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Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps With Mango Slaw come together in under 30 minutes, featuring juicy glazed chicken meatballs, crisp butter lettuce, and a tangy mango slaw that’s bursting with flavor. It’s the kind of meal that feels light but leaves you totally satisfied.

Close-up of glazed chicken meatballs served on butter lettuce leaves with shredded red cabbage and sliced yellow bell peppers, garnished with sesame seeds.
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These lettuce wraps might look light and refreshing—and they are—but don’t let that fool you. They’re also incredibly satisfying and feel just indulgent enough to make any dinner feel special. The chicken filling, perfectly glazed and packed with fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, and green onions, pairs beautifully with the vibrant, crunchy mango slaw. 

I like to make meatballs instead of the typical chicken mixture you find in most lettuce wrap recipes because they’re packed with flavor and hold up well in a glaze. The sauce ingredients cling perfectly to each biter. Meatballs are also easy to prep ahead. Whether you’re setting them out for a group or using them for a healthy lunch during the week, these meatballs make this lettuce wrap recipe a flavorful and practical choice.

Overhead shot of glazed chicken meatballs on butter lettuce leaves, topped with shredded red cabbage, sliced mango, and black and white sesame seeds.

Why You Will Love Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

  • Easy and Quick: Ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
  • Healthy and Delicious: Packed with lean protein and crunchy vegetables, offering amazing flavor without extra calories.
  • Perfect for Entertaining: Easily customizable, allowing guests to build their own versions of these delicious lettuce wraps.
  • Great for Meal Prep: Components store well in airtight containers, ideal for preparing ahead.
Overhead view of ingredients for lettuce wraps, including a container of butter lettuce, cooked glazed meatballs in a skillet, shredded red cabbage and sliced mango in a glass bowl, and a small bowl of black sesame seeds.

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Ground Chicken: A great substitute for traditional ground pork or ground beef, providing lean protein.
  • Mango: Adds sweet freshness to balance the little heat from the chili garlic sauce.
  • Butter Lettuce: Offers crisp lettuce leaves perfect for wrapping, though bibb lettuce or iceberg lettuce also work.
  • Purple Cabbage, Cilantro, Green Onion and Limes: These fresh ingredients bring color, crunch, and brightness to the mango slaw.
  • Panko Breadcrumbs: These help bind the chicken mixture so the meatballs hold their shape while cooking. 
  • Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce: Classic Asian ingredients enhancing the depth of flavor.
  • Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Provides authentic flavor essential to Asian food recipes.

How to Make Asian Chicken Meatball Lettuce Wraps

  1. Make the Mango Slaw: In a mixing bowl, combine thinly sliced mango, shredded purple cabbage, cilantro, and sliced green onions. Whisk lime juice, honey, chili garlic sauce, and salt in a separate small bowl, then pour over the slaw mixture. Stir well and refrigerate.
  2. Prepare the Meatball Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk honey, sesame oil, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and cornstarch. Set aside.
  3. Form the Meatballs: Gently combine ground chicken, soy sauce, panko breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, and green onions in a large mixing bowl. Form into mini meatballs using about a tablespoon each.
  4. Cook and Glaze Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs until browned and fully cooked. Reduce heat to medium-low, add glaze, and toss until meatballs are thoroughly coated and glaze thickens.
  5. Assemble and Serve: Serve chicken mixture on crisp lettuce leaves, topped with mango slaw. Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Close-up of a single lettuce wrap featuring a glazed chicken meatball, shredded red cabbage, mango slices, and a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds on a butter lettuce leaf.

Tips for Success and Substitutions

  • No Chicken? Substitute ground turkey or ground pork.
  • Gluten-Free: Omit breadcrumbs or use gluten-free breadcrumbs; substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos.
  • Adjust the Heat: Increase or reduce chili garlic sauce according to your preference for little or more spice.
  • Add more veggies: Toss in extra shredded carrots, thinly sliced bell peppers, or water chestnuts to the slaw or meatball mixture for added crunch, color, and a boost of dietary fiber and vitamins.
  • My meatballs are falling apart—what can you do? If meatballs crumble, add more panko breadcrumbs or a lightly beaten egg for extra binding. Avoid overmixing, and chill the meatballs for about 10–15 minutes before cooking to help them maintain their shape.

Storing and Making Ahead

  • Fridge: Store meatballs and slaw separately in airtight containers up to 3 days.
  • Meal Prep: Ideal for preparing in advance; easily reheated in a skillet.
  • Freezing: Meatballs can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Overhead view of chicken lettuce wraps served on a light blue plate, topped with colorful slaw and sesame seeds, next to a package of butter lettuce, limes, and a bowl of shredded red cabbage and mango.

