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Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I must admit… I’ve never had cashew chicken at a Chinese restaurant so I don’t know what it’s “supposed” to taste like. I saw a lot of pictures of cashew chicken going around Pinterest, and they looked good. Rather than clicking on the link to discover the recipe probably called for a can of soda, I decided to experiment and create my own cashew chicken recipe.

This is one of the few recipes that I’ve liked on the first try. The flavors blend really well together with the yummy garlic, ginger, and touch of sweetness from the maple syrup. And the lettuce as a wrap is the perfect crispy complement to the sweet and savory chicken.

This recipe has quickly become a family favorite at our house!

Chicken Stir Fry in a Wrap

We do a lot of stir-fries because they’re an easy and healthy weeknight meal. This recipe is similar to a stir fry, except it’s a handheld version (kind of like a taco). If you’re used to the Chinese takeout version, you’ll notice a few differences in this recipe. The best cashew chicken starts with real food ingredients!

Instead of a premade oyster sauce or hoisin sauce, we’re making our own garlic sauce here. Instead of low-sodium soy sauce, I like to use tamari or coconut aminos as the base. They have the same flavor but without the soy. And instead of starting off with vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet, I opt for coconut oil.

If you can’t find bibb lettuce then iceberg, romaine, or another leaf lettuce will work. I like the buttery crunch of bibb lettuce and feel like it holds up nicely for a makeshift wrap.

Chicken Options

I frequently use boneless skinless chicken breasts in recipes like this. I usually have some on hand and they’re a quick and easy protein source. Chicken thighs are also a good option and have a juicier flavor thanks to their fat content.

You can likely find organic chicken at your local grocery store, but I usually find pasture-raised meat options are cheaper from local farmers. If you don’t have a good farmer’s market in your area then there are healthy online options that will ship the meat right to your door!

Most cashew chicken recipes call for breading the chicken first before you saute it. I haven’t found this step necessary. It’s faster to skip the breading since I don’t have to cook the chicken in batches this way. And it’s an easy way to skip out on unhealthy grains.

Chicken_Lettuce_Wraps

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wrap Recipe

A homemade take on take-out cashew chicken that's served as a lettuce wrap for a light and refreshing meal.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Calories 356kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

4 wraps

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP butter (or coconut oil)
  • 1 lb chicken breasts (or thighs, diced)
  • ½ cup cashews
  • 4 large leaves bibb lettuce

Sauce

Instructions

  • In a large skillet or wok, melt the butter or coconut oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring frequently until cooked through.
  • Add the sauce ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and stir together.
  • When the chicken is cooked add the sauce to the skillet.
  • Cook and stir over medium heat and allow the sauce to thicken.
  • Once the sauce is thickened, stir in the cashews.
  • Let the finished cashew chicken cool slightly and serve in lettuce leaves.
  • Garnish with scallions or green onions if desired.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wrap Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 356 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 1009mg44%
Potassium 687mg20%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 706IU14%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

This can also be served over cauliflower rice or fried rice.

More Recipes Like This

Looking for some more easy dinner recipes? Here are some more of our favorite Chinese food copycats!

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Ever made cashew chicken? Do you like lettuce wraps? Share below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

13 responses to “Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps”

  1. Jill Coward Avatar
    Jill Coward

    I can’t imagine there would be a can of soda in other Chicken Cashew recipes?????

  2. Ashley Avatar

    5 stars
    This looks insanely yummy!!! I want to make this for dinner Monday night!

  3. Jenny r Avatar
    Jenny r

    I doubled the recipe and doubled all the ingredients but it ended up not working out.
    The coconut aminos and maple syrup never really evaporated so it never got thicken nor coated the chicken. It almost seemed like it got watery-er.

  4. Laine Avatar

    5 stars
    Made this tonight. Delicious! I used Tamari sauce, as I didn’t have the coconut aminos.

  5. Terri Avatar

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious.My whole family loved it.The 2 boys and I eat grain free and had the wraps I made brown rice for my husband…he loved this also.Thank you so much for this sight and all your sharing…sometimes it is so nice to get in get out and eat.This was done in 15 minutes.God bless.

  6. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    5 stars
    Just made this tonight and it was delicious! I may cut the salt just a tad next time, but there were no leftovers, which is a good sign… my husband commented several times how much he enjoyed the meal too. I appreciate your recipes and am making only your recipes this whole week. Will make sure to comment on the others as I make them. Thanks!

    1. Lauren Avatar

      This was so easy and delicious! I used bragg’s liquid aminos and didn’t use all the salt. Will definitely make again!

  7. Keller Avatar

    5 stars
    This was delicious. Made everything as written. Will be definitely making this again and again, especially with how easy it is. Thank you!

  8. Lon Avatar

    So glad I’m on your email list! Made this recipe the other night and it was delish! Of course like I do with many things, I added some twists. My wife wanted more cruchy, so I added celery and bamboo chutes. Also added raisins and diced apple near the end. THEN, topped off and dressed with a little Greek yogurt! All wrapped in a large leafed lettuce. It was awesome!

  9. Katie McGee Avatar
    Katie McGee

    Excellent! Made this for supper, so good ! Used half butter and half coconut oil

  10. Jody C Avatar

    I made this tonight for supper and it was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have cashews, but subbed walnuts (sauteed in butter). I also threw the thin sliced onions into the skillet to saute lightly just before adding the sauce & honey (yes, I subbed honey). I know it will be good next time when I have all the proper ingredients! Thanks for sharing your inspirational recipe.

  11. Alexandra Avatar
    Alexandra

    That looks delicious and easy to make. Your post is very timely as I defrosted some chicken thighs last night and was going to make chicken tikka but that’s more work so now I’ll be making cashew chicken!

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