Crispy Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Cucumber Salad

Highlights of the Chicken Recipe

• Short cut recipe: using frozen breaded chicken makes these wraps quick to whip up. While the chicken is baking you can prep the lettuce, cucumber salad, and any additional toppings. These can be made with any type of frozen chicken nuggets, strips, or tenders. Asian style tempura chicken is my preference and can be found in the freezer section.
• Fresh & flavorful: full of crispy fried chicken, crunchy chopped peanuts, spicy cucumber salad, green onions, and an extra drizzle of chili crunch oil. These are a flavor bomb in every bite! I like to serve with a side of sriracha aioli for more spice and creaminess.
• Great for parties: these are so fun served on a platter for game days or girls night. Or serve family style with chicken and lettuce cups on platters and toppings in bowls for people to create their own wraps.
• Kid friendly: kids will love this fun spin on chicken tacos. The Asian inspired flavors are mild and suited for all palates, a good way to get some veggies in.

Ingredient List & Substitutions

This dish is made with simple ingredients, many of which can easily be substituted based on what you have on hand. See below for any ingredient substitutions:

• Chicken: this recipe uses frozen breaded honey chicken, found in the Asian section. Any type of frozen breaded chicken will work such as popcorn chicken or flavored boneless wings. Or make homemade chicken bites.
• Mini cucumbers: I love using mini cucumbers, they are always so fresh and crunchy and I like the mild skin. Any cucumber will work, like hothouse, English, or Armenian cucumbers.
• Fresh herbs: cilantro gives this salad great flavor and add extra freshness. I also add in a thinly sliced green onion and a jalapeno.
• Sesame oil: this adds a nice nutty flavor to the cucumber salad and creates a bit of a dressing. Substitute olive or avocado oil.
• Chili oil: chili crunch or chili oil adds a beautiful color as well as some texture and spice to the cucumbers. Leave this out if you prefer less spice. This can be store-bought or homemade.
• Soy sauce: substitute coconut aminos or tamari for a gluten-free or soy-free option.
• Rice vinegar: this is optional but does add good flavor to the cucumber salad. Also called rice wine vinegar or mirin.
• Sesame seeds: add as many as you like! I love sesame seeds and tend to go overboard, so use at your own discretion – these make a great garnish.
• Lettuce: butter lettuce, iceberg lettuce, or bibb lettuce all work great for this recipe. Romaine lettuce are also a good idea.
• Chopped peanuts: I like these to garnish my lettuce wraps with chopped peanuts, almonds or cashews will also work.

How to Make The Crispy Lettuce Wraps

Let’s talk a little about how to make Crispy Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Cucumber Salad (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Quick overview:

• Prep lettuce cups and cucumber salad.
• Bake frozen chicken according to package instructions and toss in sauce.
• Top lettuce cups with chicken, cucumber salad, green onions, and chopped peanuts.
• Serve with sriracha aioli and enjoy.

1. Prepare lettuce cups. Bake frozen chicken according to package directions and toss in the sauce. If the pieces are large, chop them smaller.

2. Prepare ingredients for the cucumber salad and combine in a mixing bowl.

3. Fill lettuce cups with crispy chicken, cucumber salad, chopped peanut, green onions, and some extra chili oil. Serve with sriracha aioli and enjoy immediately.

Tools I Use for The Lettuce Wraps

• Pyrex Mixing Bowl Set – I love this set of nesting bowls. I use them for everything, Pyrex glass does not break easily so you can trust on these bowls for years, plus they come in 3 useful sizes and can be stacked!
• USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely. Perfect for cooking the frozen breaded chicken.
• Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.

More Fresh & Flavorful Recipes

If you liked these chicken lettuce cups with cucumber salad, you’ll love these other fresh recipes for weeknight inspiration. Check out all of my Chicken Recipes for more!

• Oven Baked Shrimp Rangoons – like a crab rangoon but better and baked!
• Sesame Ginger Orange Chicken Salad – a fresh cabbage salad with crispy chicken.
• Crispy Baked Cream Cheese Rangoons – a cheesy, spicy filling inside a wonton wrapper.
• Breaded Sesame Chicken Tacos with Asian Slaw – crispy shells filled with sesame chicken and slaw.

Storage

These are best enjoyed immediately, as the chicken is crispy and the lettuce is fresh. If you want to store these, store everything in individual containers and keep in the fridge for 1-2. They do not store well once assembled.

Recipe FAQs

What lettuce is best for lettuce cups?

Butter lettuce or bibb lettuce are my go-to’s for this recipe. Iceberg and romaine lettuce will also work and are usually a little easier to find in most grocery stores.

What goes with lettuce cups?

Serve your lettuce cups with Steamed Rice (or turn into cilantro lime rice), cauliflower rice, black beans, pinto beans, refried beans, or Mexican rice.

How do you keep lettuce wraps together?

The key to keeping lettuce wraps together is to not overfill the lettuce cup. This will help stop the lettuce wrap tearing and causing all of your toppings to fall out. Also, make sure you are using leaves of lettuce that are tear free or double up on lettuce to add extra support.