If you want a fresh, crowd-pleasing option for game day or a simple weeknight dinner, try these Honey-Garlic Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Tender chicken tosses in a sticky-sweet honey-garlic sauce with a touch of heat from crushed red pepper flakes and bright aromatics from fresh ginger and garlic. Serve them as wraps in butter lettuce leaves for a light, hands-on meal, or spoon the saucy chicken over rice for a more traditional bowl.
This recipe is quick—ready in about 35 minutes—and scales easily to feed a crowd. The mung bean noodle crisps add a fun crunchy contrast, but you can skip them or swap for another crisp if needed. The sauce is versatile and also works well drizzled over rice, noodles, or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour (plus ½ tsp for slurry)
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 nest (about 2 ounces) mung bean noodles, broken into smaller pieces
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (separate white and green parts)
- Butter lettuce leaves, for serving
Step-By-Step:
Step One: Marinate the chicken
In a medium bowl, combine the cubed chicken, egg white, kosher salt, black pepper and 2 tablespoons tapioca flour. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated. The egg white helps create a slightly crisp exterior when the chicken hits the hot skillet. Set the chicken aside while you prepare the other components.
Step Two: Prepare the crisps
Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the avocado oil. When the oil shimmers, arrange the broken mung bean noodles in a single layer and fry until they puff and become crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crisps to a paper towel–lined plate to drain and keep warm. These make a great crunchy topping for the finished wraps.
Step Three: Cook the chicken
Using the same skillet, work in batches if needed so the pan isn’t overcrowded. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and cook over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and repeat with any remaining pieces.
Step Four: Make the sauce
To the hot skillet, add the toasted sesame oil, then pour in the coconut aminos, chicken broth, honey, rice vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it reduce slightly, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. This concentrates the flavors and warms the aromatics.
Step Five: Finish the filling
Return the browned chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet along with the white parts of the green onions. Toss to coat and let everything simmer so the sauce begins to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk ½ teaspoon tapioca flour with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry, then stir it into the skillet. The sauce will thicken quickly in another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the green parts of the scallions and the toasted sesame seeds.
Step Six: Assemble and serve
Spoon the saucy chicken into butter lettuce leaves and top with the crisped mung bean noodles for texture. If you have extra sauce, serve it on the side for spooning or dipping. These wraps are best enjoyed immediately while the crisps stay crunchy.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes. The honey-garlic sauce and chicken are delicious over steamed rice for a heartier meal. Serve the crisps on the side or skip them when serving over rice.
The egg white helps the tapioca flour adhere to the chicken and gives the cooked pieces a subtle, crisp exterior.
Cooking in batches prevents overcrowding, which allows the chicken to brown properly and develop a better texture. If the pan is too full, pieces steam instead of sear.
Notes and Tips
- Make it ahead: You can prepare the sauce and cook the chicken a short time in advance, then reheat gently before serving. Add the sesame seeds and green parts of the scallions just before serving.
- Crisp substitute: If mung bean noodles aren’t available, try fried wonton strips or crispy rice noodles as an alternative crunch.
- Sauce quantity: If you prefer plenty of sauce for dipping or for serving over rice, double the sauce ingredients.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat and add a splash of broth if it has thickened too much.
Additional Info
Total time: about 35 minutes. Servings: 4. Author: Alex Snodgrass.
For More Lettuce Wrap Recipes:
Whole30 Chicken Lettuce Cups
5-Ingredient Chipotle-Lime Shrimp Lettuce Cups
Portobello Lettuce Cups
Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Thai-Inspired Red Curry Shrimp Lettuce Wraps