Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps

These chicken taco lettuce wraps make an easy, quick lunch or dinner for the whole family. Just marinate your chicken ahead of time to have an easy meal on the table in under 20 minutes! Perfect for busy days. Top with your favorite toppings, such as avocado, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, and cheddar cheese!
A plate with three chicken taco lettuce wraps with cilantro and ingredients surrounding the plate.
A plate with three chicken taco lettuce wraps with cilantro and ingredients surrounding the plate.

Looking for a fun way to serve tacos this Taco Tuesday? Try these chicken taco lettuce wraps! Get more veggies in your gluten-free dinner by serving tacos in lettuce wraps.

Seasoned chicken is pan-fried and served in lettuce wraps topped with tomato, shredded cheese, avocado, red onion, cilantro and sour cream! Everyone in the family will love this tasty meal! This low carb meal is super quick to throw together, too.

Ingredients

Chicken, cilantro, red onion, tomatoes, lettuce on a cutting board to make chicken taco lettuce wraps.

Ingredient notes

  • lettuce – I like to use boston bibb lettuce or butter lettuce
  • tomatoes – I typically use roma tomatoes because they are inexpensive and perfect for dicing, but use your favorite tomato!
  • avocado – Make sure it’s ripe or substitute with pre-made guacamole!
  • red onion – if red onion has too much bite for you, you can substitute with green onions
  • chicken breast – If you don’t have chicken breast, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Taco topping ideas

Use the recipe I’ve created as a guideline for your own taco lettuce wraps. You can change up the protein and use beef, fish, or pork instead. You can use leftover chicken as the base for this recipe to make this meal even quicker to make, too.

I’ve included some of my favorite toppings in this recipe, but really the sky is the limit. Here are some other fun topping ideas for your taco lettuce wraps:

  • jalapeño
  • pickled red onions
  • avocado crema
  • guacamole
  • roasted corn
  • sautéed bell peppers
  • lime wedges
  • red cabbage
  • cabbage slaw
  • cotija cheese
  • black beans
  • radish

Step-by-step instructions

These chicken taco lettuce wraps are so simple to throw together on a busy weeknight. They take just about 20 minutes, following the steps below! For more detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.

  1. Pound the chicken to an even thickness. This is key to getting the chicken to cook quickly.
  2. Marinate the chicken in the spice blend with olive oil and lime juice.
  3. Cook the chicken in a cast iron skillet to get a really tasty and crispy exterior. It’s so flavorful! If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use a heavy bottom pot. If you need to add additional olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking, you can.
  4. Cook the chicken for 14-16 minutes, flipping half way through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Let the chicken cool and dice.
  5. To assemble the chicken taco lettuce wraps, place the lettuce on a plate. Add the cooked chicken and toppings. Serve immediately!

Expert Tips

  • Place the chicken in a zip-top bag to pound the chicken. Use either a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound it to an even thickness. Leave the chicken in that same bag and add the marinade. Less clean up!
  • If you don’t plan to eat immediately, store everything in separate containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, just reheat the chicken and assemble!

FAQS

What type of lettuce is best for this recipe?

You can really use any type of green leafy lettuce for these taco lettuce wraps. My favorite is boston bibb lettuce or butter lettuce because they are the perfect sized cups for lettuce wraps and hold up really well. You can also use romaine heart though I find the shape to not be as ideal.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

You sure can! Chicken thighs are delicious in this recipe!

Can this be made dairy-free?

The chicken itself is dairy-free already in this recipe. To make the lettuce wraps dairy-free, omit the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

How do you store leftovers?

Don’t assemble until you’re ready to eat. Once assembled, these chicken taco lettuce wraps are best eaten right away. Instead, package the chicken and toppings separately from the lettuce. Reheat the chicken when you’re ready to eat and assemble!

Related Recipes

If you love these chicken taco lettuce wraps, you’ll love these other gluten-free taco recipes, too!

A plate with three chicken taco lettuce wraps with cilantro and ingredients surrounding the plate.

Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps

These chicken taco lettuce wraps make an easy, quick lunch or dinner for the whole family. Just marinate your chicken ahead of time to have an easy meal on the table in under 20 minutes! Perfect for busy days. Top with your favorite toppings, such as avocado, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, and cheddar cheese!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 tacos
Calories: 138kcal
Author: Megan

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the taco lettuce wraps:

  • 12 count boston bibb lettuce (or butter lettuce)
  • 1 cup avocado (diced)
  • 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup red onion (diced small)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup roma tomato (diced)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro

Instructions

For the chicken:

  • Place the chicken between two sheets of parchment paper. Lightly pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until the chicken is an even 1/2 inch thickness.
  • Add the pounded chicken to a large bowl or gallon zip-top bag.
  • Add the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and ground black pepper to the bowl. Stir until the chicken is completely covered with the marinade. Let marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
  • Once the chicken is marinaded, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes until golden, flip, cook another 7-8 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165. Remove from the pan and let cool briefly.
  • Once cooled, dice the chicken.

For the chicken taco lettuce wraps:

  • To assemble, place the lettuce on a plate.
  • Fill with the diced chicken.
  • Top with red onion, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes and avocado.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 441IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ADashofMegnut or tag #adashofmegnut!

This chicken taco lettuce wraps recipe was originally posted on October 12, 2011 and updated on July 25, 2021 with new photos, tips and tricks to help you make this recipe perfectly every time!

about megan

I’m Megan

A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…

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