Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap is a quick, light lunch that balances creamy chicken salad with crisp lettuce cups. It’s flavorful, textured, and easy to prepare for a healthy, refreshing meal whether you’re serving a crowd or packing lunches for the week.
While You’ll Love This Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap
- Taste – Tangy, bright dressing complements the savory chicken and sweet fruit for a well-rounded bite.
- Texture – Creamy chicken salad paired with crunchy walnuts, celery, and crisp lettuce creates an appealing contrast.
- Effort – Simple assembly: make the dressing, toss with the chicken and mix-ins, then spoon into lettuce leaves.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken – Cooked, diced chicken provides the protein base.
- Apple and grapes – Crisp apple and halved seedless grapes add sweetness and freshness.
- Walnuts – Chopped walnuts give a pleasant crunch and nutty flavor.
- Celery – Adds a bright, crunchy note.
- Shallot and scallions – Provide mild onion flavor and aroma.
- Dressing – Mayonnaise (or a mayo/Greek yogurt mix), Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, kosher salt, and black pepper create a tangy, rich dressing.
- Lettuce – Butter lettuce is ideal for cups, but romaine hearts or other sturdy leaves will also work.
See the recipe section below for full quantities and detailed instructions.
Substitutions and Variations
- Bread option – If you prefer a sandwich, the same chicken salad works beautifully on croissants, rolls, or baguette slices.
- Light option – Substitute all or part of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt to reduce fat and add tang.
- Spicy – Add Sriracha, hot sauce, or a pinch of cayenne to the dressing for heat.
- Extra creaminess – Top with sliced avocado just before serving for a richer texture.
Lettuce Wrap Instructions
- Make the dressing – In a large bowl combine ½ cup mayonnaise (or ¼ cup mayo + ¼ cup Greek yogurt), 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir until smooth and well blended.
- Combine the salad – Add 2 cups diced cooked chicken, 1 diced crisp apple, ½ cup halved seedless grapes, ½ cup chopped walnuts, ⅔ cup diced celery (about 2 stalks), 1 minced small shallot, and 2 thinly sliced scallions to the bowl. Fold gently until all pieces are evenly coated with the dressing, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dressing that collects there.
- Assemble the lettuce cups – Arrange 8–12 butter lettuce leaves (washed and dried) on a platter to form small cups. Spoon a generous scoop of chicken salad into each leaf, spread slightly, and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
Pro tip: Serve immediately for the freshest texture, or chill the prepared chicken salad and assemble just before serving. Because the recipe contains mayonnaise, keep leftovers refrigerated.
Top Tips
- Use fresh lettuce – Crisp, recently refrigerated leaves hold up best and taste better.
- Choose hearty leaves – Butter lettuce, romaine hearts, or other sturdy leaves will support the filling without tearing.
- Prep ahead – Make the chicken salad up to three days in advance (store in an airtight container) and assemble lettuce cups when ready to serve.
Related Recipes
- Italian BLT Sandwich
- Mortadella, Burrata, and Pesto Panino
- Hawaiian Roll Turkey Pesto Sliders
- Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich
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Recipe
Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap
Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap is an easy, satisfying lunch combining creamy chicken salad with crisp lettuce cups for a bright, textured meal.
Prep Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 20 mins
Course: Lunch, Main Course | Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 212 kcal (per serving)
Author: Kathleen Higashiyama
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise (or ¼ cup mayo + ¼ cup Greek yogurt)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Salad
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1 crisp apple, cored and diced (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith)
- ½ cup seedless grapes, halved
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ⅔ cup diced celery (about 2 medium stalks)
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 8–12 butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried (or romaine)
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to finish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or mayo/Greek yogurt), Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Add the diced chicken, apple, halved grapes, chopped walnuts, diced celery, minced shallot, and sliced scallions to the bowl. Fold gently until everything is evenly coated in the dressing, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate all the dressing.
- Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter to form cups. Spoon portions of the chicken salad into each leaf, spread slightly, and finish with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately or chill assembled cups briefly before serving.
Notes
Storage: Prepared chicken salad (without lettuce) keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assembled lettuce cups are best enjoyed fresh; if you must store assembled cups, refrigerate and consume within 1 day to maintain lettuce texture.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 212 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.04 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg
- Sodium: 267 mg
- Potassium: 200 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Vitamin A: 613 IU
- Vitamin C: 5 mg
- Calcium: 26 mg
- Iron: 1 mg