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Quick, easy and packed with flavor, these Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Sauce are proof that healthy eating CAN be delicious! Ready in 20 minutes or less, this cashew chicken with tahini lettuce wrap sauce is perfect as a healthy appetizer, hearty lunch, light dinner and anything in between!

Overhead shot of Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps on a white platter with a small ramekin of tahini sauce on a light blue linen with a small ramekin of sliced scallions next to the platter.

Update: This post was originally published in June 2017. I made edits to the post below to include more information about cashew chicken. There’s also now a step-by-step recipe video showing you exactly how easy these chicken tahini wraps are to make.

Hi, friends! Long time, no virtual see. For those of you in the United States, I hope you had the most wonderful Memorial weekend! Hopefully it was filled with family time, grilling, cocktails, summery desserts, and basking in the summer sun.

Today we are making delicious lettuce wraps with chicken. There’s plenty of protein, a silky tahini sauce, crisp lettuce and all the accoutrements. It’s healthy, utterly delicious and your beach body goals will love it. Let’s go!

45 degree angle shot of cooked Cashew Chicken stir fry in a skillet with a wooden spoon - the last step before assembling lettuce wraps.

About this recipe for chicken lettuce wraps 

Also known as little bundles of edible BLISS, these dainty, yet hearty chicken cashew wraps will leave you satisfied without weighing you down.

Tender, juicy, crumbles of garlicky-gingery chicken sautéed in a creamy-dreamy, savory tahini sauce; topped with crisp water chestnuts, herbaceous green onions, crunchy cashews, and silky noodles all piled high in a refreshingly cool lettuce cup.

Super easy, and seriously delicious, these little parcels of joy are perfect for lunch, appetizers, dinner and even breakfast if you’re a little daring like me. 😉

⬆️ Oh, don’t give me that look. YES, I had these for breakfast. I’m a savory breakfast kinda girl, and when something is this O-M-Gee GOOD, you NEED to eat it at every meal.

If you’ve got leftover salty cashews, put them to good use in these recipes: Spicy Roasted Mixed Nuts, Curry Cashew Chicken, and Lobster, Mango Spring Rolls.

Overhead shot of Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps on a white platter with a small ramekin of tahini sauce on a light blue linen, with the focus on one individual wrap.

Which lettuce is best for chicken lettuce wraps?

My personal favorite lettuce for these (or any) wraps are either bibb or butter lettuce. Their broad leaves are sturdy and can hold a generous amount of filling without tearing or falling apart.

When you are selecting a head of bibb or butter lettuce, you want to look for a smaller head where the outer leaves look crisp and fresh, with no signs of wilting.

If you can’t find bibb or butter lettuce, you can use iceberg or romaine. While iceberg is commonly used in Asian style lettuce wraps and it does have a nice crispness, it can be hard to roll. And, since romaine has narrow leaves, it won’t hold as much filling.

If you are looking for a heartier green, you can use collards or swiss chard!

Overhead, extreme close up shot of Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps on a white platter, with the focus on the chicken filling in the wrap.

How to make cashew chicken wraps at home

Step one – Make the tahini sauce by whisking together a generous amount of tahini with a touch of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chicken stock and honey. Stir until it’s silky smooth, then taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Step two – Cook the chicken. Heat some oil in a large wok, add the chicken, season it up, and cook, making sure you stir to break up any large clumps of chicken. Add in the garlic and ginger, then the water chestnuts and green onion. Finally, add in the tahini sauce and stir until everything is coated and delicious.

Step three – Pile some noodles into a cup of lettuce, generously pack on the chicken, sprinkle with desired garnishes, drizzle with some tahini and DEVOUR.

45 degree angle shot of Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps on a white platter with a small ramekin of tahini sauce on a light blue linen with a small ramekin of sliced scallions, a stack of plates and forks blurred in the background.

