Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps with Chicken

Some lunches just need to be eaten with your hands, and these spicy Asian lettuce wraps understand the assignment without making a whole speech about it.

You get crisp lettuce, saucy chicken, soft bean threads, cilantro, soy sauce, chile paste, and sesame oil in one fresh little cup.

It is light but not flimsy, spicy but not bossy, and honestly kind of fun to pile into lettuce leaves like tiny edible bowls.

This is the sort of thing that makes sense for warm day lunches, game day snack trays, or a quick dinner when a fork feels like too much commitment.

If you want a fresh spread with the same bright feel, serve these with Vietnamese Shrimp Mango Lettuce Wraps, Greek Chicken Wraps With Hummus, and Shrimp Summer Rolls with Sesame-Soy Sauce.

What Are Bean Thread Noodles?

Bean thread noodles are thin, glassy noodles that turn soft and springy once they are cooked or soaked.

They work nicely here because they catch the soy, chile, sesame, and cilantro without taking over the lettuce wrap.

How To Make Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps

1. Start the sauce with cilantro

Add the chopped cilantro to a large mixing bowl so the sauce has fresh herbs right from the start.

2. Pour in the soy sauce

Add soy sauce over the cilantro and let it pool in the bottom of the bowl.

3. Add the chile paste

Spoon in the chile paste next, because this is where the wraps get their little kick.

4. Add sesame oil

Pour in the sesame oil so the sauce turns glossy and smells nutty.

5. Whisk the sauce

Whisk everything together until the cilantro, chile paste, soy sauce, and sesame oil look evenly mixed.

6. Cut the bean thread noodles

Use kitchen scissors to cut the cooked bean thread noodles into shorter pieces so they are easier to tuck into the lettuce.

7. Add the noodles to the sauce

Drop the drained noodles into the bowl and let them sit right on top of the sauce.

8. Add the chicken

Add the chopped cooked chicken over the noodles.

9. Toss the filling

Use tongs to toss the chicken and noodles until every piece looks coated and glossy.

10. Spoon into lettuce leaves

Hold a lettuce leaf like a little cup and spoon the filling right into the center.

11. Serve right away

Finish with the filled lettuce leaves on a plate and add orange wedges if you want that juicy little side bite.

The Bite You Want

The lettuce should stay cool and crisp while the filling tastes saucy, savory, and a little spicy.

If the noodles look dry, toss them a few more times in the bowl before filling the leaves.

Serve These Like This

These work as a light lunch, a party appetizer, or the fresh thing next to a bigger dinner plate.

Set the filling and lettuce out separately if people are building their own wraps, because nobody wants a soggy leaf situation.

Keep The Leaves Crisp

Store the filling in a covered container and keep the lettuce leaves dry in a separate bag or container.

Build the wraps right before eating so they stay snappy.

Tiny Notes That Help

Drain the bean thread noodles well before they go into the bowl.

Use wide lettuce leaves so the filling has somewhere to sit without falling out the side.