Appetizers/ Chicken/ Main Dishes

Asian Lettuce Wraps

When my husband and I were on our honeymoon, we spent a couple of days in Calgary. After visiting Joey Tomato’s and ordering their Asian lettuce wraps a couple of times, I completely fell in love. My quest had been to re-create the ones we had there, and when I found this recipe, I knew it was the one! These are really messy, which I don’t mind, but hubby ends up using tortillas to wrap them instead. That’s kinda more Mexican-y, but it makes him happy and not complaining, so I let it go. The sacrifices you make…

This recipe is pretty versatile, so don’t sweat it if you don’t have the exact ingredients – try a combination of peppers, don’t worry about what kind of mushrooms you have (shiitake, cremini, even regular old white button mushrooms are delicious), the chili paste can be substituted for Sriracha or any other hot sauce, etc.

We like to keep the noodles and peanuts separate from the stir fry so that they don’t get soggy if you have leftovers, but hey, whatever floats your boat. ;)

P.S. You all know I dislike cilantro, so of course my recipe doesn’t call for it, but all you weirdo cilantro lovers might like to add a couple tablespoons of the stuff chopped fresh.

P.P.S. Yes, you are weird.

Recipe lightly adapted from food.com.

Print Recipe
4.80 from 10 votes

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Course: Main Dish or Appetizer
Servings: 4 servings
Author: The Gourmet Housewife

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1/2 red pepper chopped
  • 250 g water chestnuts sliced matchstick-style
  • 2 cups mushrooms sliced matchstick-style
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp brown sugar
  • 5 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp chili paste such as Sambal Oelek
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • lettuce for wrapping such as Butter, Boston or Bibb
  • steam fried crispy Asian noodles

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet to med-high heat. Add peanuts and stir occasionally until roasty. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in same skillet over med heat. Add garlic and sauté until softened. Add chicken, stir fry until no longer pink.
  • Add onion, pepper, chestnuts and mushrooms. Sauté for 1 min.
  • Meanwhile, dissolve the brown sugar in the soy sauce. Add to the vegetables in the pan. Continue to stir fry for about 2 mins.
  • Add the hoisin sauce and chili paste.
  • Stir in green onions and remove from heat.
  • To assemble: Place noodles on the lettuce, then the stir fried meat and veggies, and top with peanuts.

 

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57 Comments

  • Reply
    Babygirl
    February 1, 2011 at 3:09 pm

    Who doesn’t love lettuce wraps. I really enjoyed reading this post and I will definitely have to make this recipe.

  • Reply
    The Gourmet Housewife
    February 1, 2011 at 3:24 pm

    Thanks Babygirl! I hope you enjoy them!

  • Reply
    Roberta Cross
    December 30, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    Thanks have a reciepe my son in law made for us it was great. Very similar except chili sauce and a few differences, can,t wait to try this one.
    Thanks again. I am a fan of Joeys Only (now)lettece wraps.

    • Reply
      T
      July 19, 2016 at 6:20 pm

      Joeys Only is a fish and chips place. You mean just Joey.

  • Reply
    sara
    April 25, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    Made these wraps for supper tonight…even the kids loved them! Thanks for posting…I’ll definitely be making them again!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      April 25, 2013 at 8:44 pm

      Thanks Sara! So happy you liked them!

  • Reply
    Stacey
    May 1, 2013 at 9:57 am

    I’m looking forward to making these tonight. I’m surprised that there is no gingerroot or sesame oil in the recipe…

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      May 1, 2013 at 10:00 am

      Stacey, I never thought to add those, but I bet they would be delicious! If you do, let me know how it turns out!

  • Reply
    Colleen
    May 2, 2013 at 10:32 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the great recipe. I like you had them at Joeys and loved them. I googled them today and searched umpteen recipes and then I found yours.
    I said to myself that’s it, that’s the recipe.
    We thoroughly enjoyed them for dinner this evening. Although my husband did say they were too healthy!
    Thanks again

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      May 3, 2013 at 8:09 am

      Hi Colleen! So happy to hear that you liked them. My hubby always complains that they’re too messy, but they’re my fav!

  • Reply
    Jennifer
    May 29, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    5 stars
    Made these today for a lunch date with my boyfriend. They were a huge hit! Added a little ginger, and I’m sorry to say, cilantro (eeeek). Delicious AND nutritious! Thanks so much for posting.

