Description

This PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe delivers the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors wrapped in fresh, crunchy lettuce leaves. Ground chicken cooked with aromatic garlic, ginger, and a flavorful hoisin-based sauce is served with crispy fried vermicelli noodles for an enjoyable textural contrast. This dish is a light yet satisfying appetizer or main course that is easy to prepare and perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

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For the Chicken Mixture

1 tablespoon avocado oil
½ white onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 pound ground chicken
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (optional, plus more for serving)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup shredded carrots
1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced

For the Crispy Rice Noodles

½ cup peanut oil (or another high smoke point oil)
2 ounces vermicelli rice noodles

To Serve

16 Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
3 green onions (green parts only), thinly sliced

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Instructions

Prepare Aromatics and Chicken: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced white onion and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and fresh ginger, cooking for an additional minute to release their flavors.
Cook Ground Chicken: Push the aromatics to one side of the skillet. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink, around 7-8 minutes.
Make the Sauce and Simmer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce or Tamari, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce if using, toasted sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour this sauce mixture over the cooked chicken. Add shredded carrots and diced water chestnuts. Stir to combine and cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly.
Fry the Vermicelli Noodles for Crispiness: Line a plate with paper towels. In a small pot, pour at least 1 inch of peanut oil and heat over high heat for 3-4 minutes. Test the oil by dropping a single vermicelli noodle in; it should puff up immediately if the oil is hot enough. Fry the vermicelli noodles in small batches (1-2 tablespoons at a time) for no more than 10 seconds until puffed and crispy, flipping to cook both sides. Transfer fried noodles to the paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Assemble and Serve: Spoon the chicken mixture into each Bibb or butter lettuce leaf. Top with crispy rice noodles and a sprinkle of thinly sliced green onions. Add additional chili garlic sauce if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh, savory wraps.

Notes

Use ground chicken for authentic flavor and texture, but ground turkey or pork can be substituted.
For gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure hoisin sauce is gluten-free.
Adjust the chili garlic sauce to your preferred spice level or omit for a milder dish.
Be careful not to over-fry the vermicelli noodles; they crisp very quickly.
Serve immediately after assembling to prevent the lettuce leaves from becoming soggy.