Discover a delectable twist on a classic favourite with our irresistible soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe. Bursting with flavorful ingredients like tender chicken, savoury mushrooms, and crisp lettuce, these wraps offer a healthy and mouthwatering option that will leave you craving more while being free from the top 9 allergens and gluten.
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Jump to:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Instructions/ Directions and Tips
- Low Food Waste Tips
- Like This Recipe? Sign up to our Newsletter so you never miss a recipe.
- Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Equipment
- Our Favourite Kitchen Equipment
- How to Send Soy Free Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wraps Recipe as Leftovers for Lunch
- Pro Tip for Lettuce Wraps That Don't Fall Apart
- What To Serve With Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Have You Made Our Soy Free Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wraps Recipe? Please Leave a Comment Below.
- Rate our Recipe.
- We Love To Hear From You!
- Food Safety
- Allergy Resources
- 💬 Comments
Why We Like This Recipe
This soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe is a family favourite in the summer months. It makes a great change from salads in hotter weather. The kids love being able to eat these chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipes with their hands. It is also a meal that is easy to put together, which makes us adults happy. This mushroom lettuce wrap without soy recipe is based on the restaurant style appetisers that we made into a meal.
Ingredients
- Romaine Lettuce
- Neutral Oil
- Chicken Breasts
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh Ginger
- Green Cabbage
- Button Mushrooms
- Coconut Aminos
- Brown Sugar
- Rice Wine Vinegar, unseasoned
- Mirin
- Sunflower Seed Peanut Butter Alternative, (Sunbutter is our fav)
- Dried 5 Spice
- Water
- Cornstarch
- Rice Noodles
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine, butter, iceberg, or leaf lettuce are perfect to use as wraps in the chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe. The larger outer leaves are what is used. The inner leaves are too small for a dinner sized roll. If making an appetiser or party sized gluten free chicken lettuce wraps or lettuce boats the smaller ones will work.
Neutral Oil
Your favourite neutral oil for frying the rice noodles can be used. Just make sure it has a really high smoke point so it is safe for high heat deep frying. It should also not be a strongly flavoured oil as it will flavour the rice noodles. Avocado oil or olive oil will both work for this recipe.
Chicken Breasts
We like to use chicken breasts for a leaner cut of meat. They are skinless and boneless to make our lives easier. Chicken thighs or ground chicken can be used if preferred.
Onion, Garlic, and Ginger
The fresh variety is best used in this mushroom lettuce wrap without soy recipe over the powdered spice version. They add texture as well as flavour to this chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe. White or yellow onions are the best to use for this dish.
Cabbage
Green cabbage is what we use in this soy-free lettuce wraps recipe. The cabbage is thinly sliced or shredded so using a more expensive cabbage such as napa is not needed. Red cabbage will dye the dish and is a different stronger taste to cabbage. The green cabbage is milder and the perfect fit for this soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe.
Mushrooms
Fresh brown or white button mushrooms are usually what we use. Other kinds such as portobello, oyster, or shitake mushrooms are also great in this soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe.
Coconut Aminos
This is the soy and gluten free option that replaces soy sauce in most dishes. It is made from fermented coconut sap. It can usually be found near the soy sauce or in the natural foods aisle of the grocery store. To omit the coconut aminos will drastically change the flavour.
Brands like Naked Sauce Foods and Coconut Secret are usually available in large grocery or specialty stores.
Brown Sugar
This is used to add a touch of sweetness to the Soy-free lettuce wraps sauce. It can be substituted with dark maple syrup for the molasses style taste. A dark sugar substitute can be used to reduce the amount by ⅓ and taste the mushroom lettuce wraps without soy sauce before adding to the chicken before adding more sweetener.
Sweetness Tip
If the chicken has been added, cook the gluten free chicken lettuce wraps sauce before tasting it to adjust the sweetness.
Rice Wine Vinegar
Unseasoned rice vinegar is used in this soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe. It is the rice vinegar that doesn't have the extra added sugar or seasoning. If rice vinegar is not safe, apple cider or white vinegar can be used, if they are safe for you.
