Description
This easy weeknight recipe delivers restaurant-quality spicy gochujang caramel chicken lettuce wraps in under 30 minutes. The sweet and savory gochujang glaze creates a rich, glossy filling perfect for quick family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 8 ounces canned water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 head butter or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken, breaking it apart and cooking for 5-7 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat from the skillet.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Add diced onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chopped water chestnuts and cook for another minute.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, gochujang, brown sugar, vegetable broth, and cornstarch until completely smooth.
- Glaze the Filling: Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the filling with a glossy finish. Remove from heat immediately.
- Assemble Lettuce Wraps: Spoon the warm chicken filling into individual fresh lettuce cups. Garnish generously with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
Use lean ground chicken for a lighter meal, but avoid extra lean chicken breast for better flavor. Ensure the cornstarch slurry is completely smooth before adding to prevent lumps in the sauce. For soft cups, use butter lettuce; for a crispy texture, choose iceberg lettuce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: Spicy, Chicken, Lettuce Wraps, Gochujang, Korean, Weeknight Meal, Quick Dinner, Asian Fusion