Skip the busy restaurant lines and save money by making these Slow Cooker Copycat PF Changs Lettuce Wraps from scratch at home using your Crock-Pot. This simple recipe can be made with ingredients you may already have on hand and tastes just as good if not better!
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PF Changs is a popular chain restaurant known for its Asian-inspired cuisine. And if you've ever been there, chances are you've ordered their popular lettuce wraps. The lettuce wraps are made with ground chicken and various Asian spices. They're served on a bed of crispy rice noodles and topped with green onions, cilantro, and peanuts, making them the perfect appetizer or meal!
As great as it is to enjoy them in the restaurant, it can get very expensive! Luckily you can make PF Chang's chicken lettuce wraps at home from scratch with the help of your slow cooker!
These slow cooker Asian chicken lettuce wraps are made with ground chicken and Asian condiments and spices like soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar.
The chicken is seasoned perfectly and gets topped with crunchy chestnuts and wrapped in lettuce for an appetizer or meal packed with flavor with little effort!
Serve these lettuce wraps at a party or get-together and watch them disappear! They also make for a great weeknight meal when looking for something light yet satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This budget-friendly copycat recipe will save you money and time!
- You can serve it as an appetizer or as a full meal making it highly versatile.
- The sauce and seasonings can easily be adjusted to your taste preferences.
- The slow cooker makes the meat deliciously tender and flavorful!
When I make these Asian lettuce wraps. I like to serve them with my Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli or Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken. But my all time favorite recipe to make them with is Slow Cooker Flank Steak Mongolian Beef.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground Chicken - This high-protein meat is used as the base for the lettuce wraps and takes on any flavor well.
- Onion and Garlic - A bold garlic and onion flavor is used with the meat mixture to add flavor and depth.
- Fresh Ginger - Gives the dish a fresh kick of natural spice, a classic in Asian cooking.
- Sesame Oil - Adds a lightly toasted sesame flavor throughout the dish.
- Red Pepper Flakes - Gives the lettuce wraps a kick of heat but can easily be omitted.
- Honey - Sweetens up the sauce giving it a contrasting flavor.
- Rice Wine Vinegar - Adds a tangy flavor and acidity to help balance the sauce.
- Hoisin and Soy Sauce - These two classic Asian sauces are used to season the meat and add a savory umami flavor
- Water Chestnuts - Gives the lettuce wraps a nice crunchy texture.
- Green Onions - Add a mild onion flavor and a pop of green color to the chicken mixture.
- Iceberg Lettuce - This is used as the vehicle for the flavorful chicken filling.
How To Make Slow Cooker PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps
Prepare the chicken: To a large skillet, add olive oil and turn to medium heat. Add the onions and ground chicken saute for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are soft and the chicken is browned. Drain off the fat from the chicken, then add the mixture to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Assemble the sauce: In a large mixing bowl, add sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, honey, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Whisk to combine, then pour it over the chicken mixture fully. Stir together.
Slow cook the filling: Add the lid to the crock pot and cook on LOW for 2-3 hours to develop the flavors.
Prepare and serve: While the chicken is cooking, cut the iceberg lettuce into large leaves for wraps. Five minutes before the chicken is cooked, stir in the drained chestnuts and green onions. Add the filling to the lettuce while hot, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- The chicken will be fully cooked before adding it to the slow cooker. Adding it to the crock pot will help develop the flavors and make the meat tender.
- If you don't like spice or heat, feel free to omit the red pepper flakes in this recipe.
- To make this dish gluten free, use Tamari in place of soy sauce.
- This dish can be made ahead of time, simply prepare the ingredients and stir everything together and store in the fridge. When ready, add to the crockpot and cook on low until warmed through.
- This recipe can easily be doubled if you're feeding a large crowd. Simply use a larger slow cooker and double all of the ingredients.
Variations
- For a high-protein dish, use lean ground chicken breast in the filling.
- Feel free to use any type of ground meat in this recipe, such as pork, turkey, or beef.
- Any type of lettuce can be used for these wraps. I like iceberg because it's sturdy and has a nice crunch but feel free to use butter lettuce, romaine, or even cabbage leaves.
- Garnish ideas include sesame seeds, green onions, diced peanuts, or chopped cilantro.
- Make it a full meal by adding a cooked grain to this dish. Serve it over steamed rice, noodles, or quinoa.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Cooled leftover chicken wrap filling can be stored in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container.
Freezing: Freeze the chicken filling in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to four months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. Do not freeze lettuce.
FAQ
These lettuce wraps are great on their own as a light meal or appetizer. However, they would also be great served with steamed rice, noodles, or quinoa.
This dish is relatively healthy, especially when compared to other restaurant options. The lettuce wraps are low in carbs and calories but high in protein. Plus, you can control the ingredients.
One batch of this recipe will yield about 10-12 small lettuce wraps. However, the number of wraps will depend on the size of your lettuce and how much filling you use.
More Crock Pot Chicken Dinners
- Crock Pot Crack Chicken
- Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken
- Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken
- Easy Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas
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Slow Cooker Copycat PF Changs Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- ¾ cups yellow onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts (drained and diced)
- 3 green onions (diced)
- 1 head iceberg lettuce (rinsed)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, onions ,and ground chicken. Cook 5-7 minutes until chicken is browned. Drain off excess drippings and add to the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, add sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, honey, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Stir until combined. Then pour over chicken and stir until combined.
- Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours.
- 5 minutes before cook time is up, add water chestnuts and green onions.
- Serve in lettuce leaves and enjoy!
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