Simmer these delicious, low-carb Asian chicken lettuce wraps in your slow cooker for a fresh & healthy home-cooked meal!
You guys. I straight up licked the spoon like it was brownie batter on this one!
It was shameful, yes. But delicious? You bet your lettuce-lovin’ buns.
I take that back. Does anyone really love lettuce, after all? I find that we have a love-hate relationship, honestly. Nestled underneath a spicy steak with veggies, it adds the perfect freshness and crunch. Tossed with fresh strawberries and a lemony poppy seed vinaigrette, it makes a scrumptious sweet-savory pairing. Plain on a plate with just a squirt of bottled dressing? Well, I’m about to flip a table!
These luscious lettuce wraps are anything but plain. They’re positively packed with flavor, easy to make (thank you slow cooker!), and a healthy twist on Asian take-out at home! With a drizzle of spicy Sriracha, I all but ate my dinner plate when these delicious wraps suddenly left me with just a couple crumbles of chicken.
The recipe I snagged (and made my own slightly) is from the brand spankin’ new America’s Test Kitchen cookbook, Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy Prep Edition. The index alone is enough to make your mouth water, where they have an irresistible collection of the classics – soups, casseroles, sauces and stews – but you can also find whole roast chickens, steaks, creamy dips, and cheesecakes!
YEAH. Slow-cooked. Cheesecake.
For a peek inside this fabulous new book, and for a preview of more of their surprising and easy slow cooker recipes, click here. You can grab yourself a copy here. The photos alone are drool-worthy!
But, back to the wraps before I get distracted by sweets!
By simmering ground chicken in a saucy mixture of hoisin, soy, garlic and ginger, you’re able to make a hearty meal for 4 in no time! The chicken turns out SO moist and tender, the sweet-salty sauce binds it together beautifully with the veggies and the rice. The whole shabang gets simmered in your slow cooker on “Low” to keep the chicken from drying out, so I don’t recommend jacking it up to “High” if you want to be more speedy about the process. If you don’t have a slow cooker, or just don’t have time, simmer everything together in a large nonstick skillet until everything is cooked and warmed through.
Chopped scallions and water chestnuts add freshness and crunch to compliment the intense flavors of the chicken. Rice joins the mix to soak up the extra sauce and bulk up the filling for a surprisingly hearty, comforting homemade meal that’s healthy, too. Wrapped up in a crunchy, crisp lettuce leaf, or even served over a bed of chopped greens, this chicken is definitely a new favorite in our house!
Try these wholesome and delicious Asian chicken lettuce wraps for dinner some night and you’ll see what I mean. They make for an easy next-day lunch, too. Just don’t forget the hot sauce!
Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped fine
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 4 oz. sliced water chestnuts, finely chopped
- 1 cup cooked rice, I used brown
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 head Bibb, Romaine or iceberg lettuce, rinsed and pat dry
- Sriracha hot sauce, for drizzling, optional
Instructions
- Microwave ground chicken in a medium bowl, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Drain off liquid and transfer mixture to slow cooker. Crumble chicken with a wooden spoon and stir in bell pepper, onion, garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Stir in water chestnuts, rice and scallions. Let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with lettuce leaves and Sriracha hot sauce, if desired.
- Enjoy!
How awesome does this look??? I need to get a slow-cooker now so I can make these!
Have a nice weekend! x
i must get ready all the ingredients.
I love lettuce wraps/cups. This looks like a dish I could really eat guilt free. :) Love all the flavors you have going here and the fact it’s done in the slow cooker makes it that much more amazing. :)
I’ve been dying for lettuce wraps lately so I am totally making these next week for dinner! They look out of this world. Better than the Asian cafe in my building, and that is hard to beat!
These are awesome!! Everything I love is in these wraps. So pretty and so tasty!
Wow, these look fantastic Georgia! So much flavor going on in the filling. On my list to try.
Lettuce wraps are a good thing! I have them at least a couple times a week for lunch. Fabulous flavors here and I simply must try! Gorgeous green and lush photography, girl! Thanks for sharing!
