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This tasty Asian-inspired Chicken salad served inside a crunchy lettuce wrap is the perfect healthy meal idea that's easy to make ahead!

If you’re as obsessed with Asian Chicken Salads as much as I am, you’re in luck. The classic salad got a quick makeover, and now it’s a hand-held meal in the form of healthy lettuce wraps that are oh.so.delish!

image: white plate with chopsticks, and two lettuce cups filled with asian chicken salad

Real food magazine cover spring 2025 edition

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This recipe was featured in the Spring 2025 Issue of Real Food Magazine!

Asian Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

While I’m a fan of those pre-bagged salads for times when I need a portable meal to bring to the office, this Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap recipe leaves those in the dust. And trust me, it’s super easy to make too.

I love loads of texture and crunch in my salads and enjoy eating them right out of a big bowl. The thinly sliced cabbage combined with softer, juicy ingredients is very satisfying. With each bite, the tiny oranges melt in your mouth releasing their sweet juice… wow.

Of course, the iconic Sesame Ginger Dressing is the real deal in this recipe. It can serve double duty as a salad dressing and the perfect quick marinade for chicken or fish. Amazing!

Are Chicken Salad Wraps Healthy?

Yes! Chicken salad wraps are packed with protein from the chicken and all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals from mandarin oranges and vegetables. To keep these wraps low-carb, I use lettuce leaves as cups to serve the chicken salad instead of the classic Chicken Salad recipe wrapped in a tortilla.

Ingredients

You’ll find the ingredients amounts in the printable recipe below, but first, let me walk you through the delicious items you need to make these Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps:

Cooked chicken: chop chicken leftovers or rotisserie chicken.
Mandarin oranges: the sweetness that makes this salad so unique!
Celery: crunchy and delish!
Carrots: colorful, flavorful, crunchy… an epic addition to this salad.
Shredded cabbage: did I say crunchy enough times?
Green onions: more flavor!
Sliced almonds: optional for added nutrition and texture.
Salt and black pepper: we need these two for seasoning.
Iceberg lettuce: its firm texture is perfect for the cups.
Sesame Ginger Dressing: coats the filling with the most delicious flavor. You’ll find all the details on the recipe card.

Best Lettuce for Lettuce Cups

For firm lettuce cups that hold the chicken salad, you want to use a type of lettuce with sturdy fan-shaped leaves, like iceberg, Boston Bibb, or butter lettuce. If you don’t have any of these around, make sure to use more leaves to create a firm cup.

image: white plate with chopsticks, and a lettuce cup filled with asian chicken salad

How to Make Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Once you’ve got your dressing and your shredded chicken, this recipe comes together in a flash! Here’s how to make these Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps:

Make the dressing
Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar, shake, and refrigerate until ready to use. It lasts 1 week in the fridge.
Make the salad
In a bowl, place the chicken salad ingredients with ½ cup of the dressing, and toss to combine. If making the salad ahead, refrigerate covered for up to 2 days and add the dressing before serving it.
Assemble the wraps
Layer two lettuce leaves into a cup and add the filling. Fold the sides over and then onto itself to wrap it tightly.

Watch how quickly it can be prepped for lunches or dinner in this quick recipe video:

If you want more healthy recipes made with real, whole ingredients like this, I’d love to give you a week’s worth of real food recipes and quick meal ideas like this that the whole family will love! Get your free resources here.

Dressing for Asian Chicken Salad

The Sesame Ginger dressing has the perfect balance of sweet and sour with just the right amount of sesame oil. I know you have a bottle of sesame oil in the cabinet screaming to be used and you just can’t think how else to use it. Now you know!

You make this Asian dressing in two minutes and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week, leaving you with the opportunity to grill some chicken, cook up some rice, and steam some veggies, and now you have a totally new meal!

image: closeup of white plate with chopsticks, and a lettuce cup filled with asian chicken salad

What to Serve with Asian Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Need simple sides to serve with lettuce wraps and make this meal even more epic? I’ve got covered! This Corn and Tomato Salad is perfect when you crave a fresh and quick side. Carrot Fries are another favorite in my house, especially when kids want a complete hand-help meal!

Other tasty sides that pair great with chicken lettuce wraps are Sautéed Cabbage and cooked rice. To keep this meal low-carb, serve Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice instead!

Asian Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

This tasty Asian-inspired Chicken salad served inside a crunchy lettuce wrap is the perfect healthy meal idea that's easy to make ahead!

5 from 32 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

For the chicken salad:

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
10.5 ounce mandarin oranges, liquid drained
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 green onions, chopped
¼ cup sliced almonds, optional
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 head Iceberg lettuce

Sesame Ginger Dressing:

¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar or honey
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

Make the dressing:

In a lidded jar or medium bowl combine the dressing ingredients. Place the lid onto the jar and seal. Shake to combine and refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 1 week.

Make the chicken salad:

In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, mandarin oranges, celery, carrots, cabbage, almonds, green onions, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, and toss with the dressing when ready to serve. Add ½ cup dressing and toss to combine.

Make the lettuce wraps:

Layer two iceberg lettuce leaves to build a base for the chicken salad. Scoop ¾ cup of the chicken salad on top of the lettuce. Fold the sides over and then onto itself to wrap it tightly. Alternatively, with the smaller inner leaves, you can simply build lettuce cups and fold them in half to enjoy them like a taco.