Chicken Lettuce Wraps Just Like P.F. Chang’s

P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a signature starter: savory, finely chopped chicken and mushrooms in a glossy garlic-ginger sauce, spooned into crisp lettuce cups and finished with crunchy noodles. The contrast of hot, salty-sweet filling against cool, snappy lettuce is what makes the dish so addictive.

This homemade copycat approximation uses everyday grocery ingredients and a single skillet. It is a casual, shareable meal that comes together quickly, and it makes enough filling to feed a table without the restaurant markup.

About P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The dish is built on three elements: a finely diced stir-fried filling, a balanced sauce with hoisin, soy, vinegar and a little sugar, and a crunchy topping. Dicing everything to a small, uniform size lets the filling hold together in a lettuce cup and ensures each bite has chicken, mushroom and aromatics.

The technique is classic high-heat stir-frying. Brown the chicken without crowding the pan, cook the mushrooms until their moisture evaporates so they turn savory instead of soggy, then add the aromatics and sauce at the end. A small cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce so it clings to the filling instead of pooling in the lettuce. The tangy-hot dipping sauce served alongside is part of the experience.

How Much Does It Cost to Make P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps at Home?

A full batch makes 4 servings (about 12 wraps) for an estimated $12.09 in ingredients, roughly $3.02 per serving. Ordering the equivalent at P.F. Chang’s runs around $13.50 (approximate menu price), so making it yourself saves an estimated $1.41 (10%). The grocery figures are estimates based on US average grocery prices (US BLS Average Price Data, May 2026) and typical store prices for the rest; the per-ingredient breakdown is in the table above. Your local store and restaurant prices will differ, but the gap stays large because you buy staple ingredients instead of a prepared, served dish, and one batch stretches across several servings.

Why Make It at Home?

Making these at home costs a fraction of ordering out, and you control the salt, the heat and the amount of filling per wrap. The recipe scales easily for a crowd, leftovers reheat well, and you can swap in turkey, tofu or extra vegetables to suit your table.

Ingredients for Copycat P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Here’s the full ingredients list you’ll need to make P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps at home:

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, finely diced or ground
• 8 oz shiitake or cremini mushrooms, finely diced
• 6 each green onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
• 2 each celery ribs, finely diced (substitute for water chestnuts if preferred)
• 1 each head iceberg or butter lettuce, leaves separated into cups
• 0.5 cup rice vermicelli or long-grain rice noodles, broken into short pieces for crispy topping
• 0.5 cup neutral frying fat for crisping the noodles
• 3 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp hot mustard or Chinese mustard, for the dipping sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp salt and white pepper, to taste

A few ingredient notes:

• Use iceberg for the classic crunch and cup shape, or butter lettuce for a softer, more delicate wrap. Trim the base and peel leaves gently so they stay intact.
• Canned water chestnuts give the original its signature crunch; if you can find them, drain and finely dice about half a cup. Celery is a workable substitute.
• Rice vermicelli puffs instantly in hot oil and gives the classic crispy topping. Fry a small handful at a time and drain on paper towels.

How to Make P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps at Home

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 15 min · Makes: 4 servings (about 12 wraps)

1. Prep everything first: finely dice the chicken, mushrooms and celery, slice the green onions (keeping whites and greens separate), and mince the garlic and ginger. Separate the lettuce into cups, rinse and dry them well, and chill.
2. Make the sauce: whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, sugar, sherry and sesame oil in a small bowl. In a second small bowl, stir the cornstarch with the water until smooth.
3. Mix the dipping sauce: combine the hot mustard with a splash of water and a little soy sauce until pourable, and set aside.
4. Crisp the noodles: heat the frying fat in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the broken vermicelli in small batches for a few seconds until puffed and white, then drain on paper towels and lightly salt.
5. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add a little of the fat, then the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and white pepper, and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate.
6. In the same pan, cook the mushrooms and celery over high heat until their moisture cooks off and they begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the green onion whites, garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the sauce, and toss to coat. Stir the cornstarch slurry, add it, and cook 1 minute until the sauce turns glossy and thickens. Fold in the green onion greens and remove from heat.
8. Serve the hot filling in a bowl with the lettuce cups, crispy noodles and dipping sauce. To eat, spoon filling into a cup, top with noodles, and fold.

Tips for the Best Results

• Dice the chicken very small, or pulse briefly in a food processor, so the filling packs neatly into the cups.
• Keep the pan very hot and do not crowd it so the chicken browns instead of steaming.
• Dry the lettuce thoroughly; wet leaves dilute the sauce and tear more easily.
• Taste the filling before serving and adjust with a splash of soy sauce or vinegar for balance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Adding the mushrooms before the pan is hot, which makes them release water and turn soggy.
• Using too much sauce or skipping the cornstarch, leaving a runny filling that soaks through the lettuce.
• Frying the noodles in oil that is not hot enough, so they turn greasy instead of puffing.
• Filling the cups too far ahead of time, which wilts the lettuce and softens the crunch.

Variations to Try

• Swap the chicken for ground turkey, pork or finely crumbled firm tofu.
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of chili garlic sauce to the filling for heat.
• Stir in diced water chestnuts or shredded carrot for extra crunch and color.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, and keep the lettuce cups and crispy noodles separate so they stay crisp. Reheat the filling in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until hot, or microwave in short bursts, stirring in between. Add fresh lettuce and noodles when serving.

What to Serve It With

Serve the wraps as a starter or turn them into a light meal alongside steamed white or fried rice, a simple cucumber salad, or a bowl of hot and sour soup. Offer the mustard dipping sauce on the side, and set everything out family style so everyone can build their own.

The Bottom Line

P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps is one of those dishes that feels like it should be hard to make and expensive to buy, but at home it’s neither. For an estimated $12.09 in everyday ingredients you get 4 servings (about 12 wraps), fresh and warm, for roughly 10% less than ordering out. Make it once and it’ll join the short list of recipes you reach for without thinking. Bookmark this one, grab the ingredients, and keep an eye on CopyKitchen for more copycat favorites with an estimated cost to make them at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is in P.F. Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps?

The dish features finely diced chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts and green onions stir-fried in a savory-sweet sauce of hoisin, soy and aromatics. It is served with crisp lettuce cups, crunchy noodles and a tangy mustard dipping sauce.

Can I use ground chicken instead of diced breast?

Yes, ground chicken works well and saves prep time. Brown it in a hot pan and break it up thoroughly, draining any excess liquid before adding the sauce so the filling stays glossy rather than watery.

What is the best lettuce for lettuce wraps?

Iceberg is the traditional choice because its leaves are sturdy and cup-shaped with a satisfying crunch. Butter or Bibb lettuce is a good softer alternative, though the leaves are more delicate.

How do I make the crispy noodles?

Fry thin rice vermicelli straight from the package in hot oil for a few seconds; they puff up and turn white almost instantly. Drain on paper towels right away and salt lightly.

Can I make the filling ahead of time?

Yes, the filling reheats well and keeps for a few days in the refrigerator. Assemble the wraps only when ready to eat so the lettuce and noodles stay crisp.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Not as written, since soy sauce and hoisin contain wheat. Swap in tamari and a gluten-free hoisin, and use rice vermicelli, which is naturally gluten-free, to adapt it.

Cost figures are estimates for comparison, based on US BLS Average Price Data (US city average) and an approximate menu price; your local grocery prices and P.F. Chang’s current menu price will vary. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. CopyKitchen is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by P.F. Chang’s or any brand mentioned; this is an independent, homemade copycat recipe, and all trademarks are the property of their respective owners.