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These healthy and tasty Gochujang Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps are so easy to make and just bursting with flavor!
The delicious grilled chicken in this recipe gets its dynamic flavor from a spicy-sweet marinade and glaze with Gochujang as the start — a favorite Korean condiment made from dried ground red chiles, fermented soybeans, and more. It’s packed with umami (or savory) flavor and perfect for keeping in the fridge to make many dishes come to life with a big, bold flavor.
A little more about Gochujang, it is sold in almost all grocery stores and easily found, but keep in mind that some are spicier than others. I use the Mother In Law “Original” brand in this recipe, and the heat is pretty mild, yet still packed with flavor. Just check the label of whatever Gochujang you find at the store and make sure none of them are labeled as ‘spicy’ because they can pack a ton of heat.
Now to the recipe — the chicken is marinated in the beautiful Gochujang-infused sauce that you’ll also use for topping your lettuce wraps. Grill off the chicken, slice it up and add it to lettuce wraps with some quick-pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and green onions for a complete meal. The chicken is also great served as a bowl over rice!! You can’t go wrong either way. This chicken is just simply delightful.
for more grilled chicken recipes:
Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Grilled Sesame Chicken Skewers
Grilled Chili Chicken Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa
Grilled Jalapeño Popper Chicken
Gochujang Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade + Sauce:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste I use Mother In Law’s Original
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thigh, trimmed of excess fat
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the Quick-Pickled Carrots:
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Pinch of salt
For Serving:
- 1-2 heads butter lettuce leaves separated, washed and dried
- 3 green onions thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 mini cucumbers thinly sliced on the diagonal
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- In a large bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, toasted sesame oil, coconut sugar, gochujang, coconut aminos, garlic and ginger until well combined. Transfer ⅓ cup of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside (for serving).
- Add the chicken and salt to the marinade and toss until well coated. Transfer to the fridge and marinate for at least 30 minutes, and up to overnight!
Meanwhile, Make the Quick-Pickled Carrots + Assemble the Serving Platter
- In a small bowl, combine the carrots, vinegar and a pinch of salt, toss to coat and set aside.
- Assemble all of your ingredients on a platter: The lettuce leaves, sliced green onions, cucumbers, cilantro, and pickled carrots. Set aside while you grill the chicken.
Grill The Chicken
- Heat grill over medium-high heat (350- 400 degrees F) and oil the grill grates (to do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that’s a surefire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.)
- Cook the chicken over the heat for 4 minutes per side, until the pieces turn golden and grill marks appear. The lid should be closed throughout the cooking process.
- Flip the pieces once more and turn heat to medium-low, about 300°F, for 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through and the internal temp is 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5-8 minutes before slicing and serving.
- To serve, layer 2 pieces of butter lettuce for the ‘wrap’. Fill with a few of the pickled carrots, then some sliced chicken, and finish with a few slices of cucumbers, some cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle of the reserved sauce + squeeze of lime.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Food Photography and Styling by Modern Food Stories.
Are there any substitutes for the coconut sugar? Excited to give it a try!