Similar Recipes

Craving more bold, fresh flavors? These recipes are perfect follow-ups to our Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps:

 

Close-up of a single lettuce wrap featuring a glazed chicken meatball, shredded red cabbage, mango slices, and a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds on a butter lettuce leaf.
5 from 43 votes

Asian Chicken Meatball Lettuce Wraps with Mango Slaw

By Katie G.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Mango Slaw combine juicy meatballs, crisp lettuce, and tangy slaw for a bold, satisfying bite—perfect for lunch, dinner, or appetizers.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

For the Mango Slaw

  • 1 ripe mango,, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups thinly shredded purple cabbage
  • ½ cup packed cilantro,, roughly chopped
  • 2 green onions,, whites and tender green parts thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce, (like sriracha)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Meatball Glaze

  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce, (like sriracha)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs, (you can omit, but the balls might be a little more difficult to roll)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 green onions,, whites and tender green parts thinly sliced

To Assemble

  • 5 ounces butter lettuce
  • sesame seeds for garnish, (optional)
  • chopped cilantro, (optional)

Instructions 

  • To make the slaw, combine the mango, cabbage, cilantro and green onions together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, chili garlic sauce and salt. Pour the dressing over the slaw and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate to let marinate until ready to serve.
  • To prep the meatball glaze, in a medium bowl whisk all of the ingredients for the glaze together and set aside.
  • To prep the meatballs, in a large mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs and gently mix with clean hands until well combined. Using about a tablespoon of the meat mixture each, roll into mini meatballs.
  • Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Cook the meatballs until they are browned on all sides and are cooked through. Turn the heat down to medium/low heat and add the glaze to the pan. Toss to coat the meatballs. Continue heating and tossing until the glaze has thickened and is clinging to the meatballs.
  • Serve the meatballs with the butter lettuce and mango slaw. Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Store meatballs and slaw separately; keeps for up to 3 days.
  • Substitute ground chicken with ground turkey or pork if preferred.
  • Reheat leftovers briefly in a skillet or microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.8g, Protein: 15.4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2.6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 56.3mg, Sodium: 950mg, Potassium: 150mg, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugar: 20.8g, Vitamin A: 345IU, Vitamin C: 15.5mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @spoonfulflavor or tag #spoonfulflavor!

 

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5 from 43 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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62 Comments

  1. These were so good! I made jasmine rice and added to romaine lettuce leaves. Our store didn’t have the butter lettuce. Thank you for the recipe!!!

  2. This is my first time ever leaving a comment on a recipe but I just had to comment on how good these are. I try to keep a low carb diet and cook about 4-5 times a week for my boyfriend and I. I typically find some pretty good recipes and my boyfriend usually rates them about 4 or 5 stars (out of 5)… this recipe, as soon as he took a bite, he told me it was 6 star worthy. I made some for his mom as well and she raved about it. Great recipe, will definitely be adding it to my rotation! Thank you for sharing!

    1. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I really appreciate the feedback and am so glad you enjoyed!

  3. Was dying to try these and although my husband and I love some spice I found the sriracha amounts to be way too spicy.  I used half of the sriracha amounts in both chicken meatballs and coleslaw dressing and it was still too spicy.  Very tasty though.  

  4. I NEVER comment on blogs, but saw this recipe on Pinterest and tried it. Have made it twice now and both times determined it is AMAZING! I don’t like spicy foods so I used Sweet chili sauce instead of sriracha and cut the amount called for in recipe in half. It was perfect! Otherwise, I followed recipe exactly as written. Even my picky eating son liked the chicken meatballs by themselves. The chicken meatballs are crazy tender and delicious. We added some plain white rice to the wraps at my daughters request and when we ran out of meatballs (4 of us ate them all) she ate the leftover slaw with the extra sauce and rice-yum!

  5. Hi, Could I use Sugar free Maple Syrup in place of the honey 🍯  I have made tgupis before and it is the Bomb 💣 

  6. So, SO good! I loved the meatballs, but I’m thinking I may end up making the meatballs into a burger patty? It may backfire on me, but I’m going to try it! The flavors are just so spot on here!

  7. Absolutely delicious! A bit spicy for me (I’m a wimp haha),  but not my husband. Definitely will be eating this again! 

  8. These meatballs were delicious!! My whole family loved them! Made adjustments to the slaw because I didn’t have mango so I cooked the meatballs, took them out of the skillet, and sautéed the cabbage (bagged cole slaw mix) in the remaining sauce! I even added peanuts, and frozen edamame beans and cauliflower!