Mirin
Similar to sake, Mirin is made from rice and is a rice wine. It is used in cooking. It is an optional ingredient for those who prefer not to use it. There will be a small lack of depth in the gluten free chicken lettuce wraps sauce when omitted. It can usually be found in the international aisle with the Asian sauces and vinegars.
Cornstarch
To thicken the sauce we use cornstarch . It is an ingredient that is often used in Asian cooking, for sauces or velveting the meat. Not all cornstarch or corn flour (in the UK) brands are gluten free. Make sure yours is gluten free.
Corn Free Tip
If corn is not a safe ingredient for you you can swap out cornstarch in most recipes including this one with an equal amount of arrowroot starch.
Sunflower Seed Butter
Sunflower seed butter like Sunbutter is the perfect spread we use in this soy-free lettuce wraps recipe. We use the unsweetened variety. Alternatively pumpkin seed butter or pea butter, like NoNuts Butter also works in this soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe with the same flavour results.
Dried 5 Spice
Five spice is a chinese spice mix that helps to give the asian inspired flavour to this mushroom lettuce wraps without soy dish. It can usually be found in either the spice aisle or the international foods sections. Always verify with the manufacturer that the spice mix is safe for your family and free from cross contact with gluten and top allergens.
To make your own version of a chinese 5 spice check out this recipe from Feasting At Home.
Rice Noodles
The noodles you want to use are the asian style white rice noodles that are very thin. They are usually called rice vermicelli and often found in either the pasta or international foods aisle. Be sure to get a brand that is gluten free. Contact the manufacturer for cross contact in the manufacturing process.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
Wash the larger leaves of the lettuce, dry, and leave whole. Set aside.
Step 2
Make the sauce. Mix coconut aminos, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, mirin, sunflower seed butter, and 5 spice in a medium mixing cup with a pouring spout. Whisk well to combine and break up the sunflower seed butter. Set aside.
Step 3
Make the garnish. Add the ¼-½ C Frying oil like canola to a pot
Step 4
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large high sided pan, a wok works well.
Step 5
Saute the chicken in the pan, stirring often to make sure it is all cooked through evenly. It will take 8-10 minutes to cook. Using the cooking utensil check the inside colour of the largest pieces to make sure they are no longer pink.
Step 6
Add the garlic, onions, and ginger to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes while stirring often until the onions are translucent.
Step 7
Mix in cabbage and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes or until most of the water expelled from the mushrooms has cooked off and the cabbage has softened.
Step 8
Pour the sauce made in step 2 into the pan. Add ¼ C of water to the mixing cup after pouring out the sauce to get the dregs and leftover bits and add to the pan. Mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 9
In a small bowl combine equal parts of cornstarch and water, whisking well before adding to the pan. Mix the slurry into the filling to thicken the sauce slightly.
Cornstarch Tip
Be sure to mix the water and cornstarch together and then add it to the pan. This is what we call making a cornstarch slurry. It stops the soy-free lettuce wraps sauce from being lumpy.
Low Food Waste Tips
Use the larger outer leaves for gluten free chicken lettuce wraps. This is why we suggest preparing more than 1 head of lettuce. Save the inner leaves for salad on another night. Use a meal plan to help reduce food waste to know when the next meal will be a salad. This will also help spread the cost per meal out over multiple meals.
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Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Lettuce - other soft lettuces with large leaves can be used. Butter, iceberg or leaf lettuce are great with this soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe.
- Ground meat and other cuts - instead of chicken breasts, thigh meat can be used, just make sure they are boneless and skinless. Ground chicken can be used in place of diced chicken meat. In place of chicken, other meats like turkey, pork or beef can be used either diced or ground for gluten free chicken lettuce wraps. If using pork or beef the meat may need draining before adding the other ingredients.
- Rice - omit the rice noodles and line the base of the lettuce wrap with plain steamed rice.
- Vegan - replace the chicken with either young jackfruit or chickpea based tofu (do not use regular tofu as it contains soy).
- Spicy - adding a bit of hot sauce to the garnishes or diced hot chillis is the best way to add spice as each person can make their own as hot as they like. Another way is to add a few drops of chilli oil into the soy-free lettuce wraps sauce.
- Veggie heavy - adding carrot rounds, small chopped broccoli, broccoli stems peeled and diced.
