Recipe Box: Lettuce-Wrapped Tacos, 3 Ways

When the sun is bright and the weather’s hot, we crave light and simple meals. And today, we’re sharing one of our favorite summer recipes, and you’ll never believe how easy and versatile it is! Skip the tortillas and opt for lettuce instead, then fill them up with chicken, shrimp or veggies. You can make these lettuce-wrapped tacos for a day by the pool, a patio party with friends or as a casual dinner for the kids. Then make them again another way tomorrow—we won’t judge!

Chicken, Shrimp and Veggie Lettuce-Wrapped Tacos

Makes about three of each variety, 9 total

Ingredients:

For the chicken tacos:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 raw boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
• ½ avocado, sliced
• ½ fresh lime juice for flavor
• cotija cheese
  
  

Instructions:

1. Start by marinating chicken (check out a few of our favorites here!), then cook thoroughly on your barbecue, stovetop, or in a conventional oven. We popped ours in the oven on a foil-lined baking sheet at 450 degrees, for 20 minutes.

2. When chicken is cooked through and the center is opaque, cut each breast into thin slices, about ½ inch thick.

3. Place strips of chicken on your bed of lettuce and top with sliced bell peppers and avocado.

4. Finish off with a squirt of lime juice for some extra zing, and sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese.

For the shrimp tacos:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• ½ pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
• ½ avocado, sliced
• salsa of your choice
• ½ fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (for the chipotle aioli)
• 1 cup mayonnaise or veganaise (for the chipotle aioli)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (for the chipotle aioli)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (for chipotle aioli)
• salt and pepper to taste
  
  

Instructions: 

1. Season shrimp on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

2. In a shallow pan on the stovetop, drizzle some olive oil and add your shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Make sure to turn your shrimp over halfway through cooking!

3. Place cooked shrimp on your lettuce “shell” and top with sliced avocado, chipotle aioli, salsa of your choice, fresh lime juice, and salt and pepper.

For the Chipotle Aioli:

1. Whisk mayonnaise with minced garlic, lime juice, and chipotle chili powder. Season with salt and pepper and chill until ready to serve. When dressing tacos, you can make a piping sauce bag by filling a Ziploc bag with your sauce, and cutting one corner, then squeezing the bag to dress the tacos.

For the veggie tacos:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• ½ lb. package Portobello mushrooms, sliced into strips
• 1 small package of jicama, sliced into thin strips
• fresh cilantro
• 2 raw radishes
• ½ fresh lime juice for flavor
• handful bean sprouts
• salt and pepper to taste
  
  

Instructions:

1. Start by slicing your Portobello mushrooms into thin strips, about ¼ inch thick, and set aside.

2. In a shallow pan on the stove, add a drizzle of olive oil and carefully place your mushroom strips into the pan over medium to low heat. Coat your strips evenly with the olive oil, and cook for a few minutes until soft.

3. While your mushrooms are cooking, slice your radishes into very thin, half-moon slices. Slice jicama into small strips, and set both aside.

4. Place cooked mushrooms on your lettuce and top with sliced radish, jicama, bean sprouts, and cilantro leaves. Top off with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Enjoy!

Are you going to try this recipe at home? Which way is your favorite?

Tell us how it goes in the comments below.

XO Team LC

Photos: Jessi Burrone for LaurenConrad.com