I love lettuce wraps. I had not thought to try it in a slow cooker. Your photos are gorgeous by the way. As a new blogger I always appreciate beautiful photos. I found you through Pinch of Yum!
I am a huge fan at PF Chang – will definitely be making your version :)
Slow cooker recipeeeeees! I broke out my crock pot for the first time of the season yesterday and am so thrilled that cooking is now going to be easier for the fall and winter months. Love these lettuce wraps and I’d definitely be right there with you, spoonfeeding myself this stuff like it was dessert!
I made something similar a month or so ago but never thought to do it in the crock pot! It looks delicious. I love hoisin sauce and don’t mind the lettuce wraps in place of carbs every so often. Delish!
Yes, yes and yes! I’m loving this slow cooker version of lettuce wraps and can’t wait to try your recipe this weekend!
These look absolutely delicious! Can I just say that out of all of the wonderful food blogs I like to peruse regularly (I am not a food blogger), you consistently have some of the most BEAUTIFUL photographs I have seen! As someone who has been cooking for my husband/family for 25 years, I have a huge arsenal of beloved recipes, but I have found myself unable to resist many of yours because they look so stunning!
Also….you just seem so nice! :)
Mmmmmm. I LOVE lettuce wraps!! These look absolutely mouthwatering!! I have a love/hate relationship with my crock pot {slow cooker, whatever you want to call it} but these… these will definitely make me whip that thing off the shelve and get some use!!
Julie, you just made my day with your super sweet comment! Thank you SO much! To know you enjoy my recipes and photos is what keeps me going… and the love of good food, of course. Have a great weekend!
Fabulous flavors here and your pictures do complete justice to how good it must. taste. I have to get a slow cooker asap.
lettuce is very lame when it’s on its own. Particularly iceburg. Bibb lettuce is the SHHHIIIIIIIZ time to figure out where in the world i hid my slow cooker!
I am in love with slow cooker recipes, it’s my best friend during the next few months so thanks for this great recipe!
I am in the market for more slow cooker recipes! Holy cow, how beautiful is this?! I am loving the ease of this dish, but the gorgeous presentation. Your pictures are amazing!!
I am a sucker for lettuce wraps and I might be one of the few who actually loves lettuce lol!
This looks delicious Georgia! I think I’d lick the spoon like a brownie batter too. :) I’m always looking for slow cooker recipes. Thanks for posting this one. Happy Friday! :)
I can’t get over how gorgeous these photos are!! I love the side of that lettuce wrap. I could eat these every day!!
I could make a meal of these lettuce wraps. Gorgeous photos!
Georgia,
I have to confess – you had me at shameful AND delicious. Why did that phrase make my heart race just a bit? I’m afraid it’s because I am a sucker for great looking recipes and this one seems to be just that. Wow!! Love it! Thanks for sharing this and have a wonderful weekend!!
I LOVE lettuce wraps, and these look incredibly tasty. I love lettuce when I’m using it as a vessel for getting something delicious into my mouth!
oh em gee i know this one.
i had a similar kind at a chinese restaurant. i remember this lettuce wrap. they do it with duck i think.
it’s so good. but when we eat out at restaurants it’s always so oily and fat!
this is definitely a healthy alternative. Bonus points on hot sauce!!!
Katie
What a coincidence that I made tofu lettuce wraps for the blog this afternoon but they turned out blah and won’t be making it to the blog. I skimped on oil to keep it healthy and had considerd adding hoisin but decided against it at the last second. I’m modifying ure recipe for a tofu one ( no slow cooker) and hope it turns out as good as yours looks in these pics.
I love lettuce wraps. Husband – not so much. I’ll have to try these when he’s not here. This looks fabulous!
Now that is a bright, festive bowl of deliciousness! I love Asian inspired flavors, and this one would be no exception. The fact that it’s made in a slow cooker makes it even better. You always bring us the best slow cooker meals, Georgia!
