The name, vodka, comes from the Russian phrase zhiznennaia voda, or "water of life". It can be made from everything from potatoes to beets. It's considered to be fairly flavorless which makes it a great liquor for mixed drinks.



Love the lettuce wraps from PF Chang's? Make them at home anytime you want with this simple recipe that uses ground chicken, water chestnuts, green onions, and Asian seasonings.
1 pound ground chicken breast or finely chopped chicken
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce
1 can (8 ounce size) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
16 Boston, Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink.
Add the onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili sauce to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and the chicken is broken up.
Stir the water chestnuts and green onions into the chicken mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil then remove the skillet from the heat.
Place the chicken mixture on a platter or in a bowl. Serve with the lettuce leaves.
Choose lettuce leaves that are large and sturdy enough to hold the filling without tearing.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, such as adding more chili sauce for added heat.
Try different protein options like ground pork or shrimp for variety.
To add a crunchy texture, add crispy fried noodles or julienned carrots to the wraps.
For a lower-carb version, reduce the amount of hoisin sauce.
If the filling is too dry, add a splash of chicken or vegetable broth to moisten it before serving.
Butter lettuce, Boston lettuce, or Bibb lettuce are the best options for making lettuce wraps due to their pliable and sturdy leaves. You can also use iceberg lettuce or romaine.
Yes, ground turkey can be used as a substitute for ground chicken in this recipe.
You can make your own homemade hoisin sauce or just wing it with a combination of soy sauce, honey, and garlic to to taste.
You can substitute the ground chicken with crumbled firm tofu or cooked lentils for a vegetarian version of this recipe.
You can prepare the filling ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days before serving. Reheat gently in a skillet, adding a little broth or water if it seems dry.
To serve, spoon the chicken mixture onto individual lettuce leaves, wrap or fold them up and enjoy!
You can top the lettuce wraps with chopped peanuts, cilantro, sriracha sauce, or a squeeze of lime juice.
Store any leftover filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.
While the filling can be frozen, the texture of the vegetables may change slightly upon thawing.
Large Skillet: For cooking the ground chicken and mixing in the other ingredients. It should be large enough to accommodate the chicken and vegetables without overcrowding.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: For measuring ingredients such as garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil.
Cutting Board: For chopping the onion, water chestnuts, and green onions (and chicken if not using ground chicken).
Sharp Knife: For finely chopping the onion, water chestnuts, and green onions.
Wooden Spoon or Spatula: For stirring the chicken mixture in the skillet or wok.
Sriracha: Drizzling sriracha on the lettuce wraps adds a punch of heat that will definitely wake up your palate.
Sesame Seeds: Toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on the wraps provide not only visual appeal but also a nutty flavor.
Miso Soup: A light miso soup can be a nice start to the meal, providing umami flavor that pairs nicely with the flavors in the lettuce wraps.
Chili Garlic Noodles: These noodles would make a perfect side dish to the lettuce wraps, adding a spicy kick and a complementary texture.
Asian Slaw: A tangy dressing in a refreshing Asian slaw would complement the savory wraps, and it's a delicious way to add more veggies to your meal.
Wine Pairings
Sauvignon Blanc: This wine is known for its acidity and refreshing qualities, making it a perfect partner for the savory chicken and fresh greens in your wraps. Look for a bottle with citrus and green apple notes.
Gewurztraminer: This aromatic wine can bring a hint of sweetness and spice, which perfectly complements the hoisin sauce's richness. Aim for one that has floral aromas and tropical fruit flavors.
Chardonnay: A lightly oaked Chardonnay can bring buttery notes that mingle nicely with the chicken's savory flavor. Look for a balanced one - not too over-the-top with the oak, so it keeps the dish feeling fresh instead of making the lettuce wraps turn into a heavy meal.
Other Alcohol Pairings
Asian Lager: A crisp Asian lager, like Sapporo or Tsingtao, is a fantastic match. Its lightness and carbonation will cut through the layers of flavors without overshadowing them.
Sake: When in doubt, go for the classic! A chilled Junmai sake has a smooth profile that pairs well with Asian flavors. Look for a bottle with a slightly sweet finish to perfectly balance the savory and spicy elements of your dish.