- Noodles- Instead of frying the rice noodles, cook them and stir fry them in a bit of the soy-free lettuce wraps sauce, you'll need to make extra sauce. Line the lettuce wraps with the noodles then the chicken.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
Fridge
In the fridge, store the parts separately. The lettuce and cooked rice noodles can each be stored in separate airtight containers with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture for 1-2 days. The chicken and mushroom lettuce wraps without soy filling can be stored in a well sealing container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freezer
Only the chicken filling should be frozen. Store the chicken in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months. The lettuce and the rice noodles do not hold up to freezing.
Reheating
If using the chicken mix from frozen, allow it to fully thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Stove Top
To reheat the soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe only warm up the chicken filling. Do so in a preheated medium pan with a bit of extra water. Around ¼ - ⅓ cup of water depending on how much is being reheated.
Cover the pan with a well fitting lid and let it reheat the food over medium heat until it bubbles lightly for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the mixture and let any extra water cook off. The lettuce and rice noodles should be used cold.
Equipment
- A large bowl and a small bowl - to mix the sauces and cornstarch slurry.
- Whisk - to mix the sauces.
- Large Pan - for frying the rice noodles.
- Fried food skimmer - like one of these to safely pull the noodles from the oil.
- Wok and Cooking utensils - to cook the chicken filling.
- Knife and Cutting board - for preparing the vegetables and chicken.
Our Favourite Kitchen Equipment
How to Send Soy Free Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wraps Recipe as Leftovers for Lunch
These mushroom lettuce wraps without soy can be too finicky to send as a wrap in the kid's lunches so we do one of two things. We make a sandwich with toasted gluten free bread, lettuce, and the chicken filling. We drain the chicken filling and pat it dry a bit before putting in the sandwich, so it won't make the bread soggy,
The other way we serve this soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe for lunch is to make a salad in a reusable food container, like tupperware, or heated in an insulated container. Shred the lettuce into bite sized pieces, add the chilled chicken filling and extra sauce. Top with the puffed rice noodles to add texture.
We usually don't do a dressing as the sauce from the filling is usually enough. It would also work well as a layered jar salad with the chicken mushroom lettuce wraps without soy filling and sauce on the bottom, then the lettuce and the puffed rice noodles on top.
Top Tip
Check out more about how we preheat our insulated containers to send perfectly warmed food to school!
Pro Tip for Lettuce Wraps That Don't Fall Apart
Don't over fill the lettuce. One of the biggest reasons that the lettuce wraps break apart is from putting too much of the chicken mushroom lettuce wraps without soy filling in the lettuce leaf. Another is to bend against the natural curve of the lettuce. The thick stem will break if bent roughly, use that part as the open end of the wrap.
It is also important to use leaves that are free from rips and holes before using as a wrap. It isn't uncommon to need multiple heads of lettuce when serving a large batch of gluten free chicken lettuce wraps.
What To Serve With Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This soy free chicken mushroom lettuce wraps recipe is fabulous on its own as a lettuce style wrap for lighter meals. It can also be served as an appetiser if served as one or two small lettuce boats. For a bigger appetite pair this dish with coconut rice or steamed rice. Gluten free chicken lettuce wraps are also great with chow mein noodles.
The chicken filling can also be served as a stir fry over steamed rice or gluten free rice noodles.
📖 Recipe
Soy Free Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Add to Shopping ListEquipment
- Large glass bowl
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Deep Frying pan
- Fried food skimmer
- Large skillet or wok
- Spatula
- Knife and Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2- 3 Heads Romaine Lettuce
Filling:
- 1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil for higher heat cooking
- 3 Pound Chicken Breasts boneless skinless diced
- 1 Cups Onion diced (about 1 medium onion)
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger minced
- 1 ½ Cups Green Cabbage finely sliced
- 12-15 Button Mushrooms diced
Sauce:
- 6 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
- ¼ Cups Brown Sugar loose not packed
- 1 ½ Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar unseasoned
- 1 Tablespoon Mirin optional
- 2 teaspoon Sunflower or Pumpkin Seed Peanut Butter Alternative (Sunbutter is our fav)
- ⅛ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice dried and ground
- ¼ Cups Water
- 1-2 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1-2 Tablespoon Water
Garnish:
- ¼-½ Cups Neutral Frying Oil canola works well
- ½ Package Rice Vermicelli Noodles
Instructions
- Wash the larger leaves of the lettuce, dry, and leave whole. Set aside.2- 3 Heads Romaine Lettuce
- Make the sauce. Mix coconut aminos, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, mirin, sunflower seed butter, and 5 spice in a medium mixing cup with a pouring spout. Whisk well to combine and break up the sunflower seed butter. Set aside.6 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos, ¼ Cups Brown Sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Mirin, 2 teaspoon Sunflower or Pumpkin Seed Peanut Butter Alternative, ⅛ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
- Make the garnish. Add the ¼-½ C Frying oil like canola to a pot1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large high sided pan, a wok works well.
