Kung Pao Chicken Lettuce Wraps taste like they came straight out of a restaurant, yet are light, low carb, and gluten free.
Kung Pao Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the answer to the “I love take out but am trying to eat healthier!” dilemma we all face once in a while.
This take-out fake-out dish tastes like it came straight from a restaurant, yet is light, gluten free, and low carb too!
Chopped chicken and fresh vegetables are stir fried then simmered in a killer Kung Pao sauce which boasts that signature sweet heat. The mixture is piled onto fresh lettuce leaves, versus a big pile of rice, then sprinkled with chopped peanuts.
They’ve got the perfect amount of heat, the perfect amount of sweet, and the chopped peanuts gives the dish such a satisfying crunch.
On top of all that they’re really easy to make, as many stir fried dishes are. I can’t wait for you to try them!
Start by making the Kung Pao sauce which calls for a few of my favorite, far-east sauce ingredients I always keep in the house: mirin, a sweet cooking wine (if you can’t find it sub in Riesling wine,) chili garlic sauce, there should be several brands at the store to choose from, and rice vinegar, which is also a common grocery store find.
Combine the aforementioned ingredients with gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce if not GF), sesame oil, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, stir 1/4 cup water into 1 Tablespoon corn starch, then pour into the tamari mixture and stir to combine. Sauce = done!
Next chop up 1lb chicken. I chop mine finely to get the real restaurant experience, plus it’s easier to pile high onto lettuce leaves that way.
Add the chicken to a big bowl then stir in 1 Tablespoon gluten-free tamari and 1 Tablespoon corn starch and mix until every piece of chicken is coated.
Time to get cookin’!
Heat 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil in a large, nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat then add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through, and then remove to a plate.
Next, stir fry the veggie portion of the program which includes 1/2 an 8oz can sliced water chestnuts that have been chopped, 1 small chopped zucchini, and 2 chopped green onions.
Heat an additional Tablespoon vegetable oil in the wok then add all the veggies and stir fry until crisp tender. Add 1 clove minced garlic then stir fry for 30 more seconds.
Finally, add the chicken back into the wok with the sauce then let the whole thing bubble until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Let the Kung Pao chicken mixture cool for a few minutes then pile into lettuce leaves and top with chopped peanuts. I use butter lettuce cups for these wraps, but also love them with plain ol’ iceberg lettuce leaves. Whatever you decide, open wide!
I cannot stress to you how mouthwatering these wraps are – make them ASAP!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, chopped very small
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF, divided
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons mirin
- 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce, or more or less
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- 4 oz can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated, or bibb or iceberg lettuce
- 1/4 cup peanuts, minced
Directions
- Add chicken, 1 Tablespoon gluten-free tamari, and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch in a bowl then mix to combine.
- Add remaining 2 Tablespoons tamari, mirin, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a bowl then stir to combine. In a separate bowl, stir water into remaining Tablespoon cornstarch then stir into soy sauce mixture. Set sauce aside.
- Preheat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat then add chicken and stir fry until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
- Heat remaining Tablespoon oil in wok then add zucchini, water chestnuts, and green onions. Stir fry until zucchini is crisp-tender, then add garlic and stir fry for 30 more seconds. Add chicken back into wok then pour in sauce. Simmer until sauce is slightly reduced then let cool slightly before serving over lettuce and topping with minced peanuts.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This week’s produce box had a head of butter lettuce so I pulled up this recipe. I checked the pantry and with the quarantine I’ve made limited runs to the grocery store. Ended up subbing vermouth for mirin, celery for zucchini and cashews for peanuts. Everything was terrific and it all worked!! Another great recipe.
This is one of my daughter’s and my favorite recipes! I love that she shares my love of spicy food and that we don’t have to share this dish with anyone else!
Hahaha, a dish you can bond over – I love it!! :D
These were SO GOOD!!! Best chicken wraps ever.
Loved this recipe! I find myself making a recipe from your site at least once per weekend and we are finding so many new favorites. Next up is the steak with red wine sauce from your surf and turf recipe!
My husband and I flipped over this tangy, spicy recipe. Since it was the holiday season and I’ve had my fill of “heavy” fattening foods lately and I thought I would go lighter for a bit … and boy did this fit the bill. My husband raved about the flavors, the texture. Best of all it was so satisfying, without weighing us down. There was even plenty of leftovers for hubby’s lunch tomorrow. Thanks for this clever recipe. So glad I found your website. It’s stellar!
I’m so glad you guys liked it – thank you so much for the feedback! It’s one of my favorite recipes too!
Made this for my mom on Mother’s day along with your spring rolls (I added shrimp to mine instead of tofu), she loved it! Thanks for all the great recipes!