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      June 2, 2013 at 2:46 pm

      Jennifer,

      So glad you liked them. :) I’ll have to add some ginger next time, and like another reader suggested: sesame oil. I think I’ll keep skipping the cilantro though. ;)

  • Reply
    Spruceit
    March 27, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    I’m a big fan of lettuce wraps, and really enjoy them vegetarian. If you love Joey Tomatoes if you are ever in Kelowna BC head to Joey Kelownas, the atmosphere and staff are awesome and the wraps amazing….especially with a good Pino Grigio! P.S. I too am not a big fan of Cilantro…..but I am getting used to a hint of it in wraps, and in my Guacamole !

  • Reply
    Spruceit
    March 27, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    These are also awesome with teriyaki sauce and sesame oil or there are some great Asian sauce blends!

  • Reply
    Lisa
    April 9, 2014 at 7:12 pm

    I, myself, love cilantro because it’s great for detoxing. I’m a bit concerned about the added calories in the noodles and sauces but I can find many options as a replacement.
    I try to stay as low carb as possible so lettuce over disgusting carb-laden tortilla bread makes my day…or um meal anytime, many thanks!

  • Reply
    Jack Brown
    May 6, 2014 at 5:46 pm

    Did you buy your crispy Asian noodles or make them. If you bought them, can you tell me the brand.
    Looking forward to making this over the weekend.

    Thanks,
    Jack

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      May 7, 2014 at 8:08 am

      Hi Jack,

      I bought some crispy noodles. I don’t remember the exact brand, but they were “steam fried”. You really can’t go wrong with any type of noodle, it just adds a nice crunchy texture to the wraps.

      Enjoy!

      • Reply
        Jack Brown
        May 7, 2014 at 8:26 am

        Thanks Jacquelyn!

        Jack

      • Reply
        Robyn
        April 27, 2018 at 9:56 am

        Are these the same as instant noodles? Do you just add them right from the package? Without cooking or prepping them in anyway? Thanks!

        • Reply
          Jacquelyn Bauer
          November 15, 2018 at 4:42 pm

          Hi Robyn! First, you’ll have to allow me to apologize for such a late response – I’ve been a bit MIA on this blog for awhile… To answer your question, yes, any type of instant noodles can be added, and you don’t cook them. The idea is just to add a bit of crunch! Hope that helps. :)

  • Reply
    Launa
    June 17, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    Thank you for the simple recipe!!! My husband liked them! Thats a first, for him to eat something I prepared. I appreciate how laid back you are!!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      June 23, 2014 at 12:28 pm

      Launa, happy to hear they were a hit! Need me to come over there and talk some sense into him? ;)

  • Reply
    Tammy
    June 23, 2014 at 9:51 pm

    Awesome !!!

  • Reply
    sheena
    August 5, 2014 at 10:25 pm

    4 stars
    Thank you for the recipe. Was delicious. I did change it by adding ginger, sesame oil, more brown sugar and double the listed amount for the hoisin and chilli sauce but my friends were very pleased. They said it was better then joey’s wraps. Thanks a bunch xo

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      August 7, 2014 at 7:06 pm

      Sheena – so happy to hear you liked them! Happy cooking!

  • Reply
    Sherry
    August 21, 2014 at 7:28 pm

    So I searched and searched today for a lettuce wrap recipe and came across this one. All I can say is… DELICIOUS!! Thanks for a great recipe.:)

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      September 2, 2014 at 10:28 am

      My pleasure! Glad you liked it Sherry!

  • Reply
    Samantha Shorkey
    October 7, 2014 at 7:20 pm

    YES!!!! I love you for ripping off their recipe ;) I always order these at Joey’s but the veganized version with their soy chicken and they’re my all-time fave! Been wanting to make them myself and it sounds like you got it down to a T. Bravo! So excited to make ’em. Thank you!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      October 7, 2014 at 8:39 pm

      Samantha – you’re welcome! Let me know how they turn out when you make them with soy “chicken”!

  • Reply
    Alanna
    November 4, 2014 at 11:44 am

    This is very good.

  • Reply
    Charlaine
    May 13, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    Made these tonight – they were awesome! I didn’t use mushrooms as I didn’t have any – they were still great! Would be great with shrimp too! Not a big fan of cilantro either!
    Thanks for sharing your recipe!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      May 14, 2015 at 10:50 am

      Hi Charlaine, I’m so glad you liked them! I like to think that you can add or subtract whichever ingredients float your boat, and they’ll still be just as tasty. I think I’ll try shrimp next time – great idea! We fellow cilantro haters have to stick close together. ;) Thanks for stopping by and for coming back to tell me about it! Happy cooking! xoxo

  • Reply
    Karen
    November 21, 2015 at 6:05 pm

    5 stars
    This is the absolute best lettuce wrap recipe. I have been using it for a couple of years now. I do add the cilantro and they are delicious. A perfect copy of the Joey’s ones. Nice job and my family thanks you!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      December 7, 2015 at 3:38 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that you like them Karen! Thanks for coming back to share! xo