Tips for the best chicken wraps and lettuce wrap sauce

  1. The recipe calls for ground chicken. You can use all lean white meat ground chicken if you would like, however the plain packaged combination of white and dark meat ground chicken packs the most flavor!
  2. I used bibb lettuce for my wraps, but feel free to swap it out for iceberg or romaine.
  3. If these lettuce wraps simply have way too many healthy-vibes for your taste, nix the lettuce and serve the tahini chicken on bread as a sandwich, or use it as a dip for crackers and/or chips!
  4. You can serve the lettuce wraps as is, or you can drizzle them with more tahini, OR you can make a super simple tahini dipping sauce by mixing ¼ cup tahini with 4 tsp soy sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

45 degree angle shot of a Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps on a white platter with a small ramekin of tahini sauce and more lettuce wraps partially visible and blurred in the background.

What goes with Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps?

I served my lettuce wraps with cooked vermicelli noodles tucked right into the lettuce wrap, underneath the cashew chicken filling.

You can find vermicelli noodles, also known as rice noodles or rice sticks, in the ethnic isle of most grocery stores. Vermicelli noodles are thin rice-flour noodles commonly used in Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian cuisines. Often used in stir-fries, soups, spring rolls and salads, their soft, delicate texture pairs perfectly with these lettuce wraps!

If noodles aren’t your thing, you can also serve these wraps with white rice. Or, if you are looking for a healthier option, quinoa or cauliflower “rice” would be delicious!

Overhead shot of a hand holding a Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wrap over a white platter of more lettuce wraps with a small ramekin of tahini sauce on a light blue linen.

This recipe with tahini and chicken is so yummy and perfect as a healthy appetizer, hearty snack, or light dinner. Get these saucy chicken wraps in your life. I pinkie promise your mouth and stomach will thank you!

Until next week friends, cheers! To little lettuce-y boats of yum.

Cheyanne

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More healthy chicken recipes!

How to make best Cashew Chicken and Tahini Sauce for lettuce wraps👇

Overhead, landscape shot of Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps on a white platter with a small ramekin of tahini sauce on a light blue linen with a small ramekin of sliced scallions next to the platter.

Easy Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Sauce

4.94 from 15 votes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Quick, easy and packed with flavor these Cashew Tahini Chicken Lettuce Wraps are proof that healthy eating CAN be delicious! Ready in 20 minutes or less, these lettuce wraps are perfect for lunch, appetizers, dinner and everything in between!

Ingredients 

  • 1 TBS Canola or Peanut Oil
  • 1 Pound Ground Chicken*
  • 3 Cloves Garlic – finely diced
  • 2 heaping tsp Grated Ginger
  • 1 (8 ounce) can Sliced Water Chestnuts – drained
  • 3 Green Onions – trimmed and sliced
  • Kosher Salt and Pepper , to taste
  • ½ Cup roasted Cashews – roughly chopped
  • 1 Head Bibb or Boston Lettuce – leaves separated

Sauce (yield roughly 2/3 cup):

Optional For Serving: Sliced Green Onions, Cashews, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Sesame Seeds, Cooked Vermicelli Noodles or Cooked White Rice

    Instructions

    • Make the Tahini Sauce: In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.
    • For the Chicken: Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up any clumps, until the chicken is starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes. (Depending on the type of ground chicken you used, drain any excess fat from the pan if necessary)
    • Add in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Stir in the water chestnuts and green onions. Cook for 1 minute. Add in the satay sauce, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
    • To Serve: Remove chicken from heat and taste/adjust for seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with lettuce and garnishes on side, or spoon chicken mixture directly into individual lettuce leaves and garnish as desired. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    1. The recipe calls for ground chicken. You can use all lean white meat ground chicken if you would like, however the plain packaged combination of white and dark meat ground chicken packs the most flavor!
     
    2. I used bibb lettuce for my wraps, but feel free to swap it out for iceberg or romaine.
     
    3. If these lettuce wraps simply have way too many healthy-vibes for your taste, nix the lettuce and serve the tahini chicken on bread as a sandwich, or use it as a dip for crackers and/or chips!
     
    4. You can serve the lettuce wraps as is, or you can drizzle them with more tahini, OR you can make a super simple tahini dipping sauce by mixing ¼ cup tahini with 4 tsp soy sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 272kcal    Carbohydrates: 10g    Protein: 17g    Fat: 19g    Saturated Fat: 3g    Cholesterol: 65mg    Sodium: 66mg    Potassium: 538mg    Sugar: 3g    Vitamin A: 60IU    Vitamin C: 2mg    Calcium: 31mg    Iron: 1.8mg

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    Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Sauce