Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps {30-Minute Meal}

Light, healthy and packed with flavor, these cashew chicken lettuce wraps are so delicious and super easy to make in one skillet.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Made these last night for my family. There were a huge hit! We couldn’t believe how easy they were to make and how great it tasted. Paired with your cilantro lime rice we couldn’t get enough. -Amber B.

Key Ingredients for Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe includes both cooked vegetables and fresh vegetables (for topping). This gives a delightful crunch along with the delicious, savory flavors of the cooked chicken mixture.

• Carrots: Diced or shredded carrots can be used. I usually grab a package of pre-shredded carrots in the produce aisle.
• Onion + Garlic: Both of these aromatic ingredients add a much-needed depth of flavor.
• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh meat can be used. Cut it into small 1/4-inch pieces. I’ve also made this recipe with ground chicken, and it works great, as well.
• Soy sauce: As noted in the recipe, I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce. If you only have full-sodium soy sauce, omit the salt from the veggies and add salt, to taste, at the end, only if needed.
• Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake or breakfast syrup.
• Cashews: I recommend using unsalted, raw cashews. For an added depth of flavor, they can be toasted before using.
• Lettuce leaves: Butter lettuce leaves, like Bibb or Boston, work great for lettuce wraps. Romaine lettuce leaves can also be used.
• Cucumbers + Tomatoes: Finely chop the cucumbers and tomatoes so that the texture resembles a relish when added to the top of the lettuce wraps.

How to Make This Recipe

1. Cook the carrots, onions, garlic, salt and pepper in a bit of olive oil until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Add the chicken to the skillet with vegetables and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
3. Stir in the soy sauce and maple syrup and simmer for a few minutes.
4. Stir in the cashews and heat through.
5. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed (this is always important at the end of a recipe for optimal flavor!).
6. Serve the chicken mixture in lettuce leaves topped with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers.

If you want a heartier dish, these wraps can be served alongside garlic butter rice or cilantro lime rice (or a scoop of rice can be spread on each lettuce leaf before the chicken mixture is added).

Here’s Why I Personally Love These Lettuce Wraps

These cashew chicken lettuce wraps have been one of my favorite recipes for over ten years. In fact, I’ve made them for my birthday dinner multiple years (they’re that good!).

They have restaurant-quality flavor and appeal wrapped up in a 30-minute recipe. What’s not to love about that? They are light and refreshing and just seriously so yummy.

Don’t skip the tomatoes and cucumbers on top! That juicy crunch compliments the sweet and salty chicken perfectly. With over 100 five-star reviews, this is a tried-and-true recipe that’s bound to become a favorite!

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Yield: 5 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

4.84 stars (140 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely diced or shredded carrots
• ½ cup finely diced yellow or white onion
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (see note)
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ½ cup chopped raw cashews (lightly toasted, if desired)
• Bibb or green leaf lettuce leaves for wrapping
• Chopped cucumbers and tomatoes for serving

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Instructions 

• In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrots, onions, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
• Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and add to the skillet with the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in the soy sauce and maple syrup and simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the cashews and heat through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
• Serve the chicken/cashew filling in lettuce leaves topped with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers.

Notes

Salt: If using full-sodium soy sauce, add only a pinch of salt with the veggies and then add additional salt, only if needed, at the end to taste.

Chicken: I’ve made this recipe several times with ground chicken, and it works great. Break it into small pieces as it cooks and drain any excess liquid before stirring in the soy sauce and maple syrup.

Author: Mel

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Method: Stovetop

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 338kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 521mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g

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Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Tiffany S. (a MKC reader who sent it to me)

Recipe originally published January 2016; updated January 2025 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

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