Let me tell you something about summer cooking. When it's 90 degrees outside, the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven. Or the stove. Or anything that generates heat. You know what I want? Something cold, crunchy, creamy, and done in 10 minutes.
These Curry Chicken Lettuce Cups are exactly that.
No cooking. No sweating over a hot stove. Just a bowl, a spoon, and a few minutes of your time. We're talking creamy curry chicken salad made with Greek yogurt and mayo, scooped into crisp baby gem lettuce cups, then topped with avocado, mango, cilantro, and flaked almonds.
It's gluten free. It's low carb. It's high protein. And it tastes like something you'd pay $18 for at a fancy lunch spot.
I make this when I have leftover rotisserie chicken. I make it when I need lunch in a hurry. I make it when I want to impress someone without actually trying. Ten minutes. That's it.
Let's make some lettuce cups.
Try my Tuna-Mayo Lettuce Wraps recipe.
1| Zero cooking. No stove. No oven. No grill. Just mixing and assembling.
2| Ready in 10 minutes. Faster than delivery. Faster than deciding what to order.
3| Crunchy + creamy + sweet + spicy. The texture and flavor combo is unreal.
4| Low carb + gluten free + high protein. Fits almost every eating style.
5| Perfect for hot days. Cold, refreshing, and satisfying.
6| Impressive but lazy. Looks fancy. Takes almost no effort.
Try my Air Fryer Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps recipe
You'll need a mixing bowl, a spoon or spatula, a cutting board, and a knife. That's literally it. No heat. No complicated gadgets.
Ingredients (Serves 4):
For the curry chicken salad:
For the lettuce cups and toppings:
Try my Chinese Pork Lettuce Wraps recipe.
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 0 mins | Serves: 4
Alright, this one is almost embarrassingly easy. But let's walk through it.
1| First, make the sauce. Grab a mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, tomato paste, sliced green onions, curry powder, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together until you have a smooth, creamy, golden sauce. Go ahead and taste it. Adjust the curry or salt if you need to.
2| Now add the chicken. Take your cooked chicken breast and slice it into small 1-2cm pieces. Not too big, not too small - you want it to fit nicely in the lettuce cups. Gently fold the chicken into the sauce until every piece is well coated.
3| Prepare your lettuce cups. Take your baby gem lettuce and separate the leaves. You want the largest, most cup-shaped leaves for this. The smaller ones can be saved for a salad later or just eaten as a snack.
4| Assemble. Divide the curry chicken mixture equally among the lettuce cups. Don't overstuff them - you want to be able to pick them up and eat them with your hands.
5| Top it off. Add a few slices of avocado and mango to each cup. Then sprinkle with chopped cilantro and flaked almonds.
6| Serve immediately. These are best fresh, when the lettuce is still crunchy.
7| Eat with your hands. That's the whole point of lettuce cups. Pick one up, take a bite, and enjoy.
Try my Bulgogi Beef Lettuce Wraps recipe.
1| No cooked chicken breast? Use rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, or canned chicken (drained). Even shredded tofu or chickpeas for a vegetarian version.
2| No Greek yogurt? Use regular plain yogurt, sour cream, or more mayonnaise.
3| No mayonnaise? Use all Greek yogurt. It'll be tangier but still creamy.
4| Curry powder: Any curry powder works. Mild, hot, or even garam masala in a pinch.
5| Baby gem lettuce: Butter lettuce, romaine hearts, or even endive leaves. Iceberg works too but it's less sturdy.
6| Mango: Fresh or frozen (thawed). Peach or nectarine works well too.
7| Avocado: Skip it or swap for cucumber slices.
8| Flaked almonds: Slivered almonds, chopped peanuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
Try my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps recipe.
1| Spicy version: Add 1 tsp sriracha or cayenne pepper to the sauce. Or top with fresh sliced jalapeño.
2| Extra crunchy: Add chopped water chestnuts or celery to the chicken mixture.
3| Sweet curry: Add 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup to the sauce. Balances the curry beautifully.
4| Herby version: Add fresh chopped mint or basil along with the cilantro.
5| Dried fruit twist: Fold in 2 tbsp raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots.
6| Bacon lover: Crumble cooked bacon on top. Because bacon.