Fabulous idea for a meal from the slow cooker-seriously what will they think up next!!?! I have to order the cookbook -love everything from America’s Test Kitchen:)
Wow! These look fantastic! Asian-style food is always a hit at our house – I think everyone would go crazy over this! Thanks for sharing! :)
I made lettuce wraps tonight – they are definitely our favorite meal. I’m making these ASAP! And I’m going to order the book right now!
I’m one of those weirdos that likes to eat plain iceberg lettuce…I’ve been know to just cut up a wedge and eat it without any dressing. That’s really strange, I know : )
BUT, I also totally appreciate a good lettuce wrap. And I LOVE slow cooker recipes. It’s always nice to be able to leave the house and run a bunch of errands, and come home to a flavorful meal. I love all the textures and veggies you’ve incorporated into this. And sriracha is fantastic — gives such a great finishing kick!
I love chicken lettuce wraps and I really love that you made these in the slow cooker!
Love the lettuce wraps! This recipe looks too good and too simple to be true! Thanks for sharing, Georgia.
I would totally lick this off the spoon too, Georgia! Looks to-die-for!
This looks soooo good and refreshing! Great site!
Love ATK cookbooks and recipes! These lettuce wraps sound so fun! Great way to get out of a bun rut!
What a yummy wrap! Amazing flavors and texture. Eating these sounds so much fun!
I love it, Georgia! Lettuce wraps are one of my favorite things. These look perfect!
I would lick that spoon too…holy!
Ha ha!! I find myself liking the spoon of savory dishes too and am shocked, because I used to only do that for sweets. These wraps look and sound incredible. Full of flavor, but still good for ya, you know I love that!
The crispy lettuce, the crunch….the freshness is just sublime. Do you have trouble eating wraps? I do and usually resort to a fork..but they are still just as delicious! Great colors.
Gorgeous photography. My boys love it spicy and I thought at first your red bell peppers were bird chillies, now that would have been spicy… Have a super weekend, BAM
They can be tricky sometimes, but you could also serve the chicken mixture over chopped lettuce or additional rice!
I don’t know why, but I’ve never made a lettuce wrap. This needs to change! Yours looks so good. Terrific recipe and post – thanks.
Oh Georgia, these look SO perfect. I’d be licking the spoon on this one for sure, too!
I adore Asian food and using the slow cooker, so this is perfect for me! It looks so flavorful and really yummy!
This is pretty amazing!! and GREAT PICS!
Love this healthy lettuce wraps! I think this is the only time my kids “enjoy” eating lettuce. I’m serious! Looks delicious!
Okay, am I the only person who does not own a slow cooker :( I gotta fix this so I can make bomb dishes like this!!
Oh my word, I want these for dinner tonight!! gorgeous photos too :)
Georgia-these look great! YUM!
i’m stalking you…sorry! :-)
you convinced me to buy a slow cooker… chicken wraps have been on my list forever… but i jsut wanna be able to make meals and not do much.
:-)
How do you come up with these amazing recipes!? I love the freshness of it all!
PF changes has nothing on these wraps!!!
I truly need a slow cooker!! ASAP! :D
Yummy! Oh ma gosh so mouth watering. Thanks for posting. I’ve shared via my website :)
I love these but I wonder if you can use quinoa in place of the rice?
That would be great!
Can you cook the chicken in the crock pot and set it for a longer period of time?
I’ve never tried it, but you can give it a shot. If it cooks in the sauce, though, it might end up soaking up a lot of the sauce and won’t end up as tender.
These look/sound amazing! I am a little leary about the microwaving of the ground chicken since I have never done that before. Is there any advantage in microwaving the ground chicken versus cooking it on the stove top?
How long do you cook them on low total? Also the brown rice do you cook it before hand?
Cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours on low and yes, cooked rice, as the recipe states.
Trust me, it still stays very tender after microwaved! Doing so just helps remove a lot of the water and excess liquid inside the ground chicken. You can try cooking on the stovetop, but the end result might be more oily than you hoped for.