- Saute the chicken in the pan, stirring often to make sure it is all cooked through evenly. It will take 8-10 minutes to cook. Using the cooking utensil check the inside colour of the largest pieces to make sure they are no longer pink.3 Pound Chicken Breasts
- Add the garlic, onions, and ginger to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes while stirring often until the onions are translucent.1 Cups Onion, 6 Cloves Garlic, 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger
- Mix in cabbage and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes or until most of the water expelled from the mushrooms has cooked off and the cabbage has softened.1 ½ Cups Green Cabbage, 12-15 Button Mushrooms
- Pour the sauce made in step 2 into the pan. Add ¼ C of water to the mixing cup after pouring out the sauce to get the dregs and leftover bits and add to the pan. Mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.¼ Cups Water
- In a small bowl combine equal parts of cornstarch and water, whisking well before adding to the pan. Mix the slurry into the filling to thicken the sauce slightly.1-2 Tablespoon Cornstarch, 1-2 Tablespoon Water
- For the Garnish heat ¼-½ Neutral frying oil. To test it is hot enough break off one small piece of the dry rice vermicelli noodles. If it puffs up the oil is hot enough. If the oil is hot enough, place small bunches of the dried rice noodles in the oil. They will puff up and may need to be flipped over with a frying scoop. The oil is hot be careful. When it has puffed up and before it changes colour, remove the noodles from the oil and place on a plate lines with paper towel to drain. Repeat until enough noodles have been fried for garnish.¼-½ Cups Neutral Frying Oil, ½ Package Rice Vermicelli Noodles
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
Have You Made Our Soy Free Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wraps Recipe? Please Leave a Comment Below.
Rate our Recipe.
We Love To Hear From You!
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 175 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
A says
I’m trying to understand from the recipe why someone who is soy free can have corn when they often cross react and are grown next to each other. It’s more appropriate to use arrow starch or tapioca or coconut flour mixture than corn starch
Katherine says
Hi, Thanks for your question. Some people with soy restrictions can have certain foods, while others cannot. It is up to each user to to do the due dilligence in purchasing safe ingredients to check with their medical team if they are safe for them and to find out the allergen protocols with manufacturers. There are many reasons that some do not consume soy.
Cross reactivity with arrowroot/tapioca and the cassava plant can be prevalent for those with latex allergies. Coconut is classified as a tree nut in some countries and many are allergic to it or avoid it and all treenuts. While we personally use coconut aminos many use a tamarind based no soy no gluten sauce even though tamarind is a legume related to soy. Kind of like how some with coeliac's disease can eat oats and others cannot and do not. They are often grown in the same fields, or nearby, are farmed on equipment that may have wheat or other gluten contain grains. That person with that disease may also be unable to tolerate Avenin, the protein in oats, that some can and some cannot.
If you have a severe soy allergy the chicken should be sourced appropriately as their feed can be soy and some do react to soy fed animals. Make sure that the oil used is 100% soy free as in some countries derivaties and soy based oils do not need to be declared. It can be a source of concern for those with severe soy allergies, as well.
If cornstarch is a concern for you we urge you to not use it and to discuss it with your medical team to find a safe substitution. Always check out brands you use to meet your medical guidelines and comfort level. If you make this recipe with another starch, please let us know how it works out as we have not personally tried it with Coconut or tapioca starches,yet and would love the feedback.