If you’ve ever enjoyed dining at PF Chang’s, you know just how delicious their Lettuce Wraps are. Picture flavorful, juicy ground chicken topped with a savory-sweet hoisin sauce, crunchy water chestnuts, and fresh green onion. Now, you can enjoy this amazing appetizer outside of business hours with our Copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps recipe.
Lettuce Wraps are an excellent dinner for warm nights when you want something that feels light. And, by swapping a traditional flour wrap for lettuce, you get a hefty dose of veggies.
If you’re into make-ahead meals, this is a great recipe to keep in your arsenal. Simply prep the saucy meat ahead of time for a simple lunch, light dinner, or party appetizer. These wraps have a delicate, delicious balance of flavors that will impress everyone. Is your mouth watering yet? If so, let’s get cookin’!
PF Chang’s History
Here are some little-known facts about PF Chang’s.
- The concept for PF Chang’s began in the 1960s after Philip Chiang was inspired by his family’s traditional recipes.
- Before PF Chang’s, there was Mandarette, Philip Chiang’s first restaurant. Paul Fleming (aka “P.F.”) saw the potential in Mandarette, and thus, PF Chang’s was born in the 90s.
- PF Chang’s is all about creating a great experience, which might be why they create their food fresh each day and showcase unique murals.
- Though PF Chang’s has many delightful dishes, their Lettuce Wraps remain the top favorite worldwide.
- Speaking of worldwide, PF Chang’s has more than 300 restaurants worldwide…and counting!
- PF Chang’s stands out from the crowd for several reasons, including their extensive cocktail and dessert menu. The chain’s sophisticated wine list has earned several awards and makes PF Chang’s an excellent spot for date night.
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Cost Benefits of Making Copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
If you were to dine at PF Chang’s, a plate of Lettuce Wraps would cost you a hefty $14.25, not including extra lettuce. This is rumored to serve only two people. Ouch!
In comparison, you can make a family-sized plate of our Copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps for under $10. As always, this may vary based on your locale and ingredient availability.
Here’s how that breaks down:
- Ground chicken: $4.00
- Garlic: $0.50
- Onion: $0.50
- Hoisin sauce: $0.50
- Brown or coconut sugar: $0.20
- Soy sauce: $0.10
- Ground ginger: $0.40
- Garlic chili sauce: $0.20
- Water chestnuts: $1.00
- Green onions: $0.50
- Salt: $0.01
- Pepper: $0.03
- Lettuce: $1.50
Grand Total: $9.44
What an amazing cost difference, especially when you factor in serving size! Plus, you skip the table wait time. This is fast food done right!
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How to Make Copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
Learn how to make Copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps with these simple steps.
Step One: Brown the Chicken
Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and chopped onions. Cook until the chicken is brown and the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Step Two: Make the Sauce
Stir in the garlic, hoisin sauce, coconut sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic chili sauce. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, until slightly thickened.
Step Three: Stir in Water Chestnuts
Stir in the chestnuts and cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until tender. Season the ground chicken mixture with salt and pepper.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. You may want to add more chili sauce or ginger, depending on your flavor preferences.
Step Four: Garnish and Serve the Lettuce Wraps
To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style. You can use iceberg lettuce, dark greens, romaine lettuce, or butter. The only rule is that your lettuce leaves be large enough to fit your sauced chicken!
Garnish the wraps with fresh green onions, crispy rice noodles, and any other toppings your heart desires. Enjoy!
What to Serve With PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
Copycat P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps make an excellent light meal, but you can always serve them with another main dish like Orange Chicken. If desired, serve your Lettuce Wraps with a topping bar of crispy rice noodles, sriracha, sweet chili sauce, additional green onions, and pickled ginger.
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Storing Leftover Copycat PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
Leftover P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps store beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days. We recommend refrigerating the meat and lettuce separately for best results. You can also store leftover meat in the freezer for up to 4 months. To reheat, simply warm the meat over medium-low heat.
PF Changs Lettuce Wraps Recipe
PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a classic staple when you eat at the restaurant, and now you can make them at home in just 30 minutes! This easy copycat recipe is healthier and just as tasty as the restaurant version and costs just a fraction of what you pay.
- Large skillet
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting Board
- Spoon or spatula
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic (fresh pressed)
- 1 count onion (diced)
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown or coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
- 1 count water chestnuts (8 ounce can)
- 1/4 cup green onions
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 count lettuce (head)
Preparation
Finely chop the yellow onion.
Mince the garlic cloves.
Drain and dice the water chestnuts into small pieces.
Thinly slice the green onions.
Wash and dry the butter lettuce leaves, ensuring they maintain their cup shape for filling.
Cooking / Creating
Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and chopped onions. Cook until the chicken is brown and the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, hoisin sauce, coconut sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic chili sauce. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, until slightly thickened.
Stir in the chestnuts and cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until tender. Season the ground chicken mixture with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
Serving / Presentation
Carefully spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into the center of each butter lettuce leaf.
Sprinkle the remaining sliced green onions over the filled lettuce cups for a pop of color and freshness.
Serve immediately while warm, inviting everyone to enjoy their own hand-held wrap.