Have you tried not adding the rice? I am a low carb eater and would like to see if no rice would work?
Yes, you can definitely leave out the rice! The chicken will be a little more saucy than it would with the rice, but if you’re concerned about that you can use less hoisin sauce and soy sauce.
This sounds absolutely incredible! Just added this to my dinner menu for the week! LOVE!
I found this recipe on Pinterest and it came out great! My husband loved it, too.
Any idea about the nutrition facts for this meal? Trying to get a calorie count for tracking purposes!
You can look up the nutritional info by entering the ingredients into this form: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
I’m not a big fan of using my microwave unless I have to. Would it be possible to just brown the chicken in a skillet before adding to the crock pot? If so, would you just brown it and be sure not to cook it all the way through? Or, would you go ahead and cook it thoroughly since it’s only in the crockpot on low a couple of hours?
Looks delish and I can’t wait to try!
You could certainly try it! I wouldn’t brown the chicken though, just cook it 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
Do you have to use ground chicken, or could you use finely diced, boneless, skinless breasts? We like to know exactly what kind of meat we’re using….a little picky! Dying to try these….they look amazing!!
That would probably work! Just finely dice and add raw to the slow cooker. You may need to increase the cooking time slightly, just keep an eye on it.
Just wondering why your tip was not to use ground chicken breast. It was all I could find. Is it just tastier with ground chicken vs ground chicken breast? Or should I alter the cooking directions?? Thanks!!!
Ground chicken breast tends to dry out quicker than ground chicken, and in my opinion, it’s not as tender. If you’re using chicken breast, though, I’d suggest reducing the cooking time to 1 to 1 1/2 hours on low.
Yummy!! I prepared everything last night and warmed it up when I got home from work. Both teenage boys and hubby loved it. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you :)
Made this on the stovetop this evening. I left out the rice since I didn’t already have some cooked. It was a little saucer but was very good. My husband even liked it and I was not expecting that. Will be making again thanks!!
I found this on Pinterest and made it tonight with ground beef and ground turkey; doubled the recipe for my 3 teenagers.
It turned out great and would highly recommend it.
My mouth is watering just looking at these! I am making pizza for dinner but girl, who wants pizza NOW??! All I want is these wraps!! So unfair!
I was wondering if you could make a larger batch and freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze the chicken mixture – just thaw and reheat before serving.
I made this last night and it was really good! although it wasn’t as good as pf changs it was still really good. I’ll make a double batch next time and freeze half :)
I need to figure out what I need to do differently to make it more like pf changs but it’s a good starter recipe! Thanks!!
Yep, I’m totally making this for dinner tonight! Thanks!
How do you think this would taste made with ground pork?
Sounds yummy to me!
I went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients today. Where did you get the ground chicken that isn’t strictly chicken breast? That is all I could find after visiting 2 stores. Going to use your tip above where you say to reduce the cook time. I want to try this! Chicken breast or no chicken breast!
My local grocery carries it, but chicken breast will work, too! Hope you enjoy.
This looks amazing!!! How could I omit the microwave? Could I just throw the chicken in raw? How long would you recommend I keep it in the slow cooker if I did that? Thanks!!! :)
As another reader did, you can cook the ground chicken in a skillet, just until it’s no longer pink, but not until browned.
This sounds so good! I have shared this on Pinterest.
O my god this sounds ssssoooo good will make this
This is super yummy! Easy and filling!
I made this tonight…delish, except I just made it all on the stovetop (cooking the chicken first and then draining the grease before cooking the veggies and adding it together with the rice and sauce/seasonings. Otherwise, for me, that short of a time in a slow cooker doesn’t make sense especially during the week.
Wow What a coincidence that I made tofu lettuce wraps for the blog this afternoon but they turned out blah and won’t be making it to the blog. I skimped on oil to keep it healthy and had considerd adding hoisin but decided against it at the last second. I’m modifying ure recipe for a tofu one ( no slow cooker) and hope it turns out as good as yours looks in these pics