For all that meat and pickled veggie goodness without the bread, you’ll love banh mi chicken burger lettuce wraps! This healthy dish delivers big on flavor.
In Vietnamese, bánh mi technically means bread, but it can also refer to a sandwich made with meat (usually pork), pickled carrots and daikon radish, cucumber, cilantro, and spicy mayonnaise. It’s often eaten as street food but can also serve as a meal.
When I found myself craving these bold flavors, I knew I wanted to find a way to turn the classic sandwich into something a little lighter. That’s how these banh mi chicken burger lettuce wraps came to be!
In this recipe, I replace the pork with ground chicken for a little more protein and less fat. I also mix in ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and lime with the meat before grilling to give it a rich flavor.
The carrots, cucumbers, and Daikon radish get a quick soak in brine to pickle them. After that, assemble your burger and veggies with spicy mayo in a low-carb lettuce wrap and you’re ready to enjoy! No bread required.
How to make banh mi chicken burger lettuce wraps
Would you believe these tasty burgers come together in just five steps? Let’s see how it’s done!
Step 1: In a medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add the cucumber, carrot, and radish sticks, then let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
Step 2: In a separate medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Shape into 4 patties, place on a cookie sheet or plate, and freeze for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side or until they are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Alternatively, you can use a broiler.
Step 4: Spread some sriracha mayonnaise, if using, on 4 large lettuce leaves. Top each with a burger.
Step 5: Drain the vegetables and top each chicken burger.
You’re ready to dig in to the lighter side of Vietnamese flavor!
Variations for this recipe
There are tons of ways you can customize this simple recipe to make it your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
I like to add sliced jalapeños and sriracha mayonnaise for a little extra kick. For flavor without added calories, you can always use regular sriracha instead. Or, to skip the spice, omit the jalapeño and top with plain mayonnaise, sour cream, or even plain Greek yogurt.
Craving traditional pork in place of chicken? You can easily substitute 1 pound of ground pork for your burger! Make sure you cook the pork to an internal temperature of 160°F.
For another layer of flavor, top your burger with fresh cilantro. You could also add sliced green onions if you like. No flavor is too big for this tasty wrap!
Storage
This dish is a great one to make the ingredients ahead of time so you can assemble your wrap in minutes. It’s a delicious way to meal prep!
Pickled veggies can be stored in their pickling juice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Once cooked, burgers can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
When you’re ready to enjoy, all you have to do is reheat the burger. After that, you’re ready to assemble and eat!
Other healthy and tasty chicken recipes
Chicken is one of my favorite ingredients to cook tasty, healthy meals. There is just so much you can do with the flavor! If you’re looking for delicious ways to enjoy this versatile protein, here are a few more recipes for you to try:
And don’t miss this collection of low-carb diabetes-friendly dinner recipes for even more tasty inspiration!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Banh Mi Chicken Burger Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ English cucumber (cut into matchsticks)
- 2 medium carrots (cut into matchsticks)
- ½ Daikon radish (cut into matchsticks — optional)
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 scallion (thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (freshly grated)
- ½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- juice from ½ of a lime
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- lettuce leaves
- sriracha mayonnaise (optional)
- thinly sliced jalapeños (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add the cucumber, carrot, and radish sticks, then let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Shape into 4 patties, place on a cookie sheet or plate, and freeze for 10 minutes.
- Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side or until they are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Alternatively, you can use a broiler.
- Spread some sriracha mayonnaise, if using, on 4 large lettuce leaves. Top each with a burger.
- Drain the vegetables and top each chicken burger.
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