7| Wrap it up: Skip the lettuce cups. Wrap everything in a gluten-free tortilla or collard green wrap.
Try my Chickpea Avocado Veggie Wraps recipe.
1| Use cold chicken. This is a cold salad. Warm chicken will wilt the lettuce and make the sauce runny. Leftover rotisserie chicken straight from the fridge is perfect.
2| Don't overmix. Fold the chicken in gently. Overmixing can make the chicken shred too much and turn the whole thing into paste.
3| Keep lettuce cups separate. Store the chicken salad and lettuce leaves separately until you're ready to eat. Assembled cups get soggy fast.
4| Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. 1-2cm is the sweet spot. Too big and they're hard to eat. Too small and they get lost in the sauce.
5| Toast the almonds. If you have an extra minute, toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan until golden. Huge flavor upgrade.
6| Taste and adjust curry powder. Different brands have different heat levels. Start with 1 tbsp, taste, add more if you want.
Try my Beef Shawarma Wraps recipe.
1| Use leftover rotisserie chicken. A $5 rotisserie chicken gives you meat for this recipe plus carcass for stock. Best deal in the grocery store.
2| Buy curry powder in bulk. Tiny jars at the supermarket are overpriced. Hit an Indian or international grocery store.
3| Greek yogurt in large tubs. Cheaper than single-serve cups. Use the rest for breakfast or other recipes.
4| Frozen mango works great. Thaw it first. Often cheaper than fresh and perfectly ripe.
5| Lettuce is cheap. Baby gem is great, but regular romaine or butter lettuce is even cheaper.
6| Make your own flaked almonds. Buy whole almonds, chop or slice them yourself. Cheaper than pre-flaked.
Try my Pesto Chicken Wraps recipe.
1| As a light lunch. 2-3 lettuce cups per person. Perfect for work-from-home days.
2| As an appetizer. Make smaller cups for a party. People love interactive food.
3| With a side of soup. Tomato soup or butternut squash soup on a cooler day.
4| With extra dipping sauce. Serve with extra Greek yogurt or sriracha mayo on the side.
5| Over a salad. Skip the lettuce cups. Serve the curry chicken over a bed of mixed greens.
6| In a bowl. Rice bowl, quinoa bowl, or cauliflower rice bowl. Same flavors, different format.
Try my Korean Beef Salad Wraps recipes.
Important note: This recipe is NOT for reheating. It's a cold dish. Here's how to store the components.
Fridge (chicken salad): Store the curry chicken mixture in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better on day 2.
Fridge (lettuce cups): Store lettuce leaves separately in a container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. They'll stay crisp for 2-3 days.
Fridge (toppings): Avocado and mango are best fresh. Slice them right before serving. Sliced avocado turns brown within hours.
Do not freeze. The yogurt and mayonnaise will separate. The lettuce will turn to mush. Just don't.
Do not reheat. This is a cold salad. Warm curry chicken salad is not the vibe.
Meal prep strategy: Make the chicken salad ahead of time. Store it in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, wash and separate your lettuce leaves, slice your avocado and mango, and assemble. Takes 2 minutes.
Try my Sweet Potato Wraps with Spicy Guacamole recipe.
Look, not every meal needs to be a production. Sometimes you just need something fast, fresh, and actually delicious. These Curry Chicken Lettuce Cups are exactly that.
The curry yogurt sauce is creamy and flavorful. The chicken is protein-packed. The lettuce gives you that satisfying crunch. And the avocado, mango, cilantro, and almonds on top? They turn a simple chicken salad into something special.
No cooking. No cleanup nightmare. Just 10 minutes and a bowl.
Make this for lunch tomorrow. Make it for a party. Make it because it's too hot to turn on the stove. However you serve it, you're getting a gluten free, low carb, high protein meal that tastes like you tried way harder than you did.
Now go find some lettuce.
~ Danny Davis
P.S. If you add a little sriracha to the sauce, you've got spicy curry chicken lettuce cups. That's my personal favorite version. Try it.
I made lunch in 10 minutes without turning on the stove. 🤯 Curry chicken salad in crispy lettuce cups with avocado, mango, and almonds. Gluten free. Meal prep friendly. Let's eat. 🥗
Serve immediately.Servings 2
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