Gin and Tonic: Choose a gin that has herbal notes, and add some cucumber slices to your tonic for a refreshing drink that contrasts nicely with the savory chicken wraps.
Non-Alcoholic Pairings
Iced Green Tea: A slightly grassy, iced green tea can be just the thing to keep things light and refreshing, perfectly complementing the chicken and veggies without drowning out their flavors.
Coconut Water: If you're feeling tropical, coconut water provides a slightly sweet and nutty drink that pairs well with Asian-inspired flavors.
Sparkling Water with Lime: For a bubbly twist, go for sparkling water with a squeeze of lime. It adds a hint of flavor and zest, without overpowering those delicious wraps.
The name, vodka, comes from the Russian phrase zhiznennaia voda, or "water of life". It can be made from everything from potatoes to beets. It's considered to be fairly flavorless which makes it a great liquor for mixed drinks.
This iconic whiskey is a "Jack of all trades" when it comes to cooking. Toss it in some pasta, as a savory dipping sauce, and even bake it into something sweet.
It may look like a sad little package shoved in the back of your freezer, but frozen spinach actually has a lot of culinary uses (and some may surprise you).
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reviews & comments
June 19, 2021
We no longer live near a PFChangs so I make this at home. It's pretty close to theirs. If I don't have lettuce leaves I sometimes serve it on tortillas.
October 26, 2020
I have been making this for years ever since a friend told me that my son walked into her kitchen while she was cooking it and said, "did you go to pf changs and get lettuce wraps?" He was 10 years old at the time and lettuce wraps were and still are a favorite. Now I make them at home when I can. We still like going to PF Changs when we can... these days for take-out.
February 9, 2020
Excellent dish. I omitted the sesame oil to reduce calories and fat and it still tasted great!
December 17, 2019
I've made a lot of the PF Chang lettuce wrap recipes and this is our favorite! This one's a keeper. Love it!
September 4, 2019
Great recipe, made it several times, and everybody loves it.
My P F Chang serves this with a light sauce. Does anyone have a recipe for this?
September 15, 2018
I love this recipe and have made it several times now.
How can I reduce the carbs in this recipe?
The water chestnuts and hoisin sauce both contain carbs. However, the hoisin sauce really adds good flavor so you wouldn't want to just omit it without some kind of substitute. The water chestnuts add texture but you could omit them.
can I skip white or rice wine vinegar? I have balsamic and white distilled vinegar only
Neither are perfect substitutes but you could substitute diluted balsamic (try half balsamic and half water).
June 3, 2017
Made these into miniature bites for a party. Used small lettuce cups and they were a huge hit.
August 14, 2016
Love this recipe! I just made it with ground beef instead of chicken. Super good!
July 9, 2016
Haven't been to PFC for quite a while but these were always a favorite food item. I think this recipe is pretty spot on to the real thing. Have made it 2-3 times now.
Is the Asian sesame oil the toasted or untoasted? Will make a huge difference in taste.
Great question! Unfortunately I'm going to have to say it most likely will come down to personal preference. Toasted sesame oil is going to be a stronger sesame flavor - so if you like that flavor, use it. If not (or if you don't know), then use untoasted which will be a much milder flavor. Since the recipe isn't using the oil to cook, it could go either way (side note: you don't want to use toasted sesame oil for cooking, only as a flavoring).
November 2, 2014
Made this for the first time yesterday and was wowwed by how good it is and similar to the restaurant version. Only thing I omitted was the water chesnuts because I didn't have any on hand. Next time I will make this with them.
September 22, 2014
I've been making this weekly since I discovered it on this site. This is the best version of the copycat recipe that I've found (and it looks like there are a few versions floating around out there that mimic this one). I've varied the recipe a few times to add in other ingredients but you can't go wrong with the original version.
June 18, 2014
The cayenne chili powder was a good edition. I also added some zucchini chunks because I had a few left in the fridge. I made these for "Asian Night" with some friends and we paired them with some Pf Changs spring rolls
Mine seems to look too soupy. Did anyone else have this problem?
