Thai Lettuce Wraps - Larb Gai

Modified: Dec 21, 2022 · Published: Mar 30, 2019 by Analida · • Word count:1159 words. • About 6 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links ·

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Chicken lettuce wraps or larb gai are a great summer meal. Light, fresh, crunchy, and delicious. This is the kind of dish you crave when the mercury rises and heavy foods are out of the question. For those who are looking to curb the dreaded carbs, they are perfect.

a wooden table with a white plate and a lettuce wrap

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What are Thai lettuce wraps?
Typical Thai flavors:
Useful substitutions:
Step by step photos to make spicy Thai lettuce wraps:
Frequently asked questions:
Dishes from South East Asia to try:
Thai Lettuce Wraps - Larb Gai Recipe

What are Thai lettuce wraps?

This is a stir fry dish of ground chicken that brings bold fresh flavors of ginger, garlic, sweet, tangy and spicy chili! Many dishes I have tried from Southeast Asia have this wonderful combination of sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy. Drop this incredibly flavored ground chicken into a lettuce leaf and you have an amazing dish with great flavors and textures. You can also serve the chicken over rice. I have had parties and served just the chicken with the scoop type chips on the side. Everyone loved it!
I first tried Thai lettuce wraps years ago in NYC at a Thai restaurant with my cousin, a huge fan of Asian cuisine. My daughter Erika traveled through Thailand. She soaked in a tremendous amount of cultural experience, including a cooking class. She also sent me a really cool book on Thai cooking.

a collage of a cooking class — My daughter's cooking adventures in Thailand

Typical Thai flavors:

In this recipe I'm using typical Thai ingredients. Tamarind paste and fish sauce or nam pla. If you can't find either, you can use lime juice and soy sauce respectively. I have substitutions listed below in detail. Although the tastes differ, you will achieve the sweet, sour and saltiness. Apart from Thai cuisine, tamarind paste is used in Indian and Jamaican cuisine and to make Worcestershire sauce.

a white plate with three lettuce wraps on a wooden table and a bowl of meat and a spoon on the left.

The origins of lettuce wraps are thought to be Chinese. Today, they're found throughout Southeast Asia. They are very popular in Thailand. There is a small restaurant in my city that makes a mean lettuce wrap. I like to sprinkle mine with chopped cilantro and shredded carrots for taste and color. Food should be pretty, remember?

a girl in front of a golden Buddah statue in Thailand — Erika at Wat Tham Sua, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Erika has raved about the food, people, and stunning beauty of Thailand. She has told me that the street food of Thailand is amazing with each vendor offering delicious grilled meats, fruits, soups and other tasty eats. Best of all, it is unbelievably cheap.

three lettuce wraps on a plate with a bowl of meat and lettuce on the left

Useful substitutions:

I prefer bib or small hearts of Romaine, iceberg tends to crack and I end up with a lap full of fillings.
Use soy sauce in place of fish sauce.
Replace the chicken with tempeh or tofu to make it vegetarian.
Tamarind paste has a sweet and sour taste that is slightly more sour. You can make a mixture of lime juice with some brown sugar. Equal parts of each typically works well.

Step by step photos to make spicy Thai lettuce wraps:

A photo showing the ingredients to make the meat for Thai lettuce wraps.

Step 1: Gather all your ingredients: bib lettuce, ground chicken, vegetable oil, diced onion, minced garlic, black pepper, ground ginger, brown sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil.
Step 2: Heat the vegetable oil on medium, add the onions and garlic. Cook until translucent.

A photo showing adding the chicken and spices to the onions to make Thai lettuce wraps.

Step 3: Add the ground chicken and break it into small pieces while it cooks.
Step 4: In a small bowl mix the black pepper, ground ginger and brown sugar then mix into the chicken.

Photos showing adding the chili garlic sauce blend and sesame oil to the meat for Thai lettuce wraps.

Step 5: Mix the tamarind paste, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and rice vinegar then mix in.
Step 6: When the chicken is fully cooked add the sesame oil and mix well. Serve on lettuce leaves, garnish with cilantro and shredded carrots. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions:

How long can I store the chicken filling in the refrigerator?

Once it has completely cooled you can store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Can I freeze the cooked chicken filling?

Yes, wrap it tightly in a freezer bag after it has cooled. You can freeze it for 2-3 months when properly stored. Be sure the expel the air from the freezer bag to help prevent freezer burn.

How do I reheat the chicken?

Reheat the chicken in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and stop to stir every 30-45 seconds until hot. Once reheated do not cool and store again in the refrigerator, consume it right away. So only reheat the amount you will consume.

Dishes from South East Asia to try: