No-Cook Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps are the ultimate no-cook vehicle: crisp, cupped leaves that hold whatever you pile into them without heating up the kitchen. This version gives you three filling options — a rotisserie-chicken shortcut with soy and sesame, a smashed chickpea number with lemon and dill, and a spicy shrimp number using pre-cooked shrimp — all of which come together in the time it takes to wash the lettuce. Set out bowls of filling and let everyone build their own.
Lunch · No-Cook, Quick, High-protein • 15 min
Ingredients
- Base:
- 1 head butter lettuce (also sold as Boston or Bibb), leaves separated, washed, and dried
- Asian Chicken Filling:
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned or grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Mediterranean Chickpea Filling:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Spicy Shrimp Filling:
- 1 pound pre-cooked large shrimp, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup finely diced cucumber
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small avocado, diced
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Steps
- Gently separate the butter lettuce leaves, keeping them as intact as possible. Rinse under cold water and dry thoroughly — a salad spinner works best, or pat gently with paper towels. Arrange the leaves cup-side-up on a large platter or individual plates. Refrigerate while you make the fillings to keep them crisp.
- For the Asian Chicken Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Add the shredded chicken, scallions, and carrot. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and sesame seeds just before serving.
- For the Mediterranean Chickpea Filling: In a medium bowl, roughly smash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher — you want them broken down but still chunky, not puréed. Stir in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, red onion, parsley, dill, and feta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should hold together when pressed.
- For the Spicy Shrimp Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, and honey. Fold in the chopped shrimp, cucumber, and cilantro. Gently fold in the diced avocado last to keep it from breaking down. Taste and add more sriracha if you want more heat.
- To serve: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of your chosen filling into each lettuce cup — don't overfill, the leaves should still be easy to pick up. Arrange filled cups on a platter and serve immediately, family-style, so everyone can grab their own. Pass extra filling on the side for round two.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
All three fillings can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated separately. For the shrimp filling, wait to add the avocado until just before serving. Wash and dry lettuce leaves, then store between layers of paper towels in a zip-top bag with the air pressed out — they'll stay crisp overnight. Bring fillings to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Storage
Store leftover fillings in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator: chicken filling up to 3 days, chickpea filling up to 3 days, shrimp filling up to 2 days. Lettuce leaves are best used within 24 hours of washing. Assemble wraps just before eating — pre-filled lettuce cups will wilt within an hour. Leftover chicken filling is also great in a sandwich or over rice.
Substitutions
Romaine hearts or little gem lettuce are sturdier alternatives for the cups. Canned chicken (drained well) or leftover roast chicken works in the Asian filling. The chickpea filling doubles as a great sandwich spread or toast topper. For the shrimp filling, imitation crab or chopped canned tuna can step in. Make the Asian filling with crumbled firm tofu for a plant-based option — no other changes needed.
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
