Thai Chicken Meatball Lettuce Cups

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Thai Chicken Meatball Lettuce Cups have it all…bold flavors and a wonderful contrast of textures, all wrapped up in fresh lettuce leaves. Easy to make, and on the table in about 25 minutes, they taste indulgent but won’t hurt your waistline

This post and recipe card updated May 22, 2020

I love the bold flavors of Asian cuisine. My parents didn’t cook Asian food when I was growing up, so I only ate it at restaurants. A few years ago I began to experiment in the kitchen, and opened up a whole new world.

Asian Quinoa Meatballs was my first Asian inspired recipe on the blog, and to this day remains a staple in my lunch menu rotation. And Kung Pao Chicken is one of my favorites to make at home.

Cilantro Thai Chicken was one of the very early recipes on the blog, and I still make it regularly. My pictures back then were horrible, but I was uninspired by the presentation when I redid it. I changed gears, made them as chicken meatballs, but was still unhappy.

After a few more gear changes I created my masterpiece, Thai Chicken Meatball Lettuce Cups

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• You can adjust the spice level to your preference
• The meatballs are easy to make ahead and freeze
• They’re light, so you can eat more without guilt!

My goodness gracious, these Thai Chicken Meatball Lettuce Cups are outstanding. The sauce is a perfect complement to the meatballs, and I love the crunch of raw vegetables in every bite.

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT CHICKEN MEATBALLS

I’ve always preferred dark meat chicken (legs and thighs) because it’s more flavorful and tender than white meat. And once I discovered ground chicken thighs at my local market, I was sold. Of course, you can use chicken breast if you prefer.

The meatballs are incredibly flavorful, thanks to Sesame Oil and Fish Sauce, along with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

People either love cilantro, or hate it. I am firmly on team love, so I use a generous amount. If you’re team hate, you can omit it.

I use a 1 Tablespoon measure or a 1 5/8″ cookie scoop for the meatballs. That’s a relatively small meatball, so they’ll bake in 15-18 minutes. If you make larger meatballs, adjust the cooking time accordingly.

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR THAI CHICKEN MEATBALL LETTUCE CUPS

Butter lettuce is my favorite base for Thai Chicken Meatball Lettuce Cups. I’ve also used romaine and iceberg.

I leave the vegetables raw because I love the crunch and contrast in texture. But you can saute them for a few minutes to soften them slightly.

As if the meatballs didn’t have enough flavor, the sauce takes Thai Chicken Meatball Lettuce Cups over the top. It’s full of flavor from Sweet Chili Sauce, Fish Sauce, and Hot Chili Paste, and I simmer the sauce for a few minutes to enhance that flavor.

To keep this dish gluten free, use Tamari instead of regular soy sauce.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Add peanuts to a dry skillet and toast for 4-5 minutes, until golden. Remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, put peanuts into a sealed sandwich bag. Crush the peanuts using a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer.

Add ground chicken, cilantro, fish sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to a bowl.

Fold together until combined. Don’t over-mix, or the meatballs will be dense.

The mixture is very sticky, so spray your palms lightly with cooking spray to make the meatballs.

Use a 1 Tablespoon measure or 1 5/8″ cookie scoop to form the meatballs. Drop the scoop into your palm, and roll the meatballs in your hands to form.

Place the meatballs on a foil-lined baking sheet that is sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake the meatballs at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, turning once halfway through

While meatballs bake, add sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, hot chili paste, garlic, ginger, and lime juice to a saucepan. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.

PREPARE THE LETTUCE CUPS

Lay lettuce on a flat surface. Layer with red pepper, red onion, and carrots. Place 2 meatballs on top of the vegetables. Drizzle with enough sauce to cover the meatballs. Finish with crushed peanuts.

SERVING OPTIONS

The great thing about this dish is that you don’t have to do them as lettuce cups!

• Make it into a salad with chopped lettuce, and add more vegetables
• Serve the chicken meatballs by themselves as an appetizer, of course with extra sauce on the side
• Instead of meatballs, saute the ground chicken and fillings in a skillet, serve over Jasmine Rice and top with sauce

MORE DELICIOUS CHICKEN RECIPES

• Dirty Rice Chicken Skillet
• Crispy Chicken Fajita Wrap
• Grilled Thai Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Chickpea Salad
• Spicy Peanut Chicken Noodles

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