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These Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps are one of those easy meals that feel a little special without requiring much work. A savory mixture of ground chicken, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, crunchy water chestnuts, and rice cooks gently in the slow cooker before being spooned into crisp lettuce leaves.

They’re light, flavorful, and fun to eat since everyone can build their own wraps at the table. Perfect for busy weeknights, casual dinners, or meal prep lunches.

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Two slow cooker Asian chicken lettuce wraps on white plate with linen napkin, chopsticks and hoisin sauce in the background.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy slow cooker dinner
  • Great for meal prep
  • High in protein
  • Light but satisfying
  • Family-friendly
  • Fun, build-your-own meal

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Ground Chicken – provides lean protein and is the base of this dish. You can substitute with ground turkey or lean ground pork if you prefer.
  • Minced Garlic – adds a savory, aromatic flavor. You can use garlic powder as a substitute if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.
  • Red Bell Pepper – gives a sweet, slightly crunchy texture. Any color bell pepper (green, yellow, orange) works well as a substitute.
  • Hoisin Sauce – is a sweet, salty, and tangy condiment used in many Asian dishes. You can substitute with a combination of soy sauce and a small amount of sugar if hoisin isn’t available.
  • Soy Sauce – adds a salty, umami flavor. Tamari or coconut aminos can be used as a gluten-free alternative.
  • Salt and Pepper – Basic seasoning to taste. You can adjust depending on your preference or dietary needs.
  • Water Chestnuts – offer a crunchy texture and subtle flavor. If you don’t have them or don’t like them, you could substitute with bamboo shoots or even finely chopped celery for a similar crunch.
  • Cooked Rice – Helps stretch the filling and makes it more satisfying. You can substitute with quinoa, cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option, or even shredded cabbage for added crunch.
  • Scallions – (green onions) add a mild onion flavor with a bit of freshness. You can substitute with red onion or chives if needed.
  • Bibb or Butter Lettuce – Soft, cup-shaped leaves are ideal for wrapping. Substitute: Iceberg lettuce for extra crunch or romaine leaves for a sturdier wrap.
Cooking slow cooker Asian chicken lettuce wraps in black crockpot on wood table with small bowl of white rice and plate of Bibb Lettuce alongside.

How to Make Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ideal slow cooker: 3- to 4-Quart

Step 1: Brown the ground chicken with the garlic in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into coarse crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess liquid.

(You can also microwave (affiliate link) the chicken and garlic as directed in the original recipe if you prefer.)

Step 2: Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker. Add the bell pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

Step 3: Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours, just until heated through and the peppers are tender.

Step 4: Stir in the water chestnuts and cooked rice. Cover for about 5 minutes until heated through.

Step 5: Stir in the green onions.

Serve the filling with lettuce leaves and let everyone build their own wraps.

Recipe Tips & Variations

  • Don’t overcook. Ground chicken cooks quickly and can dry out if left in the slow cooker too long.
  • Browning the chicken first creates a better texture and keeps the meat in larger crumbles.
  • Like extra heat? Stir in sriracha, chili garlic sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Add grated fresh ginger with the garlic for even more flavor.
  • Garnish with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, or fresh cilantro.
  • Skip the rice for a lower-carb filling.

Serving Suggestions

These lettuce wraps make a satisfying meal on their own, but they’re also delicious with:

Storage & Leftovers

Store the filling separately from the lettuce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

The filling reheats well in the microwave (affiliate link) and is also delicious served:

  • over rice
  • in grain bowls
  • stuffed into baked sweet potatoes
  • wrapped in tortillas
  • spooned over cauliflower rice

How Many Calories and WW Points?

According to my calculations, each generous serving has about 526 and 3 WW Points.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged in on a tablet or smartphone.)

13 PointsPlus (Old plan)

If you’ve made these Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

5 from 5 votes

Easy Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

By Peter
Ground chicken, hoisin sauce, crunchy water chestnuts, and rice cook together in the slow cooker to create a flavorful filling for crisp lettuce wraps. An easy, healthy dinner that's great for meal prep.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds ground chicken (93% lean)
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 red bell pepper (cored and finely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 3 scallions, sliced thin
  • 2 heads Bibb lettuce

Instructions 

  • Microwave ground chicken and garlic in bowl, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off liquid and transfer mixture to slow cooker.
  • Stir in bell pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 2 to 3 hours on LOW.
  • Stir in water chestnuts and rice and cover until thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in scallions and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Separate and wash Bibb lettuce leaves, then pat dry.
  • Serve chicken filling with lettuce leaves.

Notes

Serving size: 1/6th recipe
WW Points: 3
Check the WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app.
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
13 PointsPlus (Old plan)
I think you could very easily get 8 good-size portions with this recipe, since the 6 servings suggested by the original recipe makes very full wraps. Increasing the number of servings to 8 reduces the calories per serving to 394 with 7 *SmartPoints

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6th recipe, Calories: 526kcal, Carbohydrates: 51.4g, Protein: 49g, Saturated Fat: 3.3g, Cholesterol: 135mg, Sodium: 787mg, Fiber: 2.4g, Sugar: 7.6g

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

Additional Info

Course: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: Asian
Tried this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving or tag #simplenourishedliving!

Source: Recipe adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy-Prep Edition: 200 All-New, Ground-Breaking Recipes (affiliate link)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need to brown the chicken first?

Yes, it’s worth the extra few minutes. Browning helps keep the chicken in larger, more appealing crumbles and improves the overall texture.

Can I make this with ground turkey?

Absolutely. Ground turkey is an excellent substitute and works just as well.

What lettuce works best?

Butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce are the easiest to fold, while iceberg offers more crunch.

Can I freeze the filling?

Yes. Freeze the cooked filling (without the lettuce) in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.

More Easy Asian-Inspired Recipes

If you love the flavors of Asian cuisine and/or want more slow cooker inspiration, check out these tasty and WW-friendly recipes:

These recipes are all easy to prepare making them perfect for busy weeknights or meal prepping. Plus, they are all Weight Watchers-friendly, so you can enjoy them while staying on track!

About Peter Morrison

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5 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is the perfect swap recipe. This was delicious….I did not use bell pepper or onion, used Uncle Bens heat and serve long grain rice/wild rice. We ate this on lettuce, crackers, soft tortillas with grated cheese (quesadilla). Ate it all the way thru Winter Storm Uri and never got tired of the endless ways to transform into something different to eat.