We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
PF Chang’s lettuce wraps are an easy, light appetizer. The dipping sauces in the recipe are to die for! Way better than any restaurant lettuce wrap!
Table of Contents
- What’s In PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- Instructions for Making PF Chang’s Lettuce Wrap
- Variations in PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- Homemade Lettuce Wrap Sauce
- Low-Sodium Options
- Gluten-Free Lettuce Wraps
- Modification of a PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- More Great Copycats
- How to Make PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps Recipe
I just love the taste of lettuce wraps especially from PF Chang’s. They are full of so many delicious flavors and textures and they are just a delight to eat. That’s what makes these PF Chang’s lettuce wraps such an amazing copycat recipe. Try these lettuce wraps with the dipping sauces provided below to take them to the next level!
What’s In PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
Though we can’t say for sure the exact ingredients PF Changs uses in their lettuce wraps in the restaurant, we can get close based on what we have observed when eating them. This is what we put in our copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps!
- Chicken – Cook and dice the chicken breast ahead of time before adding to the mixture.
- Lettuce Wrap Sauce – A mixture of teriyaki sauce, chili sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes. You can also add a little hoisin sauce if you prefer.
- Oil – This is used for sautéing the chicken. You can use vegetable oil, sesame oil, olive oil, or even chili oil if you like it spicy.
- Green onion – Cut them into small pieces. It adds a mild heated flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives that savory taste that is common in Asian food.
- Water chestnuts – These have a crisp texture with a soft bite. It does not have any flavor but the crunchy texture is delicious in every bite.
- Cashews – Chopped cashews give a crunchy texture.
- Mushrooms – Shiitake mushrooms are a great choice, or you can use button or white mushrooms too.
- Lettuce leaves – You can use butter lettuce, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, or any lettuce that is pliable and easy to wrap.
Instructions for Making PF Chang’s Lettuce Wrap
We love making this PF Chang’s lettuce wrap recipe! It is so simple to make and is perfect for an appetizer before dinner, a side dish, or as a light dinner. It is perfect for any time of day and is ready in minutes.
- Mix – Combine teriyaki sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Skillet – In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add chicken.
- Cook – Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. When chicken is white on all sides, remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Discard any extra juices.
- Saute – In the same skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, water chestnuts, pinenuts, and mushrooms, and saute.
- Assemble – Stir in the teriyaki mixture and chicken in the skillet. Cook uncovered, stirring often until chicken is cooked through. Place the chicken mixture in the center of a lettuce leaf, top with Lettuce Wrap Sauce, roll up, and enjoy!
Variations in PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
Create the best combination of PF Chang’s lettuce wraps with just a few variations to help make it just the way you like it! Change the ingredients or modify them in any way to help balance what you have at home and what you love in your lettuce. The options are endless!
- Lettuce – Choose between bib, Boston, or butter lettuce is easy to spoon the chicken mixture together. Iceberg lettuce is another favorite but doesn’t have as much flavor.
- Protein – Some people like to use ground chicken, ground pork, ground beef, or ground turkey in lettuce wraps instead of the chicken breast chopped up. Shrimp is also another option.
- Nuts – Use peanuts or pine nuts instead of cashews.
- Vegetarian – Make it meatless with a combination of all the ingredients without the chicken or meat choices.
- Fruit – Add chopped mango for a sweeter type of PF Chang’s lettuce wrap option.
Homemade Lettuce Wrap Sauce
One of the best parts about lettuce wraps is the variety of sauces you can serve on the side. The sauces are easy to make once you have made your teriyaki sauce mixture for the lettuce wraps. If you love the sauces as much as I do, you can even make a little extra sauce just so you have plenty for dipping. Here are the sauce combinations we love:
- Peanut Sauce – ⅓ cup teriyaki mixture + 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut butter.
- Spicy Teriyaki Sauce – ⅓ cup teriyaki mixture + 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or to taste, depending on how spicy you like it).
- Asian-style BBQ sauce – ½ cup hoisin sauce + low-sodium soy sauce or water added until desired consistency is reached.
- Spicy Oyster Sauce – Oyster sauce + Sriracha (to taste).
- Our Favorite Lettuce Wrap Sauce – click to view the recipe.
Low-Sodium Options
For a low-sodium option, you can swap out the soy sauce for coconut aminos, and tamari, or simply just use low-sodium soy sauce. Teriyaki sauce can also be high in sodium, so be sure to check your labels. You can also make your teriyaki sauce by using the recipe provided in our Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken recipe and use low-sodium soy sauce.
Gluten-Free Lettuce Wraps
These lettuce wraps are super easy to make GF because the wrap itself (the lettuce) is already gluten-free. The only thing you need to watch out for is the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Neither of those ingredients is gluten-free. Be sure to opt for gluten-free sauces and check the labels when looking for ingredients to make this recipe.
Modification of a PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
As a little added note, PF Chang’s lettuce wraps are not the most “kid-friendly” meal or easiest to hold together for smaller hands. If you have young ones like I do, lettuce wraps are pretty much impossible because little ones have a hard time keeping the lettuce wrap intact.
