Filling Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps are everything you'd want them be and then some! They have well rounded flavor, you'll find them easy to make, and they have the perfect crunch factor thanks to the tender crisp veggies, lettuce, and peanuts.

The chicken (or turkey) keeps them nice and filling but if you want an even heartier meal you can serve these with a side of rice.

You can adjust the sauces here to suite your taste. If you like the flavor of fish sauce you can add more. If you love heat load them up with the Sambal Oelek or Sriracha. And for more peanut flavor be sure to try them finished with a creamy peanut sauce (it so delicious and worth the extra bit of effort).

I know it's a fairly lengthy list of ingredients here but I don't recommend leaving any out. Everything comes together beautifully to create a truly tasty, veggie and chicken-filled lettuce wrap that you'll want to make on repeat.

What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is Thailands National dish and likely the most popular order at the majority of Thai restaurants here in the U.S.

It is a noodle stir fry dish traditionally made up of rice noodles, shrimp, tofu, eggs and a deeply flavored, sweet and sour sauce. The sauce is usually consists of ingredients such as fish sauce, tamarind paste, dried shrimp and palm sugar.

Is This Authentic Pad Thai?

I'll be the first to admit this is not the typical Pad Thai you'd find in Thailand. My version uses common ingredients found in the U.S. with a similar, and equally as delicious flavor to an authentic version.

So, you won't have to make a special trip to the Asian grocery store that may be 30 miles or more away from home.

In this Pad Thai you'll find tender pieces of chicken and lots of fresh vegetables and it's all tossed with the most crave-worthy sauce, and of course, finished with an abundance of crunchy peanuts.

You'll see based off of the reviews and comments this has been a reader favorite!

Colorful Spring Rolls in Bowl Form

I love to cook with the rainbow! When you've got this many colorful veggies you know it's got to be packed with vitamins and nutrients.

Then add a creamy peanut sauce to that blend and you know it's got to be good!

Spring Roll or is it a Summer Roll?

So I think technically these should maybe be called "Summer Roll Bowls" but spring or summer who will notice?

Spring rolls are generally served crispy and hot, usually deep fried and summer rolls include lots of fresh, raw veggies and are served cold.

But here we do have a bit of a blend, the noodles and protein are served hot and you get lots of crisp raw veggies. And I'm use to the name "spring rolls" because that's what they call them at the local Thai restaurants near me - but that must be an Americanized Thai/Vietnamese food thing.

But honestly what do I know? I'm no expert so feel free to enlighten me if I'm wrong on the differences :).

Thai Basil Beef Bowls

So I've decided I need more Thai food in my life. It's so uniquely flavorful and it always leaves me craving more.

These hearty Thai Basil Beef Bowls are no exception to that! It's a quick meal to throw together and it's jam-packed with amazing flavors! You'll love the way the sauce compliments the beef and the bold flavor of all the fresh basil used here (if you ask me fresh basil is one of the best ingredients known to mankind). You may also know this recipe as pad gra prow, pad kra pao, or even pad krapow depending on the restaurant and region.

If you haven't tried much Thai food here is a great place to start. It doesn't use loads of fish sauce, just enough to give it a nice depth of flavor, and it is an easy-to-follow straightforward recipe. This Thai Basil Beef recipe is gluten-free, but serving it over rice or noodles is delicious. Using a wok is best, but a large pan will suffice.

And once you buy the ingredients to make the sauce there are so many other Thai recipes you can use those ingredients for (like these Thai Chicken Tacos, or this easy Chicken Chow Mein, or this Chicken Pad Thai. All of them are delicious btw). Add this to your list of easy stir-fries that you can whip up on a busy weeknight, and don't be afraid to mix up your meats—ground beef instead of thin steak, pork, ground chicken, or turkey. For a vegetarian option, go for tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, and a fried egg on top!

Then if you are into hot sauce, the Sambal Oelek is good on pretty much anything. Take a walk around your local Asian grocery stores to find ingredients like Sambal Oelek, tofu, and Thai holy basil (sweet basil),  Add this recipe to your menu and try something new this week!

Thai Chicken Tacos with Peanut Sauce

Who says tacos can only have Mexican flavors? That's actually what I always used to think until I tried tacos switched up with different types of cuisine, like these Greek Tacos. Once you expand beyond the Mexican-style tacos you'll open a whole new world of taco possibilities.

These Thai Chicken Tacos with Peanut Sauce are easy to make and they are packed with flavor! They're so good they deserve to be added along to the rotation with these shredded beef and pork tacos.

Thai Taco Substitutions

I'd love to try this in a different presentation, like Thai chicken wraps for lunch, or Thai chicken lettuce wraps (just using lettuce leaves in place of tortillas for a gluten-free option). You can use ground chicken if that's easier!

This chicken would also be perfect for a Thai-style salad with a peanut dressing or in a rice or noodle bowl. The chicken has a fantastic standalone taste thanks to the marinade which consists of robust and vibrant ingredients like lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and fish sauce. And don't worry I'm still getting used to fish sauce so my recipes stick with smaller amounts so it's not overbearing. If you'd like more than a tablespoon, by all means, go ahead. Adding a drizzle of vinegar and low sodium soy sauce will make it more tangy, red pepper flakes for spice, and the bold flavor of sweet chili sauce for sweetness.

Need more crunch? Add bean sprouts, coleslaw mix, chunky peanut butter, scallions, and sesame seeds.

Taco Tuesday just got an incredibly delicious new addition! We absolutely loved these and I hope you do too!