20 minute Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps – makes for a quick, low carb healthy lunch or dinner | Gluten Free + Dairy Free + Soy Free Paleo Option
Hello, Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps – my new favourite lunch!
…at least until my next favourite lunch comes along…
The stomach wants what the stomach wants, ya know? And right now the stomach most definitely wants some more of this spicy, sticky teriyaki chicken wrapped up in crunchy green lettuces cups and sprinkled with salted peanuts.
Ooh, yessss.
A couple things to note about the recipe before you begin:
Choosing Your Lettuce: Ultimately you can choose what you like to use as your lettuce wraps, but I recommend option for a sturdy leaf -nothing too flimsy. Iceberg lettuce is always a popular option, but I usually prefer something like romain, gem or butter lettuce because you can fold/roll it without breaking. I also like doubling up on the lettuce for a way to pack in more veg & less spillage.
Paleo Option: If you’re in need of a soy free/paleo version use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce/tamari. You can buy it at most Sprouts, Wholefoods, and many health food supermarkets. A reader told me a few months back that you can also buy it at Walmart now – I’m jealous! I’ve only ever seen it in store in one shop here in the UK and I think that store is now closed. You can also buy it on Amazon like I normally do if accessibility is an issue. If you do use coconut aminos just make sure to add salt to your sauce because it contains way less sodium that soy sauce. Notes on how to do that are in the recipe.
If you want to make these ahead of time for lunches later in the day/week then make sure you pack the lettuce and the chicken/sauce separately. Assemble right before eating so that the lettuce doesn’t wilt.
All in all these lettuce wraps are super easy to make and take next to no time to throw together – another reason I’ve been eating these all week.
Hope you enjoy!
Look here for more low carb lettuce wrap recipes:
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Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps
20 minute Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps - makes for a quick, low carb healthy lunch or dinner | Gluten Free + Dairy Free + Soy Free Paleo Option
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 red chilli deseeded and chopped
- 1 tbsp | 3 cloves cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp freshly ginger, minced
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup | 60 ml coconut aminos for soy free version or gluten free tamari/soy sauce, (if using tamari or soy only use 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tbsp salted peanuts or cashews for paleo version, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots peeled into thin strips
- 1 head lettuce washed and leaves separated, butter lettuce, gem lettuce or your choice
Optional toppings
- sesame seeds
- green onion sliced
Instructions
- Add the coconut oil to a pan or skillet and warm on a medium high heat. When the oil is melted and hot add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside for a few minutes as you make the sauce
- Add the chilli, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook one minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the honey and coconut aminos (or soy sauce ). Stir well and bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat down to medium-low or until it's only simmering. Let cook about 5 more minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning. The sauce should reduce down and turn into a thick glaze. Add the chicken back to the pan and toss. Cook for another minute with the chicken in the sauce then remove from the heat.
- Add a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture into each lettuce cup and top with shredded carrot, green onions, sesame seeds and peanuts/cashews and serve.
Janet Smith says
Hi Sarah
I have to say this dish was so lovely I wanted to try a different chicken dish which was fairly healthy I couldn’t believe how quick and easy and tasty this was I shall definently be doing this again.
Sarah says
Hi Janet! So glad you enjoyed it!
ben says
how would rice taste with it
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Ben – rice would go well with this! If I’m not trying to keep it low carb I really enjoy adding a little rice to the lettuce wraps and it mixes in well with the sauce.
IMANE says
Dear Sarah,
I like your receips but i dont understand all of. Can you please make french language as option in your site.
Sarah says
Hi Imane!
Thank you so much – I’m so glad you found my site! Unfortunately I don’t know how to make French translations available. Have you tried looking in to using extensions on your web browser that can translate websites for you? I’ve found this one that sounds like it could be useful https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/google-translator-for-firefox/
Sorry I can’t be more help at this time by I will keep this in mind!
Rachel says
Wow, this was amazing…so easy but tasted like a restaurant dish! You could just make the chicken and put it one rise, in a salad or with noodles to switch it up. My boyfriend and I added it to our cookbook:)
Sarah says
Thanks Rachel! So happy you guys liked it!
Rach says
Found this on Pinterest last night and was so excited to try it out and it did not disappoint! Can’t wait to make it again today!
Sarah says
I’m so glad you liked this! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know what you thought!
Mary E Jacobi says
Hi Sarah ~ Very excited about your soy free, dairy free, and gluten free recipe. Looks yummy!! I am trying to find out if you have located chicken breasts themselves (preferably thin sliced) that are soy free, dairy free, gluten free as well. Thank you!!
Sarah says
Hi Mary! I usually just use my local grocery store chicken breast from Sainsbury’s which is soy, dairy & gluten free. If you’re concerned about chicken breasts that may have been fed soy based food you might get lucky trying to find local butchers since they might have a better understanding of what their food was like. As for the dairy & gluten – so long as the chicken wasn’t processed in a facility that also processes a lot of grains/dairy nearby you should be alright with most chicken. When my husband was first diagnosed with Coeliac Disease we asked his gastroenterologist about how necessary it was to find meat that wasn’t fed gluten and his doctor told us that that wasn’t something to worry about at all
Caitlyn says
Quick question these are 12 grams of carbs per each taco ?
Sarah says
Yes!
Marsha Farmer says
These are gorgeous!!!
Sarah says
Thanks Marsha!
Vinny Couture says
Have always considered chicken with leaves as a great combination. Definitely gonna make it next week. Why all the cravings come when you’re sick? Anyway thanks Sarah.
Sarah says
You and me both! Hope you feel better soon!
Peter Vukcevic says
Hey Sarah,
I really liked the recipe and eating it, but my stomach hasn’t really liked the sweet-hot taste. Maybe I overdid it with chilly 🙂 I was wondering if you have made a version without honey and soy sauce? Something a bit stronger and hotter 🙂 I added rice in the mixture. It really went well.
Sarah says
Hi Peter! Glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t made this particular version without honey, but sometimes when I want a sugar Chinese takeout style dish, I’ll throw a date in a blender with a little bit of water and that adds just enough sweetness to balance things out.I do something similar in this Mongolian beef. https://www.asaucykitchen.com/paleo-mongolian-beef-whole30-compliant/ I’ve made it with chicken and that’s kind of similar, but it does use coconut aminos (in place of soy sauce). Hope that helps!
Peter Vukcevic says
It does. Thank you, Sarah 🙂
Nirmala Hermann says
Hey Sarah, this looks simple and delicious. I love it! Great for busy weekdays.
Sarah says
Thanks Nirmala!