To solve this problem, I cut up the lettuce placed it in a bowl, and put the filling over the top. Sometimes I cook up a little rice and add it to the bowl with the chicken mixture. They LOVE it!
“Ah, these are so light and easy to make. Just what I have been looking for – thank you!”
-Mahy
Frequently Asked Questions
No. PF Chang’s lettuce wraps are not gluten-free as ordered from the menu. However, you can make a special request for them to be made gluten-free OR you can make them at home to be gluten-free by making this recipe with GF soy sauce and teriyaki sauce.
Lettuce wraps are overall a very healthy choice. You can make them even healthier by using low-sodium and low-sugar ingredients when you make them at home.
You can either fold them up like a taco or you can roll them up like a burrito. Lettuce wraps can tend to get messy and that’s ok! Using a pliable lettuce like butter lettuce will help keep all the contents contained.
These have chicken, teriyaki sauce, vegetables, onion, chestnuts, mushrooms, cashews, garlic, and onion all wrapped up in a butter lettuce leaf.
Storing PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
It is best to separate all the parts from each other. Place the chicken mixture in an airtight container and the bib lettuce in another one. This will help keep them both fresh and delicious when ready to reheat. Place the chicken mixture in a microwave to reheat or on the stovetop. Once warmed through, spoon the mixture into a lettuce boat and enjoy!
More Great Copycats
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So here goes. Some great imitation recipes from your favorite restaurants.
How to Make PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 cup teriyaki sauce
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon finely minced or grated fresh ginger
- red pepper flakes, to taste
Chicken Filling
- 4 tablespoons oil, divided
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into small pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup sliced green onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chopped water chestnuts
- ½ cup pine nuts or cashews, chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped mushroom (optional)
Dipping Sauces
- remaining teriyaki mixture (about ⅔-¾ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon Sriracha sauce, or to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
Instructions
Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine all teriyaki sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Chicken
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add chicken. Cook until chicken is white on all sides (it doesn't need to be completely cooked through), then remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate. Discard any extra juices.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, water chestnuts, pine nuts or cashews, and mushrooms. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken and about half of the teriyaki mixture to the skillet. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often until chicken is cooked through.
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center of each lettuce leaf, roll up, and enjoy!
Dipping Sauces
- Heat the remaining teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Divide sauce into 2 small bowls. In one bowl, add sriracha sauce and mix well. In the other bowl, add creamy peanut butter and mix until smooth.
- Pour over top lettuce wraps and enjoy!
Notes
Variations
-
- Lettuce – Choose between bib, Boston, or butter lettuce is easy to spoon the chicken mixture together. Iceberg lettuce is another favorite but doesn’t have as much flavor.
-
- Protein – Some people like to use ground chicken, ground pork, ground beef, or ground turkey in lettuce wraps instead of the chicken breast chopped up. Shrimp is also another option.
-
- Nuts – Use peanuts or pine nuts instead of cashews.
-
- Vegetarian – Make it meatless with a combination of all the ingredients without the chicken or meat choices.
-
- Fruit – Add chopped mango for a sweeter type of PF Chang’s lettuce wrap option.
Those look tasty and love the sound of all the dipping sauces to go with them.
Ah, these are so light and easy to make. Just what I have been looking for – thank you!
Yup….I’m making this! I’ve recently been LOVING Asian style vegan lettuce wraps. I can’t wait to try this one. Thank you 🙌🏾🙌🏾!!
I love PF Chang’s lettuce wraps and this recipe tasted just like the restaurant version! It was so delicious!
I absolutely love the Asian Lettuce Wraps at PF Chang’s! I was so darn happy to find this copycat recipe on Pinterest. Thanks so much for sharing it! I’m serving this for dinner tonight.
Extremely salty!! I can’t even eat them :(. I followed the recipe exactly however I did substitute chili garlic instead of the sweet. I’m so bummed.
What kind of Teriyaki sauce did you use? We use Yoshida’s in this recipe and it should make it actually a little on the sweeter side.
Hi, how many would you think this serves? 3-4? Thanks in advance!
It would probably serve 4 (each person being able to have 2-3 lettuce wraps) depending on how hungry your guests are!
Hi can I use ice berg lettuce instead cant get butter lettuce ???? Thanks
You can but the lettuce just won’t hold together quite as well as butter lettuce. It should still taste great though!
Have you ever had the Tofu lettuce wraps? Would it be as easy to replace the chicken with tofu?
I haven’t had them, but I am sure you would be able to replace it without any problems. Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
I served these for dinner tonight, and my family loved them. I was too lazy to make the dipping sauces, and as it turned out, the lettuce wraps were fabulous all on their own. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
These lettuce wraps are FANTASTIC! I’ve tried a few other recipes and this one by far is the best. I love Yard House’s lettuce wraps and I think these come pretty darn close if not better! I use ground turkey most of the time and leave out the chili flakes for my kids and they turn out great. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Yummy!! Sounds delicious!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Those look delicious! I love lettuce wraps, this variation sounds yummy. 🙂
This would be my summer favorite as well. Bookmarked and needs to happen here very soon!
Thanks Matt– we are fans of Real Food by Dad! Thanks for your comment! 😀