Homemade Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

If you ask me, lettuce wraps are one of the best ways to enjoy a fresh, light meal.

These Asian-inspired wraps bring together tender chicken with a ginger-sesame dressing that’s sweet, tangy, and just a little bit savory. Crunchy vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and water chestnuts mix with mandarin oranges and toasted almonds for plenty of texture in every bite.

The chicken gets tossed with a simple homemade dressing made from rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Fresh cilantro and green onions round out the flavors.

It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that comes together quickly, perfect for busy weeknights when you want something satisfying but not too heavy.

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What Kind of Lettuce Should I Use?

Iceberg lettuce is the classic choice for lettuce wraps because its leaves are sturdy enough to hold all your filling without tearing or getting soggy. When you’re picking out a head at the store, look for one that feels heavy and firm with crisp, tightly packed leaves. To get those perfect cup-shaped leaves for wrapping, carefully peel them away from the core one at a time, trying to keep them as intact as possible. If iceberg isn’t available, butter lettuce or romaine hearts can work in a pinch, though they’re a bit more delicate and might require doubling up the leaves for extra support.

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Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver, but you can also use leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken breast, or even turkey. For a vegetarian version, try using crispy tofu – just press it well and pan-fry until golden before chopping.
• Mandarin oranges: Fresh mandarin segments work beautifully if you have them. You can also use fresh orange segments or even diced mango for a tropical twist.
• Iceberg lettuce: Butter lettuce, romaine hearts, or even large cabbage leaves make excellent wraps. Just pick leaves that are sturdy enough to hold the filling without tearing.
• Rice vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well here. Start with 3 tablespoons and add more to taste, as they can be slightly stronger than rice vinegar.
• Sesame oil: If you don’t have sesame oil, you can skip it or use a tiny drizzle of toasted walnut oil. Don’t substitute with regular cooking oil though – it won’t give you that nutty flavor.
• Fresh ginger: Ground ginger works in a pinch – use about ¼ teaspoon instead of the fresh grated ginger.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with lettuce wraps is using wet lettuce leaves, which will make your wraps fall apart and create a messy eating experience – after washing your iceberg lettuce, pat it completely dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove all excess water.

Another common error is overdressing the chicken salad, so start with half the dressing and add more only if needed, since too much liquid will cause the filling to slide right out of your wraps.

Don’t skip draining your mandarin oranges thoroughly, as any extra juice will water down your salad and make it harder to handle.

For the best texture, add your sliced almonds right before serving rather than mixing them in early, which keeps them crunchy instead of soft and soggy.

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What to Serve With Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps?

These lettuce wraps are pretty light and refreshing on their own, so I like to pair them with sides that won’t weigh you down. A simple bowl of miso soup or egg drop soup makes a great starter and keeps the Asian-inspired theme going. If you want something a bit more filling, try serving them alongside some steamed edamame sprinkled with sea salt, or a side of vegetable fried rice. For a complete meal, add some crispy wonton chips or rice crackers on the side for a satisfying crunch that complements the fresh, crunchy texture of the wraps.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep the chicken salad mixture and lettuce cups separate in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salad stays crisp and fresh this way, and you can assemble the wraps whenever you’re ready to eat. I like prepping this on Sunday for easy lunches throughout the week.

Make Ahead: This chicken salad actually tastes better after sitting for a few hours because the flavors have time to blend together. Mix everything up in the morning and let it chill in the fridge until lunch or dinner. Just wait to add the almonds until right before serving so they stay crunchy.

Serve: When you’re ready to eat, give the chicken salad a quick stir and spoon it into fresh lettuce cups. If the lettuce leaves seem a bit wilted after a day or two in the fridge, just run them under cold water and pat dry to crisp them back up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 550-650
• Protein: 40-48 g
• Fat: 11-16 g
• Carbohydrates: 54-62 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger (freshly minced)
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the salad:

• 2 1/2 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 10.5 oz mandarin oranges
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 1/4 cups cabbage, shredded
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or crushed)
• 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 head lettuce (Butter or Bibb)

Step 1: Prepare the Sesame-Ginger Dressing

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, minced ginger, and minced garlic until the sugar dissolves completely.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Set aside—this dressing will coat all the other ingredients and create the flavor backbone of the wraps.

I like to make the dressing first so the flavors have time to meld while I prep the other components.

Step 2: Prep All Fresh Vegetables and Aromatics

• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 1/4 cups cabbage, shredded
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 10.5 oz mandarin oranges

While the dressing rests, finely dice the celery, shred the carrots and cabbage, slice the green onions, chop the fresh cilantro, and crush or sliver the almonds.

Drain the mandarin oranges thoroughly and gently separate any clumps.

Organize all prepped ingredients within easy reach—this mise en place will make assembly fast and effortless.

Step 3: Combine Chicken with Vegetables and Dressing

• 2 1/2 cups chicken
• prepared vegetables from Step 2
• 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• dressing from Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, prepped vegetables from Step 2, water chestnuts, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly.

The chicken will absorb the flavors and the vegetables will stay crisp.

I find that tossing the warm chicken with the dressing helps it absorb more flavor compared to mixing everything cold.

Step 4: Toast Sesame Seeds and Prepare Lettuce Leaves

• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 head lettuce

While the chicken salad sits for a moment to marinate, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden.

Meanwhile, carefully separate the butter or Bibb lettuce leaves and gently rinse and dry them so they’re ready to use as wraps.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve the Lettuce Wraps

• chicken salad mixture from Step 3
• prepared lettuce leaves from Step 4
• toasted sesame seeds from Step 4

Place a generous spoonful of the chicken salad mixture from Step 3 onto each prepared lettuce leaf.

Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds from Step 4 for added crunch and nutty flavor.

Fold or wrap the lettuce leaf around the filling like a taco or burrito, leaving the top slightly open so the colorful filling peeks through.

Serve immediately while the vegetables are still crisp and fresh.

Homemade Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Delicious Homemade Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Servings 3.5 servings

Calories 600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger (freshly minced)
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the salad:

• 2 1/2 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 10.5 oz mandarin oranges
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 1/4 cups cabbage, shredded
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or crushed)
• 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 head lettuce (Butter or Bibb)

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, minced ginger, and minced garlic until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside—this dressing will coat all the other ingredients and create the flavor backbone of the wraps. I like to make the dressing first so the flavors have time to meld while I prep the other components.
• While the dressing rests, finely dice the celery, shred the carrots and cabbage, slice the green onions, chop the fresh cilantro, and crush or sliver the almonds. Drain the mandarin oranges thoroughly and gently separate any clumps. Organize all prepped ingredients within easy reach—this mise en place will make assembly fast and effortless.
• In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, prepped vegetables from Step 2, water chestnuts, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly. The chicken will absorb the flavors and the vegetables will stay crisp. I find that tossing the warm chicken with the dressing helps it absorb more flavor compared to mixing everything cold.
• While the chicken salad sits for a moment to marinate, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden. Meanwhile, carefully separate the butter or Bibb lettuce leaves and gently rinse and dry them so they're ready to use as wraps.
• Place a generous spoonful of the chicken salad mixture from Step 3 onto each prepared lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds from Step 4 for added crunch and nutty flavor. Fold or wrap the lettuce leaf around the filling like a taco or burrito, leaving the top slightly open so the colorful filling peeks through. Serve immediately while the vegetables are still crisp and fresh.