I’m sharing Low Carb Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps that use a surprising ingredient swap to keep the carbs at only 4 grams per serving while still delivering Thai flavors and fresh vegetables.
I fell for these Low Carb Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps the first time I tried them. With ground chicken tucked into butter lettuce leaves, they feel like a cheat that somehow isn’t, low carb and full of unexpected brightness.
The mix of savory Thai flavours and crisp texture makes you stop and stare at your plate, wondering how something so simple can be so addictive. I’m not gonna lie, they get messy but in a very good way, and they’re the kind of Healthy Lettuce Wraps you brag about to friends without even trying.
You’ll wanna make them again, trust me.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken, lean protein, low carb, fills you up, mild flavor, absorbs sauces its versatile.
- Avocado oil, high monounsaturated fat, heats well, keeps wraps light and healthy.
- Sesame oil adds toasty aroma, strong flavor, use sparingly, it’s potent.
- Garlic and ginger bring aroma and heat, little carbs, boost flavor big time.
- Soy and fish sauces give salty umami, low carb, deepen savory taste, not sweet.
- Lime juice brightens, gives sour zip, cuts richness, almost no carbs, very fresh.
- Butter lettuce leaves, crisp low carb vessel, mild flavor, it’s a great wrap.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 pound ground chicken (about 450 g)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil for cooking
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil for flavor
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon erythritol or preferred granular low carb sweetener
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha, optional for heat
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded cabbage (green or purple)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 to 12 large butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
How to Make this
1. Prep everything first so you wont be running around: finely chop the yellow onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, thinly slice the red pepper, shred the cabbage, thinly slice the green onions, chop the roasted peanuts, chop the cilantro, wash and dry the butter lettuce leaves and cut one lime into wedges.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken, season with salt and pepper and break it up with a spatula. Cook about 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains, stirring so it browns evenly.
3. Push the chicken to one side or make a little well, add the 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the chopped onion. Cook onion 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to soften, then add the garlic and grated ginger and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Stir in 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon erythritol and 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha if you want heat. Mix well and simmer 1 to 2 minutes so the flavors meld and the sweetener dissolves. Taste and adjust salt or lime.
5. Add the shredded cabbage, sliced red bell pepper and most of the green onions (save a few for garnish). Cook just 1 to 2 minutes more so veggies stay crisp not mushy, you want some crunch.
6. Remove pan from heat, fold in about half the chopped peanuts and half the cilantro. Sprinkle in the optional 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds if using. If the mixture seems too wet blot with a paper towel or simmer a bit longer to concentrate flavors.
7. To assemble spoon a generous 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each butter lettuce leaf, top with extra peanuts, cilantro and the reserved green onions. Squeeze a lime wedge over each wrap just before eating.
8. Serve immediately for best texture. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 days, store filling separate from lettuce. Reheat filling gently in a skillet, add a splash of water or soy if it’s dry.
9. Quick tips: grate ginger on a box grater or use a microplane, brown the chicken well for deeper flavor, erythritol melts better if stirred into the sauce while warm, and if butter lettuce isnt available romaine works fine though its less delicate.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet (10 to 12 inch), nonstick or cast iron, for browning the chicken
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to break up and stir the meat
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion, peppers, peanuts, cilantro
4. Microplane or box grater for ginger (or a garlic press if you prefer)
5. Measuring spoons and 1 measuring cup for the sauces and lime juice
6. Mixing bowls (one to hold prepped veg and one for the sauce)
7. Tongs or a small spoon for filling the lettuce leaves when assembling
8. Salad spinner or colander plus clean kitchen towel or paper towels to wash and dry the butter lettuce
FAQ
Low Carb Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground chicken: swap with ground turkey for a similar lean texture, ground pork for richer, juicier flavor, or crumbled firm tofu for a vegetarian option
- Low sodium soy sauce or tamari: use coconut aminos for a gluten free milder taste, liquid aminos, or regular soy sauce if you dont have tamari
- Butter lettuce leaves: use romaine leaves for extra crunch, cabbage leaves for sturdy cups, or blanched collard greens for a heartier wrap
- Erythritol or granular low carb sweetener: use monk fruit sweetener, allulose, or if you arent strict with carbs a small drizzle of honey or maple syrup will work
Pro Tips
– Pat the ground chicken dry with paper towels and get the pan really hot before you add it; let it sit a bit instead of stirring constantly so it browns and makes those tasty brown bits, then scrape and deglaze the pan with a tiny splash of soy or water to pull that flavor into the sauce.
– Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a minute or two until fragrant, then roughly chop the peanuts so you get crunchy bursts not a fine dust, it makes the texture way better.
– Keep your butter lettuce totally dry and work with room temp leaves; if they keep tearing, wrap them in a damp paper towel and zap for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave to relax them so they fold without ripping.
– Add the sweetener to the sauce while it is still warm so it dissolves, and always taste as you go; finish with lime juice and a little lime zest for bright balance, and tweak salt or heat only at the end so you dont overdo it.
Low Carb Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe
I’m sharing Low Carb Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps that use a surprising ingredient swap to keep the carbs at only 4 grams per serving while still delivering Thai flavors and fresh vegetables.
4
servings
325
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet (10 to 12 inch), nonstick or cast iron, for browning the chicken
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to break up and stir the meat
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion, peppers, peanuts, cilantro
4. Microplane or box grater for ginger (or a garlic press if you prefer)
5. Measuring spoons and 1 measuring cup for the sauces and lime juice
6. Mixing bowls (one to hold prepped veg and one for the sauce)
7. Tongs or a small spoon for filling the lettuce leaves when assembling
8. Salad spinner or colander plus clean kitchen towel or paper towels to wash and dry the butter lettuce
Ingredients
-
1 pound ground chicken (about 450 g)
-
1 tablespoon avocado oil for cooking
-
1 teaspoon sesame oil for flavor
-
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
-
3 garlic cloves, minced
-
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
-
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
-
1 tablespoon fish sauce
-
1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
-
1 teaspoon erythritol or preferred granular low carb sweetener
-
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha, optional for heat
-
2 green onions, thinly sliced
-
1 cup shredded cabbage (green or purple)
-
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
-
8 to 12 large butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried
-
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
-
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
-
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
-
Salt and black pepper to taste
-
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
Directions
- Prep everything first so you wont be running around: finely chop the yellow onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, thinly slice the red pepper, shred the cabbage, thinly slice the green onions, chop the roasted peanuts, chop the cilantro, wash and dry the butter lettuce leaves and cut one lime into wedges.
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken, season with salt and pepper and break it up with a spatula. Cook about 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains, stirring so it browns evenly.
- Push the chicken to one side or make a little well, add the 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the chopped onion. Cook onion 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to soften, then add the garlic and grated ginger and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon erythritol and 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha if you want heat. Mix well and simmer 1 to 2 minutes so the flavors meld and the sweetener dissolves. Taste and adjust salt or lime.
- Add the shredded cabbage, sliced red bell pepper and most of the green onions (save a few for garnish). Cook just 1 to 2 minutes more so veggies stay crisp not mushy, you want some crunch.
- Remove pan from heat, fold in about half the chopped peanuts and half the cilantro. Sprinkle in the optional 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds if using. If the mixture seems too wet blot with a paper towel or simmer a bit longer to concentrate flavors.
- To assemble spoon a generous 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each butter lettuce leaf, top with extra peanuts, cilantro and the reserved green onions. Squeeze a lime wedge over each wrap just before eating.
- Serve immediately for best texture. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 days, store filling separate from lettuce. Reheat filling gently in a skillet, add a splash of water or soy if it’s dry.
- Quick tips: grate ginger on a box grater or use a microplane, brown the chicken well for deeper flavor, erythritol melts better if stirred into the sauce while warm, and if butter lettuce isnt available romaine works fine though its less delicate.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 230g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 325kcal
- Fat: 19.6g
- Saturated Fat: 4.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 2g
- Monounsaturated: 13.3g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
- Sodium: 663mg
- Potassium: 471mg
- Carbohydrates: 7.3g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Vitamin A: 500IU
- Vitamin C: 35.5mg
- Calcium: 21mg
- Iron: 1.3mg