January 19, 2014
Hello Serene, The mumg bean noodles are as stiff and hard to cut. Use a sharp scissors. Punt s9me veg. oil in a pan ( use a wok) about approx. 2 inches deep. Get hot than drop the noodles into the oil. They will puff up very quickly. Remove and drain on paper towel. Good luck. Larry A.
January 13, 2014
I used soy crumbles instead of the chicken. Had to adjust the cooking method a little but it turned out decent!
December 12, 2013
I've started making the filling and bringing it to work and just assembling it on lettuce leaves there. Super easy and so good! My coworker thought I went to PFChangs on my break!!
November 4, 2013
Made this with ground turkey because my store almost never has ground chicken. Turned out just as good!
October 11, 2013
This dish is the reason I love PFChangs but I can't get there very often. I love that I can make it at home (I'll still go to the restaurant every chance I get though because we all deserve a good meal out once in a while!). I don't change anything with this recipe and it turns out vry good. I've made it three times now!
July 24, 2013
I omit the water chestnuts which makes it a great low carb meal
April 5, 2013
I made this with ground turkey and added some minced mushrooms plus extra chili sauce. Delicious can't wait to make it again!
February 6, 2013
I made these, but just cut the chicken in small chunks, also added about 2 TBSP of fresh cilantro, and a few TBSP of brown sugar and about 1 TSP of Garlic Salt and 1/4 cup of crushed almonds for some more crunch, these were absolutely delicious and would recommend to anyone!
January 13, 2013
Very good and simple! I added diced carrots and cashews and was heavy-handed with the Sriracha!! This is a keeper!
November 27, 2012
these are sooo yummy!! I'd say this is my pregnancy craving!
November 4, 2012
I love PF Chang's, especially for their gluten free lettuce wraps- and I don't even like lettuce. Anyone who's had these has gotten them with tasty crispy noodle-type things. I've asked them and they only call them cellophane noodles. Everyone online says the same thing, I was hoping it would be easy to find, already done like a package of crackers. A little research showed me no, they have to be cooked somehow and that they are also known as mung bean noodles. I have been trying for ages to get these noodles right. I tried taking the raw noodles and frying them, they didn't puff up and tasted like raw noodles, pretty gross. I tried cooking them first as per the instructions on the packet, in boiling water, and then throwing the slimy noodles on the frying pan after that, and they stayed slimy, and got oily, and not at all puffy and crispy. Is there some method I am missing, or is it some other type of noodle? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.
October 4, 2012
These are soooooo good! Easy to make and the flavors are wonderful together. Tastes just like PF Changs. Thank you for posting it!
September 14, 2012
I didn't have hoisen sauce, so I substituted it with black bean garlic and a little brown sugar. I also added shitake mushrooms. It was a hit with the little one who started by saying that "he doesn't eat THAT" and almost ate 3 wraps later!!!
August 18, 2012
Awesome. Closest receipe I've found yet for these. If you put it in the recipe builder for weight watchers point value is 9 instead of 8 based of 4 servings. But worth every bite. Thanks.
August 6, 2012
The lettuce wraps at PF Chang's are my daughter's favorite! I invited her and her husband for dinner and made these and she loved them. Highly recommend! It was pretty easy to make and I followed the recipe exactly.
August 6, 2012
Very good, however for those counting the things we. Lint there is no mention of the sugar in the horizon sauce task task.
Um... what?
April 10, 2012
Love this recipe! I make it all the time and have given it to at least 5 other People who also now make it all the time! It is great to make in large batches and freeze for later.
January 14, 2012
It's not exactly the "real deal." This recipe omits the wood ear mushrooms and pine nuts. Kinda makes a difference.
