Savory, slightly sweet Thai-style ground chicken brightened with lime and fresh basil, spooned into crisp butter lettuce for cool, crunchy handheld cups.
Crunchy Lettuce Cups with Savory Thai Basil Chicken
A quick, handheld dinner that balances savory-sweet ground chicken with bright lime and fragrant Thai basil in cool, crunchy butter lettuce.
Think of these as a weeknight upgrade: ground chicken that’s caramelized at the edges, gently sweetened, and brightened with lime and basil, all scooped into a crisp butter lettuce cup. The contrast between the warm, saucy filling and the cool, delicate lettuce is what makes every bite sing—handheld, low-carb, and impossible not to keep popping into your mouth.
The flavor comes from a small, focused cast: minced garlic and shallot for savory depth, scallion whites for a mellow allium backbone, and a splash of fish sauce with coconut aminos for salty, umami richness (the coconut aminos keeps it gluten-free). A touch of light brown sugar softens the edges while chopped Thai red chili adds a quick flash of heat—remove the seeds if you prefer mild—and a handful of torn basil leaves folded in at the end gives the dish its perfume.
Assemble just before serving so the butter lettuce stays crisp: spoon the warm chicken into leaves, scatter scallion greens and extra basil over the top, and finish with a squeeze of lime. Toasted sesame oil or a pinch of crushed peanuts make an optional, delicious finish. The cooked filling keeps well in the fridge for several days, so this is also a fast option for make-ahead lunches or a casual dinner party where everyone builds their own cups.
A quick pan on medium-high heat is all it takes—about 15 minutes of prep and 10–12 minutes to cook—and the technique is forgiving: break the meat up as it browns to get those savory bits. Tweak the chili and salt to taste, and use butter lettuce leaves that are wide enough to cradle a generous spoonful—this is finger food done right.
Ingredients
How to Make Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Cups
- Prep: finely mince the garlic and shallot, thinly slice the scallions (separate whites and greens), finely chop the Thai red chili (remove seeds for less heat), and roughly chop the basil if leaves are large; halve the lime.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil; when shimmering, add the shallot, garlic and scallion whites and cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the ground chicken to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula; cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped chili, fish sauce, coconut aminos, and brown sugar; lower the heat to medium and cook 2–3 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly and coats the meat.
- Remove the pan from heat, stir in the sesame oil and most of the basil (reserve a few leaves for garnish), and taste; squeeze in half the lime and adjust with more lime or coconut aminos for saltiness if desired.
- Assemble: separate butter lettuce leaves and arrange on a platter; spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the warm chicken mixture into each leaf, sprinkle with sliced scallion greens and chopped peanuts, and garnish with remaining basil.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side so diners can squeeze additional lime over their cups; these are best eaten freshly assembled so the lettuce stays crisp.
Recipe Card
Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Cups
Savory, slightly sweet Thai-style ground chicken brightened with lime and fresh basil, spooned into crisp butter lettuce for cool, crunchy handheld cups.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep: finely mince the garlic and shallot, thinly slice the scallions (separate whites and greens), finely chop the Thai red chili (remove seeds for less heat), and roughly chop the basil if leaves are large; halve the lime.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil; when shimmering, add the shallot, garlic and scallion whites and cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the ground chicken to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula; cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped chili, fish sauce, coconut aminos, and brown sugar; lower the heat to medium and cook 2–3 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly and coats the meat.
- Remove the pan from heat, stir in the sesame oil and most of the basil (reserve a few leaves for garnish), and taste; squeeze in half the lime and adjust with more lime or coconut aminos for saltiness if desired.
- Assemble: separate butter lettuce leaves and arrange on a platter; spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the warm chicken mixture into each leaf, sprinkle with sliced scallion greens and chopped peanuts, and garnish with remaining basil.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side so diners can squeeze additional lime over their cups; these are best eaten freshly assembled so the lettuce stays crisp.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 7
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Sodium
- 580
- Fiber
- 1.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 11
- Protein
- 34
- Fat
- 14
- Cholesterol
- 100
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 270
- Sugar
- 3