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August 2, 2014

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Name: Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 large boneless (skinless chicken breasts, grilled or sautéed and thinly sliced); 2 Tbsp olive oil; 3 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 garlic cloves (pressed); 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated, or 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder); 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil; 2 heads of Boston (Bib or Butter Lettuce); 2 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa (*see notes below on how I made it); 1 medium or 3 small cucumbers (thinly sliced); 1 large or 2 medium Carrots (sliced into matchsticks); 1/4 bunch of fresh Cilantro; 3/4 cup Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing; 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter (microwave 30 sec if peanut butter refrigerated); 1/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional topping)

5 from 23 votes
99 comments

Have you tried lettuce wraps? You'll love these! P.S. this peanut sauce is boss. You'll want to hang on to this recipe! @natashaskitchen

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I can’t get enough of these chicken quinoa lettuce wraps. They agree with me. I can eat a boat load and still feel pretty awesome. If you’ve tried our shrimp lettuce wraps, you’ll be wild about these. I love the addition of quinoa; making it a well-rounded meal and the quinoa keeps you full longer. Anytime we make these lettuce wraps, there are never leftovers.

We’ve tested other recipes for peanut dipping sauce and nothing compares to this one. This sauce is BOSS. It’s creamy, easy, and has just two ingredients. It’s finished in several shakes to the theme song “everything is awesome.” – Have you seen the Lego Movie? It’s so silly and hilarious. You’ll either laugh through it or turn it off after 10 minutes, or you’ll be like me and watch it twice and laugh every time they mention “the kragle” or the “powleesh remover of nayil.” O-K. Back to the sauce. It definitely induces serious cravings!

We took these to my sisters house and her family devoured them quickly! P.S. the kiddos love these best with ranch.

Ingredients For the Chicken:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled or sautéed and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated, or 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

Ingredients for the Wraps:

2 heads of Boston, Bib or Butter Lettuce
2 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa
1 medium or 3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 medium Carrots, sliced into matchsticks
1/4 bunch of fresh Cilantro

Have you tried lettuce wraps? You'll love these! P.S. this peanut sauce is boss. You'll want to hang on to this recipe! @natashaskitchen

Ingredients for the Peanut Dipping Sauce:

3/4 cup Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing (P.S. this dressing contains wheat so if you’re gluten free, try: Braggs ginger sesame)
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter (microwave 30 sec if peanut butter refrigerated)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts, optional topping

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps-4

How to Prepare the Teriyaki Chicken:

1. In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients of your marinade: 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated ( or 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder) and 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil.

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps-2

2. Place chicken breast in a medium bowl, add marinade and stir to coat the chicken evenly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes (prep your veggies in the mean time).

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps-3

3. Once chicken is marinated, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken along with some of the oil in the marinade and sauté until caramelized and browned on both sides and fully cooked. If chicken breasts are very large, you might cover with the lid when sautéing the second side for the chicken to cook through.

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps-5

4. Remove from heat and let chicken breasts rest on a cutting board 5 minutes before cutting into it, then slice into thin strips on the diagonal.

*How I Cooked Quinoa:

Rinse quinoa in a fine colander until water runs clear to get rid of any natural bitterness. Quinoa is cooked similar to rice. The ratio is 3/4 cup dry quinoa to 1 1/2 cups filtered water. I cooked mine in the rice maker on the white rice setting without adding any salt or butter and it was done after about 20 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a bowl to cool. You want it to be room temp or cooler before using in lettuce wraps.

How to make the best peanut dipping sauce:

1. Combine 3/4 cup sesame ginger dressing with 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter and whisk together or shake together in a tupperware with a tight fitting lid. Transfer to a small bowl and top with chopped peanuts if using.

