Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps

These Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps satisfy all those sandwich cravings, but are packed with veggies, and there’s no added sugar!

I might be a little on the extreme side, but I could eat Banh Mi sandwiches every single day of the week, and still not be tired of them! The obsession started at a tiny shop in downtown Chinatown, Calgary.

Imagine for a second… life before yelp/facebook/etc. where we all exchange restaurant reviews at the speed of light. Although that might be hard to picture right now, 15 years ago, that wasn’t such an odd thought. So rather than reading up on reviews online as we do now, we actually found this little spot strictly by word of mouth.

One bite into their absolutely blissful sandwiches, and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. While you stand in line, you can look at the wall of ‘fame’ of all the famous people who have come to their little shop.

Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps (Whole30) | Get Inspired Everyday! - 2

So, anyway, before we changed our diet, we used to go to this shop to pick up 2 sandwiches. Then we’d walk across the road, and eat them sitting on the rocks watching the Bow River flow by.

I have so many fond memories of this that, of course, I started creating Banh Mi-inspired recipes at home. Even if we hadn’t changed our diet, we couldn’t find a good Banh Mi where we live in Montana, even if we wanted to!

Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps (Whole30) | Get Inspired Everyday! - 3

So today’s recipe is all those wonderful Banh Mi flavors wrapped in lettuce. It’s also very allergy-friendly, being gluten and dairy-free, as well as paleo and Whole30. But I promise it won’t be a let-down just because it’s healthy. These wraps are absolutely packed with flavor, and so good you can’t eat just one.

Tips: Try doubling or even tripling this recipe and placing it all in the fridge to make Banh Mi Wraps all week long in just minutes. I love meal prepping this recipe and making wraps for myself at lunchtime. But when I make it for Tyler’s lunch, I just pile everything into a container as a salad. It’s much easier for him to eat a salad at work than lettuce wraps!

Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps (Whole30) | Get Inspired Everyday! - 4

Also, it’s worth tracking down a squeeze bottle for the mayo because it just makes it so much easier to quickly squeeze it over the top of your lettuce wraps. I found mine at the local restaurant supply store.

Whole30 Tips: it’s difficult to find a Whole30 compliant sriracha. So you have a couple of options if you can’t find it. First up you can make your own, just Google ‘Whole30 sriracha recipe’. Or if this seems like a lot, which it does to me, try out this chili garlic sauce instead.

Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps (Whole30) | Get Inspired Everyday! - 5

How to make these Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps

Start off by marinating the chicken. I like to marinate mine the night before I cook it for more flavor.
Prep all the veggies. If you’re meal prepping this, go ahead and separate them into individual containers for the refrigerator. If you’re serving it right away, try piling everything onto a platter for a fun presentation.
Finally, make the sriracha mayo, or do this up to 1 day ahead.

Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps (Whole30) | Get Inspired Everyday! - 6

Other Banh Mi-Inspired Recipes

Banh Mi Cucumber Subs
Banh Mi Slaw with Creamy Sriracha Dressing
Sticky Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
Banh Mi Salad Bowls with Lime Aioli

INGREDIENTS1x2x3x

Chicken:

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Quick Pickled Carrots:

1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch of sea salt

Veggies:

1 large head green leaf lettuce - leaves separated, washed and dried
1 cucumber - cut in half and thinly sliced, 2 cups
8 oz red bell pepper - stem and seed removed and thinly sliced, 1 cup from 1 small pepper
1 cup thinly sliced red onions - from 1 small, 8 ounces
1/2 cup Freshly chopped cilantro and basil - see notes

Sriracha Mayo:

1/2 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp sriracha - or to taste, see notes for Whole30

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients for the chicken in an airtight container (I like to use a glass Pyrex) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
When you’re ready to make the Banh Mi Wraps, make the quick pickled carrots by tossing the grated carrots, lime juice, and sea salt to combine. Set them aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe (these can also be made a day ahead).
Prep the rest of the veggies and place them into separate containers for storage, or arrange them on a platter if you’re serving this right away.
For the sriracha mayo, whisk the avocado oil mayonnaise with the sriracha to your taste.
For the chicken, preheat a grill over medium-high heat or a large skillet (10-12") over medium heat. To grill the chicken place it on a the preheated grill and turn it over after about 8 minutes, then cook an additional 6-8 minutes or until done in the center, timing varies depending on the size of the chicken thighs.
For the stove top, add a touch of oil to the preheated pan and carefully lay the chicken thighs in it. Cook partially covered for about 6 minutes. Then remove the lid, and cook another 2 minutes or so until they’re caramelized. Then turn the chicken thighs and cook until just done in the middle, about 6 minutes.
Remove the chicken thighs from the pan, and when they’re cool enough to handle, thinly slice them for the wraps.
Serve the chicken along with all the veggies and mayo, and let each person assemble their wraps according to taste.

NOTES

nutrition facts