Those lettuce wraps are one of our household’s unicorn meals — a rare dinner that satisfies everyone, even the picky, no-veg eaters. For some reason, wrapping the savory chicken in lettuce makes it acceptable to everyone, and I’m not about to argue. Best of all, this recipe is quick. Really quick.
Like most stir-fries, most of the prep happens before the pan heats up: cube chicken thighs, grate ginger, mince garlic, whisk the sauce, chop cashews and wash lettuce leaves. Once that’s done, it’s just heat, stir, and scoop into lettuce cups. That’s it — fast, satisfying, and family-approved.
When my family loved this dish, they didn’t just eat it — they practically inhaled it. The bonus is that it’s a relatively healthy dinner: a tasty way to serve multiple portions without worrying about dessert sugar overload. Everyone gets seconds and I don’t sweat the consequences.
The magic comes after the chicken is browned. Bite-sized, tender chicken cubes simmer briefly with chopped cashews in a lively sauce made from honey, soy sauce, gochujang (or another chili paste), ginger, garlic, rice vinegar and sesame oil. The sauce becomes sticky and glossy, with a balance of tang, sweetness, heat and umami that clings to the chicken and nuts.
Serve the stir-fry piled onto crisp lettuce leaves, drizzle a little Sriracha if you like heat, and top with finely chopped yellow or red bell pepper and fresh cilantro or parsley. It’s quick to assemble and even quicker to disappear — you might want to make a second batch once you see how fast the first one vanishes.
Cook’s Notes
- Substituting boneless, skinless chicken breasts for thighs is possible, but thighs are more forgiving and deliver richer chicken flavor. They’re less likely to dry out, so I prefer them for stir-fries.
- If cashews aren’t an option, dry-roasted, lightly salted peanuts make a good substitute. If you’re watching the grocery bill, note that this recipe uses a modest amount of nuts, so splurging on cashews once in a while is worth it.
- Grating ginger is far easier when it’s frozen. Break fresh ginger into pieces, freeze them in a resealable bag, then grate from frozen on a microplane or fine box grater for a quick, mess-free result.
- I love gochujang here for its sweet, tangy, umami depth. If you can’t find it, substitute an equal amount of chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek. Gochujang keeps a long time in the fridge, so it’s worth trying if you haven’t yet.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
For the Stir Fry Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon gochujang or chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and pressed or super finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Chicken Cashew Stir Fry:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons peanut canola, or grapeseed oil
- 1/4 cup cashews roughly chopped
For Serving:
- Washed and air-dried lettuce leaves
- minced red and/or yellow bell peppers
- finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- sriracha or preferred hot sauce
Instructions
For the Stir Fry Sauce:
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Whisk together all sauce ingredients until smooth and the honey is fully incorporated. If the honey is stubborn, warm it for 15 seconds in the microwave, then whisk again.
For the Stir Fry:
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Heat oil in a large skillet or wok until shimmering. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through and golden, about 8–10 minutes. Whisk the sauce again, add it to the pan with the cashews, stir frequently and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 2–4 minutes.
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Remove from heat and let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes. Pile the chicken and cashews into lettuce leaves and garnish with finely chopped bell peppers, cilantro or parsley, and sriracha to taste.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
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