The best (and easiest!) creamy peanut sauce for lettuce wraps! @natashaskitchen

How to Serve Lettuce Wraps:

1. Place all prepared vegetables on a platter: lettuce, sliced cucumbers, sliced carrots and sprigs of cilantro. Add your bowls of chicken, quinoa, and peanut sauce to the serving platter

Have you tried lettuce wraps? You'll love these! P.S. this peanut sauce is boss. You'll want to hang on to this recipe! @natashaskitchen

2. You can either pre-assemble the lettuce wraps or let your hungry folks assemble their own (my favorite method!). Start with the lettuce leaf, add a heaping Tbsp of cooked quinoa, a strip or two of chicken breast, sliced cucumber and carrots along with a couple sprigs of cilantro. Drizzle with prepared creamy peanut sauce and be prepared to love this. (P.S. If kids are eating this, they might love it more with ranch). You’ll be running back for more!

Have you tried lettuce wraps? You'll love these! P.S. this peanut sauce is boss. You'll want to hang on to this recipe! @natashaskitchen

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

5 from 23 votes

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Have you tried lettuce wraps? You'll love these! P.S. this peanut sauce is boss. You'll want to hang on to this recipe! @natashaskitchen

These are a meal in themselves. They are quick to make and easy to assemble. They’re really self serve and definitely encourage fun conversation at the dinner table. I love the addition of quinoa; making it a well-rounded meal and the quinoa keeps you full longer. About the sauce: we've tested other recipes for peanut dipping sauce and nothing compares to this one. This sauce is BOSS. It's creamy, easy, and has just two ingredients. It definitely induces serious cravings! P.S. the kiddos love these best with ranch.

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Course: Appetizer, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $20-$23

Servings: 6 -8

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled or sautéed and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated, or 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

For the Wraps:

2 heads of Boston, Bib or Butter Lettuce
2 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa, *see notes below on how I made it
1 medium or 3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 medium Carrots, sliced into matchsticks
1/4 bunch of fresh Cilantro

For the Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce:

3/4 cup Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing, P.S. this dressing contains wheat so if you’re gluten free, try: Braggs ginger sesame
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter, microwave 30 sec if peanut butter refrigerated
1/3 cup chopped peanuts, optional topping

Instructions

How to Prepare the Teriyaki Chicken:

In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients of your marinade: 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated ( or 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder) and
/2 Tbsp sesame oil
Place chicken breast in a medium bowl, add marinade and stir to coat the chicken evenly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes (prep your veggies in the mean time).
Once chicken is marinated, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken along with some of the oil in the marinade and sauté until caramelized and browned on both sides and fully cooked. If chicken breasts are very large, you might cover with the lid when sautéing the second side for the chicken to cook through.
Remove from heat and let chicken breasts rest on a cutting board 5 minutes before cutting into it, then slice into thin strips on the diagonal.

*How I Cooked Quinoa:

Rinse quinoa in a fine colander until water runs clear to get rid of any natural bitterness. Quinoa is cooked similar to rice. The ratio is 3/4 cup dry quinoa to 1 1/2 cups filtered water. I cooked mine in the rice maker on the white rice setting without adding any salt or butter and it was done after about 20 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a bowl to cool. You want it to be room temp or cooler before using in lettuce wraps.

How to make the best peanut dipping sauce

Combine 3/4 cup sesame ginger dressing with 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter and whisk together or shake together in a tupperware with a tight fitting lid. Transfer to a small bowl and top with chopped peanuts if using.

How to Serve:

Place all prepared vegetables on a platter: lettuce, sliced cucumbers, sliced carrots and sprigs of cilantro. Add your bowls of chicken, quinoa, and peanut sauce to the serving platter.
You can either pre-assemble the lettuce wraps or let your hungry folks assemble their own (my favorite method!). Start with the lettuce leaf, add a heaping Tbsp of cooked quinoa, a strip or two of chicken breast, sliced cucumber and carrots along with a couple sprigs of cilantro. Drizzle with prepared creamy peanut sauce and be prepared to love this.

Nutrition Disclosure

Have you tried lettuce wraps? You'll love these! P.S. this peanut sauce is boss. You'll want to hang on to this recipe! @natashaskitchen

These are a meal in themselves. They are quick to make and easy to assemble. They’re really self serve and definitely encourage fun conversation at the dinner table. And,… I’m hungry again.

Have you tried making lettuce wraps? What are your favorite toppings?

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.