Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Love Asian inspired dishes but want a healthier version than take-out? These Honey Chicken Recipe served in lettuce cups is one you'll love!

Craving Asian chicken lettuce cups from your favorite restaurant? Look no further than this recipe!

You’ll love the combination of sweet and tangy, Asian-inspired flavors in these healthy chicken lettuce cups. The perfectly cooked chicken and crunchy veggies encased in crisp lettuce… mouth-watering!

two lettuce cups with Asian honey chicken

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Cups

These honey chicken lettuce cups are a one-meal wonder packed with a sweet-savory chicken filling in a crisp lettuce cup. It’s the perfect thing to make when you want to keep it light but don’t feel up for a salad.

If you want to kick the flavors up a notch, serve them with the spicy peanut sauce from my Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups. The combination is gold.

Best Lettuce to Use for Lettuce Cups

Both Iceberg and Butter lettuce are great options for lettuce cups; their outer leaves are fan-shaped and sturdy enough to hold a lot of ingredients.

They make the perfect vessel for delicious fillings and create the experience of a hand-held meal you can enjoy for a light dinner or a low-carb lunch.

Making the Lettuce Bowl

To create the lettuce bowl or cup, you’ll want to double up on the lettuce leaves for a sturdier base.

But first, carefully remove each large outer leaf, so they don’t tear. Once the leaves are separated, gently rinse them with water and pat dry.

When ready to serve, I recommend stacking one leaf on top of another to create a sturdier cup.

One of my easy tips to help lettuce last longer is to refrigerate the leaves in a paper towel-lined container. The paper towels absorb excess moisture and help the lettuce stay crisp.

Ingredients

Chicken, veggies, and seasonings are the heart of this recipe. You’ll find the amounts at the end of the post, but first, check out what you’ll need to make these honey chicken lettuce wraps happen:

Honey: adds a note of sweetness.
Soy sauce: adds delicious savory flavor.
Rice vinegar: balances out the honey and soy sauce.
Sesame oil: a classic flavor for Asian-inspired dishes.
Olive oil: for cooking.
Aromatics: onion and garlic make a delicious base.
Ground chicken: you can swap it for ground turkey.
Carrots: add them shredded for crunchiness and flavor.
Purple cabbage: more crunchy texture and volume!
Bean sprouts: add volume and nutrition. You can find them in the fresh produce section.
Honey roasted peanuts: make every bite even tastier. Omit if you’re allergic.
Lettuce: Iceberg and Butter lettuce are perfect for creating firm lettuce cups.

side by side images making honey chicken lettuce cups

How to Make Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Grab those ingredients, a large skillet, and let’s make these healthy chicken lettuce cups:

Make the sauce
Whisk the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
Sauté some onions
Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions until they turn golden. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
Stir in the chicken
Add the ground chicken and shredded carrots to the onions and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat as you go.
Add the sauce
Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cover with the skillet lid and simmer for 3 minutes before topping with the bean sprouts, chopped cabbage, and roasted peanuts. Cover for an additional 3 minutes.
Assemble
Place one lettuce leaf on top of another to create a “cup”. Fill each with the chicken and veggie mixture, and enjoy!

See how to make this recipe from start to finish in this short video:

What do You Serve with Honey Chicken Lettuce Cups

This dish is on the light side, so you can balance out this meal and make it a keeper by adding delicious lettuce cup side-dish ideas, like these tasty Oven Roasted Carrots and these Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes. Cooked rice and steamed edamame pair great with wraps, but if you want to add another sweet note, serve some fresh pineapple!

More Lettuce Cup Variations

I’ve found lettuce cups to be a delicious way to enjoy our favorite taco and sandwich fillings while keeping the meal low-carb. Once you make these chicken lettuce cups, you’ll want more! If chicken is your go-to protein, you’re going to love these Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups and these Greek Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups.

Other tasty recipes I often cook are Taco Lettuce Wraps, Pork Carnitas Lettuce Cups, and these meatless Buffalo Chickpea Lettuce Cups. Soooo delicious!

Honey Chicken Lettuce Cups

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Love Asian inspired dishes but want a healthier version than take-out? These Honey Chicken Recipe served in lettuce cups is one you’ll love!

4.96 from 21 votes

Print Pin

Ingredients

3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 ½ pounds ground chicken or turkey
½ cup carrots, shredded
½ cup shredded purple cabbage, shredded
½ cup bean sprouts
⅓ cup honey-roasted peanuts
Iceberg or Butter lettuce leaves for serving

Instructions

Whisk the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they turn golden and translucent about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
To the soft onions, add the ground chicken and shredded carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula as you go.
Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cover the skillet with the lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove the lid and top with the mixture with the bean sprouts, chopped cabbage, and roasted peanuts. Cover for an additional 3 minutes.
Scoop mixture into lettuce cups and serve.