P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Authentic Copycat Recipe!)

A circular white platter filled with P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps with a festive bowl filled with a zesty red sauce in the middle of the platter.

P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Authentic Copycat Recipe!)

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese / American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

These iconic, restaurant-style chicken lettuce wraps combine savory hoisin-glazed chicken with the "magic" of flash-fried rice sticks and a sharp, spicy red dipping sauce. Perfectly balanced and ready in just 30 minutes, they offer a professional-quality appetizer or light main course that tastes exactly like the original.

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Ingredients

For the Dipping (Topping) Sauce

1 teaspoon Oriental hot mustard powder See NOTES
1 teaspoon cold water
¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
¼ cup water
2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chili paste i.e., Sambal Oelek
1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the Stir-Fry Sauce

¼ cup hoisin
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger fresh, finely minced
2 cloves garlic minced, about 1 tsp

For the Lettuce Wraps

2 cups vegetable oil for flash frying the vermicelli
1 oz dried rice vermicelli

For the Chicken Filling and Assembly

1 lb ground chicken
8 oz water chestnuts finely chopped
4 oz mushrooms shiitake or button, finely chopped
3 scallions slices, white and green parts separated)
1 head Bibb (butter) lettuce base removed, outer leaves washed, dried, and pulled away.

Instructions

Make the Dipping (Top) Sauce

In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of the hot mustard powder with 1 teaspoon cold water to form a smooth paste. Let it sit (bloom) for 5 to 10 minutes to develop flavor.
1 teaspoon Oriental hot mustard powder, 1 teaspoon cold water
In a separate bowl, whisk the soy sauce, water (¼ cup), sugar, rice wine vinegar, chili paste, and sesame oil together until the sugar dissolves.
¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup water, 2 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili paste, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
After the mustard has bloomed, whisk it into the soy mixture. Set aside.

Make the Stir-Fry Sauce and Fry the Noodles

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce. Set aside.
¼ cup hoisin, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 cloves garlic
Heat the oil in a sturdy saucepan to 375 to 400°F.
2 cups vegetable oil
Drop a small clump of the dry rice noodles into the oil. They should puff instantly (within 2 seconds). Quickly remove with tongs, and drain on paper towels. Repeat with more noodles. Set aside.
1 oz dried rice vermicelli

Make the Filling and Assemble the Lettuce Wraps

In a large skillet, cook the ground chicken over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Removed rendered grease, if necessary.
1 lb ground chicken
Stir in the water chestnuts, mushrooms, and the white parts of the sliced scallions. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and cook, stirring often, until glossy and fully combined, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
8 oz water chestnuts, 4 oz mushrooms, 3 scallions
Serve the various components family style, or assemble individual wraps by placing a handful of fried noodles into the middle of one (or two) lettuces leave, top with a heaping spoonful of the chicken mixture, and a sprinkling of green chopped scallions. Serve at once with the dipping (topping) sauce on the side.
1 head Bibb (butter) lettuce

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.

The "Secret" Mustard Heat: For the most authentic, nasal-clearing experience, use S&B Oriental Hot Mustard powder. It is crucial to mix the powder with cold water and let it "bloom" for at least 10 minutes before adding it to your sauce. This resting period allows the spicy enzymes to fully activate; without it, the mustard will taste bitter rather than spicy.
Mustard Substitutions: If you cannot find the S&B powder, the best substitute is Colman’s English Mustard powder (mixed with cold water in the same 1:1 ratio). In a pinch, you can use 1–2 teaspoons of prepared Chinese hot mustard from a jar or takeout packets. Avoid using regular yellow mustard or Dijon, as they lack the sharp, sinus-clearing "kick" that defines the original restaurant sauce.
Hand-Chopping for Texture: While it takes a few extra minutes, hand-dicing your mushrooms and water chestnuts into uniform, pea-sized crumbles is the secret to the restaurant-style texture. This prevents the vegetables from releasing too much moisture (which happens in a food processor) and ensures every bite has a distinct, satisfying crunch.
Frying the Rice Sticks: Your oil must be between 375°F and 400°F. Test it by dropping in a single strand of vermicelli; if it doesn't puff up white in 2 seconds, the oil is too cold. Fry in small, golf-ball-sized "nests" to prevent the noodles from clumping or burning. It may take a couple of "practice" tries to get them just perfect. There are way more noodles in a package than you'll need for one batch of lettuce wraps.
Storage & Make-Ahead: The chicken filling stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and actually tastes better as the flavors meld. However, always store the fried rice sticks in an airtight container at room temperature and prepare the lettuce fresh to maintain the essential "crunch" factor.

Nutrition