  • Reply
    Kait
    January 15, 2016 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for the recipe! I use to work at Joeys’ as a server and I miss these so much. This is THE recipe, I haven’t found it anywhere else and I have tried. Thank you!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      January 19, 2016 at 11:33 am

      Kait, thank YOU for coming back and telling me! I love hearing that people are enjoying my recipes! Happy cooking! xo

  • Reply
    Juls C
    February 19, 2016 at 6:31 pm

    Can you tell me how to do the noodles? Not sure how to cook them. Thanks this is an amazing recipe

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      March 10, 2016 at 4:35 pm

      Hi Julie,

      I replied to your email separately, but wanted to reply here as well for anyone else who might have this question. The noodles I buy are left uncooked for a little bit of crunch, but it would depend on the type of noodles you buy. Ramen (ichiban) noodles are a good option because they add a bit of crunch without tasting like hard, uncooked pasta. Hope that helps!

  • Reply
    Samantha
    July 5, 2016 at 11:20 am

    5 stars
    Oh my god these are fantastic!!! I also fell in love with Joey’s lettuce wraps years ago and recently had a craving for them so I found this and made it for supper last night. I don’t like mushrooms, so I substituted 1 cup of matchstick carrots and 1 cup of bean sprouts. It was delicious! Hubby loved them too. These will definitely become a regular in my kitchen!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      August 30, 2016 at 10:28 am

      So happy to hear you liked them Samantha! Extra carrots and sprouts sounds great – I’ll bet the crunch was fabulous! Thanks for coming back to let me know. Happy cooking! xo

  • Reply
    Lori
    August 7, 2016 at 5:39 pm

    These are awesome. Just like Moxie’s in Canada. Love them! Used leaf lettuce the second time around, so much easier! Thanks!

    • Reply
      Lori
      August 7, 2016 at 5:43 pm

      4 stars
      Forgot to mention that I dislike cilantro with a passion too! So bitter and the flavour takes over the entire dish! ?

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      August 30, 2016 at 10:30 am

      Lori – I’ve struggled with the right lettuce since I started making these, and have found that while butter lettuce is probably the best option because of it’s soft pliability, any lettuce is prone to tearing. I say, embrace it and enjoy the flavours…sans cilantro of course! P.S. I haven’t tried Moxie’s lettuce wraps yet…I’ll do that the next time I’m there! Happy cooking! xo

  • Reply
    Tracey
    August 20, 2016 at 6:34 pm

    5 stars
    Made this recipe tonight and they were delicious. Bought cilantro and meant to add it, but forgot. They tasted almost like Joeys. Couldn’t find chilli paste so used chilli sauce instead. Still worked well. Thanks for adding this recipe, I will make these again.

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      August 30, 2016 at 10:31 am

      I have a confession…I’m trying to learn to like cilantro. So far I can handle it in pico de gallo, and a few other subtle places, but I’m not sure I’m up to trying them in these lettuce wraps yet. Thanks for coming back to share with me! Happy cooking! xo

  • Reply
    Larissa
    September 21, 2016 at 6:55 pm

    These are almost identical to Joeys. I added in half sesame oil and half olive oil and added a tiny bit of ginger. AMAZING. My husband was very very happy, this is his favourite dish from Joeys. Thank you so much!

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      September 22, 2016 at 1:51 pm

      Larissa,

      I’m so happy to hear it! I’m definitely going to add sesame oil and ginger next time…a few readers have mentioned they did that! Happy cooking! xo

  • Reply
    Rolli
    January 3, 2017 at 4:00 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe I have these at moxies all the time and now can make them at home ? do you know what the sauce is that they serve with them?

  • Reply
    Janelle
    February 9, 2017 at 1:25 pm

    Really great recipe, thank you! We took the leftovers to work the next day on rice so they weren’t as messy, and that was good too

  • Reply
    Prin
    March 12, 2017 at 6:06 pm

    I so late to the party – I just had these at Joeys and I’m hooked!!!! Can’t wait to try your version. Thank you for posting!!!!

  • Reply
    shawna
    March 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm

    What is the nutritional value on these?

  • Reply
    Betty Parker
    April 28, 2017 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    Any chance you have nutritional information on these amazing babies?

    I love love them, but I’m desperately trying to watch my carbs :-)

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Quinn
    July 8, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    How many servings will this make?

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      November 15, 2018 at 4:43 pm

      Hi Quinn! Sorry for such a late response. These make about 4 servings. Hope that helps!

  • Reply
    Jen
    June 11, 2023 at 5:22 pm

    Girl, these are the best. They are so close to Joeys. I make them all the time. Thanks for the recipe!

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