These Rainbow Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a lighter super flavorful meal that won’t leave you hungry! They’re packed with veggies and the red curry flavor on the chicken makes these downright addictive. Add a drizzle of peanut sauce and you’ll quickly see why these are a favorite, plus they’re gluten free and dairy free as well.
We’re ushering in the new year with lots of fresh flavors. I just can’t help it after this many months of winter, but I feel the need for fresh veggies and some grilling. Don’t worry though, if you’re not into grilling during an arctic blizzard, you can always cook this recipe on the stove top.
I always feel weird about doing a grilling recipe in the middle of winter. But the truth is, we grill year round whether it’s snowing and blowing, or even when it’s -20ºF, (I kind of draw the line at anything colder than that because it’s too easy for things to break at those temperatures).
But since it’s still winter, there’s definitely some comfort food elements going on here. And really I think any kind of ethnic food is my ultimate comfort food. I mean… you just can’t go wrong with anything drizzled in a creamy peanut sauce! And when you add caramelized grilled pineapple in there, I’m hooked.
Let’s talk about how to make these Rainbow Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps!
To start out, you’ll want to marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, but overnight is best. I often make the marinade in the morning, and then leave the chicken in the fridge during the workday to absorb the flavors.
Next up, it’s best to prep all the veggies ahead, and have them ready to go on a platter in the fridge.
Then I make the peanut sauce, and you can either put it in a serving bowl, or pour it into a squeeze bottle for easy drizzling over the wraps.
For the grilled pineapple, I cut out the core and then cut it into 1/2″ thick slices. I find it’s easiest to grill pineapple this way because there’s no danger of the round slices falling into the grill. And it also provides maximum surface area for caramelized flavor.
And finally I like to grill the chicken and pineapple after everything is prepped because it’s nice to serve them warm in the lettuce wraps.
Then you can serve all the prepped veggies along with the grilled chicken and pineapple for everyone to individually assemble their own wraps.
And of course you need lots of creamy peanut sauce to make the whole thing come alive!
Print
Rainbow Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Rainbow Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a lighter super flavorful meal that won’t leave you hungry! They’re packed with veggies and the red curry flavor on the chicken makes these downright addictive. Add a drizzle of peanut sauce and you’ll quickly see why these are a favorite, plus they’re gluten free and dairy free as well.
Ingredients
Red Curry Grilled Chicken:
1 pkg boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 1/2 pounds, 4-5
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons red curry paste
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
Grilled Pineapple:
5 – 1/2” round slices fresh pineapple, about 1 pound, or 1/2 of a large pineapple
1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
Creamy ‘Peanut’ Sauce:
1/2 cup your choice nut or seed butter, I like cashew or peanut butter
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Teaspoons chili paste, or 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup coconut milk, from the can
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 cup water
Lettuce Wrap Veggies:
2 heads butter lettuce, about 20–25 lettuce leaves, cleaned and dried
1 1/2 cups finely shredded purple cabbage
1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, or 1/2 each orange and red peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup toasted cashews
Instructions
Mix together the ingredients from the red curry grilled chicken, and place the chicken in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
To make the pineapple slices, cut out the core, then slice into 5 – 1/2″ rounds. Evenly brush the oil over both sides and set the pineapple aside.
To make the ‘peanut’ sauce, combine the nut/seed butter of your choice with the maple syrup, chili paste, and coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir just until the mixture combines, then remove it from the heat and whisk in the lime juice, sea salt to taste, and water. Place the peanut sauce in an airtight container or squeeze bottle. If you’re not using it right way, it can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Prep all the veggies for the lettuce wraps, then preheat the grill over medium high heat until a steady temperature of 350º-400ºF is reached.
Then place the marinated chicken and oil brushed pineapple on the grill. Grill the pineapple for about 5 minutes per side, or until grill marks appear and it caramelizes. When the pineapple is done, remove it from the grill and set it aside to cool a bit.
Grill the chicken for about 6-8 minutes per side, or until completely done and no longer pink in the center.
Remove the chicken from the grill and when it’s cool enough to handle thinly slice it and cut the pineapple into bite sized chunks. Serve the grilled chicken slices with the pineapple, all the veggies/lettuce leaves, and the ‘peanut’ sauce.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai Lettuce Wraps, Thai Lettuce Wraps Peanut Sauce, Chicken Thai Lettuce Wraps
Absolutely delicious!
I decided to have it be more of a salad than a wrap, my butter lettuce was a bit too flimsy. The flavors blend together so well, highly recommended!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! If in the future you find your lettuce is too flimsy, you can double or triple layer it as reinforcement, plus you get even more veggies that way.
I allergic to shellfish what could substitute for fish sauce ?
You could use soy sauce or coconut aminos in place of the fish sauce.
Oh my so these look scrumptious Kari!
Thanks so much! 🙂
These look so delicious! Your food is always so vibrant and beautiful!
Thank you! 🙂
This is my kind of meal. So many colors and flavors!! YUM!
Me too, and thanks so much!
I’m seriously drooling reading this – I think these are worth some cold temps outside grilling!
They’re definitely worth it, and when you live where winter lasts 8 months of the year, grilling becomes sort of a year round thing! 🙂
These wraps are perfection, Kari! I looooove Thai flavors.
★★★★★
Thank so much, I love Thai flavors too! 🙂
Right now I am totally into wraps, and these look so beautiful and tasty! love that peanut sauce you made 🙂
Thanks so much, it’s hard to beat wraps isn’t it!?!
Gorgeous colours! The warmer weather down here in Australia has definitely inspired me to eat the rainbow, and this is the perfect recipe to embrace all those veggies.
I’m a little envious you’re in the middle of summer right now, but at least I have a rainbow of veggies until the sun comes back here! 🙂
Oh goodness, yes! So nourishing and fresh, both. LOVE that pineapple, too!
★★★★★
Me too, if there’s grilled pineapple involved, I’m on board!
Yum, love lettuce wraps, especially when they’re loaded with all the good stuff like these!
★★★★★
Me too, loaded is definitely best!
That sauce though! To die for! Love this idea – I’ll be putting it on the menu on a busy day – this one is nice and easy!
★★★★★
I can’t hardly help myself, but I’m always all about the sauce and I think it shows up in my recipes! 😉
This looks so delicious! Can’t wait to try…
Thank you, they’re a breath of fresh air after all the holiday food!