October 2, 2011
(NOTE: I made this recipe for a serving size of 10) WOW!! These came out GREAT! I was a little intimidated by the recipe at first, but all the seasonings and sauces were easily found in the Asian section at my grocery store. I did make a few minor alterations though. I decided to use ground turkey instead of ground chicken, because turkey is cheaper- and they came out just as good, if not better! I also increased the Hoisen sauce by 2t, then when the meat was finished and was in the bowl for serving, I drizzled a diluted bit of the Hoisen sauce over the meat. (The aroma will knock your socks off!) I also cut the chili sauce down to 2 1/2 tablespoons, instead of 6 teaspoons, it added JUST the right amount of kick, without being overbearing for the kids that were eating them. Between the onions & chili sauce- I would recommend cutting back a tad on one or the other if kids are eating them. Also, it never says here that a drain of the meat is necessary, however after adding the soy sauce & red wine vinegar while cooking, I found it necessary before the adding of the green onions and water chestnuts were added. Just a tip. They came out FANTASTIC, and now that we already have all the ingredients, we'll be making them again for sure!! 5 stars, thanks!!
September 18, 2011
Excellent but added 4 shiitakes which were chopped with the chestnuts and increased the hoisin to 1/2c and soy to 3T.
June 7, 2011
wow these were so good, my son couldn't stop eating them. We cooked come brown rice to eat with them and actually put the rice inside the lettuce with the meat and it was delicious. I used chicken breast chopped up finely and it worked great.
May 2, 2011
This recipe is the REAL deal. I was impressed with the taste. I used a combination of ground chicken and finely chopped chicken breast. It really taste like PF Chang's version.
April 30, 2011
This recipe was delicious even though I forgot to add the sesame oil and soy sauce. I did add shiitake mushrooms and rice vermicelli which made it very moist and a good texture. I ended up taking 2 chicken breasts and dicing it up in small pieces before cooking. Then, I mixed the onions, ginger, garlic and the sauces in one bowl to blend the flavor and allow it to sit before I added them to the chicken. It came out soo good. Thanks for the recipe!
January 1, 2011
These lettuce wraps are so delicious!!! Definitely taste just like P.F. Chang's! I decided to make these for my twin, who is a vegetarian. So I substituted firm tofu for the chicken. I cooked it just like I would have cooked the chicken. It was fantastic!!! Just as tasty as the chicken! I am a fan of tofu myself, so I love that I have two ways I can make this recipe. We also decided to chop some peanuts to sprinkle on top. YUM!
October 7, 2010
I made this for my family who ALL order the lettuce wraps when they go to P F Changs. Very close in taste to the original. At home this is a whole meal, not appetizer. DELICIOUS, nutritious and satisfing!
July 26, 2010
My family loves P. F. Chang's lettuce wraps. We live 90 miles away from the closest restaurant so we don't get them as often as we like. This recipe is as close as you can get to the real thing. It was fabulous! P.S. I doubled the recipe except for the onion!
May 29, 2010
These are fabulous! My husband and I both agree they tasted just like the ones at P.F. Chang's, and since the closest Chang's is an hour from our home, we will be making these quite often. I added about 1/2 c. of Hosian sauce and 3 T. of soy sauce and that was about all I changed. My husband liked his with hot mustard (found on the Asian food aisle at the supermarket) mixed with soy sauce like he does at the restaurant. GREAT recipe!
February 19, 2010
I made this recipe for my family tonight and my 5 and 1 year old boys loved them! My husband and I also enjoyed them quite a bit. I added more soy sauce and more hoisin and decreased the onion a bit as suggested by someone else. I used the butter lettuce and it was so much better than iceberg. They really did taste like PF Chang's. We have leftovers for tomorrow night and can't wait to have them again! YUM!
November 26, 2008
This recipe turned out great. Both my husband and I loved it and it is something that I will make whenever I am craving Pf Chang's lettuce wraps. It is very close in flavor to the Pf Chang version. Yummy!
April 6, 2008
WOW!!! What an easy and great-tasting recipe. I did add some salt to the chicken mixture and I also reduced the amount of onion. They were so good and I will definitely make these again and again for me and my husband.
March 6, 2008
This was an excellent recipe! I think it maybe called for a little too much onion, so I cut down on that. Otherwise, awesome and easy to make.
January 13, 2008
We had the chicken lettuce wraps and the spring rolls and then other chicken wi/rice for main meals. Lettuce wraps were to die for and all the rest was delicious and had wonderful exotic tastes. Will certainly be back and recommend.