The Must-Try Appetizer That Dominates PF Chang's Menus Worldwide

P.F. Chang's is a Chinese-American chain restaurant known for its family-style fusion fare. Even with crowd-pleasers such as noodles and stir-fries on the menu, P.F. Chang's most popular dish dominates the rest of the lineup. Chang's Lettuce Wraps are, by and large, the No. 1 item globally according to the brand, including locations in Chile, Pakistan, South Korea, and beyond.

If you've never had the pleasure of eating them before, Chang's Lettuce Wraps star saucy, stir-fried pieces of minced chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions, and puffed rice sticks. Instead of rice or a type of bread, they come with lettuce leaves meant to be used as crisp, refreshing wraps. They also come with a savory dipping sauce. These components make for plenty of textural contrast, but don't bog you down. It's a great starter compared to heavier fried options because you get to indulge without spoiling your appetite too early.

According to fans, it's one of the best things to order at P.F. Chang's. Scores of diners think they're "to die for." Take it from Instagram creator @missmiko21, who tried the wraps for a review. "Juicy, savory chicken with garlicky soy sauce flavor, a hint of sweetness, and water chestnuts for texture. Then you wrap it in the cold, crisp lettuce, and boom: warm, bold flavors... Light, flavorful, and it is addictive."

P.F. Chang's is credited with popularizing the lettuce wrap as a concept in the U.S., having been one of the first chains to ever serve one in 1993. The brand says it's one of the most imitated dishes in the food scene. P.F. Chang's founder, Phillip Chiang, says his Shanghai-born mom invented them, but lettuce wraps have likely been around for many millennia in Southeast Asia and China.

In its 30-plus years on the menu, the dish has impressed countless diners thanks to a finely tuned "secret family recipe." When you taste the poultry, you note the salty, savory soy sauce first, but its flavor goes much deeper. Exact ingredients are technically under wraps, but plenty of cooks have come up with uncanny dupes. Some use oyster sauce, for example, while many copycat versions of P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps also use cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Our copycat P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps recipe leans on both these pantry staples, along with Chinese hot mustard, chili garlic sauce, and hoisin sauce, which also stars in the dip. "It was full-flavored and complex, a nice balance of sweetness from the sugar and hoisin, earthiness from the oyster sauce, and the perfect level of saltiness from the soy sauce," Mashed recipe developer Lindsay D. Mattison writes.