Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Jerk chicken lettuce wraps are a quick, delicious, and super healthy lunch or dinner! All the bold, dynamic flavor of Jamaican jerk chicken paired with crunchy veggies, peanuts and a mouth-watering sauce. One bite and you’ll be obsessed!
Jamaican jerk seasoning is a bold, complex blend that, once it hooks you, tastes amazing on everything. Giving chicken a quick rub with the stuff, then piling it, grilled or sautéed, into crisp lettuce wraps with a generous array of colorful veggies, is just about the most delicious and healthy way to get your fix of the flavor!
We recently went on a long road trip — Virginia to Colorado and back! — and while I enjoy a fast food treat as much as the next gal, it didn’t take many days on the road to bring on a craving for some healthier meals. I made these for lunch the day we got home, and they absolutely hit the spot!
What to put in a jerk chicken wrap
You can definitely be flexible with what you add to your wrap, but here is a great starting point.
- Chicken, of course: Use boneless, skinless breasts, sliced or pounded thin so they cook quickly without drying out.
- Jerk seasoning: You can easily make your own jerk seasoning blend, which is nice if you want to control the heat level and tinker with the flavor, but there are many great store-bought versions, too.
- Lettuce: Boston Bibb lettuce works great in wraps because the leaves are a nice size and have a natural curl that wraps perfectly around fillings. It’s often sold in a plastic clamshell case with the root still knotted at the bottom. If you prefer romaine, iceberg, or another lettuce variety, though, go for it!
- Crunchy veggies: Carrots, red and/or white cabbage. I often buy these pre-shredded just to save time.
- Cilantro: A little touch of extra flavor.
- Peanuts: You might be tempted to skip these, but you’ll thank yourself for throwing them in. The extra crunch factor is perfection!
- An ultra-quick sauce of sour cream, lime juice, and a pinch more jerk seasoning: This is easy to whip up while the chicken cooks, and you’ll be glad that you did. It adds that final pop of flavor and creamy texture to put the whole meal over the top!
How to make them
On top of being super delicious and healthy, you’ll love that these are simple to make. Start by seasoning the chicken with a quick rub made of jerk seasoning and olive oil, then grill or sauté it to cook. The chicken you see here was just cooked in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat, then cut into strips. Quick and easy!
Lettuce wraps that hold their own
Then it’s a quick matter of assembly. I like to lay out the lettuce leaves right on small plates and layer 2-3 pieces for each wrap. This helps each wrap stay together — even once it’s jam packed with chicken, more veggies, and sauce — and ensures a good crunch.
Then pile on a healthy amount of the sliced chicken, follow with veggies, peanuts, and cilantro, and drizzle on the sauce to taste. That’s it!
If you can’t get enough of these bold Caribbean flavors, you’ll also enjoy jerk chicken with mango avocado salsa, jerk shrimp, or jerk shrimp pasta. All tasty, easy, and healthy dinners!
Looking for more tasty low carb options? Korean ground beef lettuce wraps are another favorite!
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Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon jerk seasoning divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced or pounded thin
- 1 head Boston Bibb lettuce
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup shredded cabbage red or white
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup peanuts lightly-salted
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- squeeze of lime juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of the jerk seasoning and olive oil together into a thin paste. Rub evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Grill or saute chicken for 4-6 minutes on each side, or just until it hits 165 degrees F and is no longer pink in the middle. Remove and set aside to rest briefly, then slice into thin strips.
- While chicken cooks and rest, prep remaining ingredients. Lay out leaves of lettuce, layering 2 on top of each other, and line up your carrots, cabbage, cilantro, and peanuts.
- To make the sauce, stir together sour cream, lime juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon jerk seasoning. Add additional lime juice or water to thin to desired consistency.
- To assemble the wraps, pile sliced chicken on top of lettuce, followed by carrots, cabbage, cilantro, peanuts, and sauce. Garnish with extra lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Lettuce Note: I prefer Boston Bibb lettuce in wraps because the leaves are a nice size and have a natural curl that wraps perfectly around fillings like this jerk chicken. You may find Boston Bibb in your produce section in a plastic clamshell case with the root still in a knot at the bottom. If you prefer romaine, iceberg, or another lettuce variety, though, go for it!
- Yield: This recipe yields about 10 lettuce wraps, depending greatly on how full you stuff them. Estimate 2-3 wraps per person, if serving as a meal.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is an estimate based on dividing this recipe among 4 full servings.
The jerk chicken lettuce wraps were wonderful. We improvised the jerk seasoning (small town, limited spice selection) but we’ve added jerk seasoning to our next on-line order. What a simple meal but healthy and filling. It would be an ideal meal for company – especially on a hot summer day.
These jerk chicken lettuce wraps looks so good. I was planning on making them tonight but I forgot to get cilantro! I guess I will go ahead anyway.
Definitely go ahead–they will be delicious even without it.
Yum! These lettuce wraps were awesome! Packed with flavor, super delicious, and easy to make too!
What a fresh and fun dish to make! I love how you can turn it into a wrap and take it on the go with you. Perfect for roadtrips! Thanks for sharing 😀
I love how easy it is to prepare the chicken and they are amazing in lettuce wraps. I bet they would be great in tacos or salad too!
My husband and I enjoyed these healthy jerk chicken lettuce wraps for lunch. They were flavorful and delicious! This recipe’s a keeper.
I fell in love with Jerk Chicken on a trip to Jamaica, this is one I need to try soon!