made simple says:
      April 15, 2011 at 1:35 pm

      [...] to Tastespotting for inspiration. What I found was Local Kitchen (for the orange chicken) and Andrea Meyers (for the lettuce wraps). Neither of which I’ve ever tried to make before. Throw in some plain [...]

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