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Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps assembled with additional limes and picked shallots surrounding.
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5 from 11 votes

Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Author: Alex Snodgrass

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons green curry paste
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat

For the Quick-Pickled Shallots:

  • 2 large shallots, very thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

For the Lettuce Wraps:

  • 2 heads of butter lettuce, leaves separated
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup crushed unsalted peanuts

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken:

  • In a high-speed blender or wide-mouth jar using an immersion blender, combine the coconut milk, green curry paste, garlic, ginger, cilantro, fish sauce, coconut aminos, coconut sugar, lime zest, and salt. Blend until smooth. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Place the chicken thighs in a food storage container and pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and let marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for up to 6 hours.

Make the Quick-Pickled Shallots:

  • Meanwhile, make the quick-pickled shallots by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl and tossing to combine. These keep well in the fridge for about 4 days.

Grill the Chicken:

  • When ready to cook, heat grill over medium-high heat (400℉ to 450℉) and oil the grill grates. To do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little avocado oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that's a sure-fire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.
  • Place the chicken on the grill, cover, and cook for 4 minutes per side, until the pieces turn golden and grill marks appear. Flip the pieces once more and turn the heat to medium-low, about 300°F. Using some of the reserved coconut sauce (saving some for serving), use a grill brush and brush the chicken so that it is coated in more of the sauce. Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through and the internal temp is 165°F.
  • Remove from the grill and transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 8 minutes before slicing into 1-inch strips.

Serve:

  • To serve, place the sliced chicken in lettuce leaves and drizzle with some of the remaining sauce. Top with pickled shallots, crushed peanuts, fresh mint, cilantro and a wedge of lime for squeezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1427mg | Potassium: 957mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3072IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg