P.F. Chang’s Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ground chicken, fresh shiitake mushrooms, and crunchy water chestnuts cooked in a sauce of hoisin, soy, black vinegar, and Shaoxing wine, then spooned into butter lettuce cups. My P.F. Chang’s-inspired lettuce wraps take about 20 minutes, start to finish.

If there’s one appetizer I order every time I’m at P.F. Chang’s, it’s the chicken lettuce wraps. This is my homemade version: ground chicken and fresh shiitake mushrooms stir-fried with water chestnuts in a savory hoisin sauce, then spooned into butter lettuce cups. It’s hearty and satisfying, but it doesn’t feel heavy, making it a great option when you want something lighter that still feels like a complete meal.

It works as a party appetizer or as dinner on its own. If you’re cooking for someone who doesn’t eat meat, my P.F. Chang’s-inspired vegetarian lettuce wraps use pan-seared tofu with a similar crunchy filling.

What Makes This Version Different

This recipe is inspired by the restaurant dish, not a clone. I build the sauce from ingredients I keep in my own pantry:

• Hoisin and soy sauce form the savory, slightly sweet base.
• Black rice vinegar and Shaoxing wine add depth. Rice wine vinegar and mirin are fine substitutes if that’s what you have.
• Fresh shiitake mushrooms replace the dried mushrooms many copycats call for, so there’s no soaking step.
• Water chestnuts keep their crunch after cooking, which contrasts nicely with the soft chicken.

Ingredient Notes

Ground chicken: Any ground meat works. Pork, turkey, and beef are all good options, and readers have successfully made this with pork.

Lettuce: Butter, Bibb, and Boston lettuce are all varieties of butterhead lettuce, and any of them works. Iceberg is a fine substitute.

Shiitake mushrooms: You’ll need about 4 to 5, with the stems removed.

Heat: Both the jalapeño and the chili garlic sauce are optional. Use one, both, or neither.

How to Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Mix the sauce. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, hoisin, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, ginger, garlic, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil, then set aside. The cooking goes quickly, so having the sauce ready means you won’t be measuring over a hot pan.

Prep the vegetables. Dice the onion and shiitake mushrooms, chop the water chestnuts, and mince the jalapeño. Chop the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate, since they go into the pan at different times.

Brown the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over high heat. Cook the ground chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until it’s almost cooked through.

Add the aromatics. Add the onion, mushrooms, scallion whites, and jalapeño. Stir-fry for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the water chestnuts and sauce. Pour in the sauce and add the water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes.

Finish and garnish. Stir in the scallion greens, turn off the heat, and taste. Season with salt if needed. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Serve. Spoon the filling into lettuce cups.

Tips and Variations

• Make it spicy: Add chopped jalapeños, a heaping spoonful of chili garlic sauce, or both.
• Swap the crunch: Fresh bean sprouts or bamboo shoots can replace the water chestnuts.
• Round out the meal: Serve the wraps alongside chicken lo mein or yaki udon for a takeout-style spread. For another restaurant favorite, try my Panda Express mushroom chicken copycat.

Make Ahead and Storage

The filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and warmed right before serving, making this a great recipe for get-togethers. Store leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the lettuce separate and fill the cups just before eating.

Frequently Asked Questions

I hope you make these PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps! Please share, rate, and comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

For more ideas, browse my Asian recipes and appetizers.

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