Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Turkey Lettuce Wraps

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To make this delicious, healthy meal you will need these simple ingredients: 

• ground turkey -  fat-free works best with this recipe
• carrots and celery - finely diced or shredded 
• sweet chili sauce - for some  sweet heat
• lime juice - for a touch of tart flavor
• sesame oil - for added flavor and moisture 
• ginger - minced or crushed
• garlic powder
• lettuce leaves - large enough to wrap all the yummy turkey in
• garnish  - sriracha, sesame seeds, and a fresh lime wedge are a great place to start

Looking for an easy, healthy slow cooker meal?  You have come to the right place!  This simple recipe for healthy lettuce wraps is easy to make and so incredibly delicious!

This toss-and-go dinner recipe is made with lean ground turkey and fresh veggies.  The yummy flavor is sweet with a hint of spice.  The heat can be easily dialed or down up making it a perfect, healthier option for the whole family.  Even your pickiest eaters!

The best part is that, unlike some other ground turkey recipes, this does not require any advanced browning.  All ingredients, including the ground turkey, get tossed into your slow cooker as-is.  This makes it perfect for busy weeknights!

What is the best lettuce to use for a wrap?

Naturally cup-shaped, larger lettuce leaves make for the best wraps.  A few top choices are:

1. Romaine - Romaine lettuce has long leaves with a strong center making it pliable but crunchy with a nice mild flavor.  Romaine hearts, the smaller inner leaves of the lettuce, are sweeter and crunchy.  Perfect for smaller wraps! 
2. Iceberg - iceberg leaves are round shaped and can hold more ground turkey.  They have a mild flavor with just the right amount of crunch!
3. Butter - this cup-shaped lettuce is very soft and slightly sweet.  A delicious and refreshing option.
4. Radicchio - this reddish-purplish lettuce has a more bitter flavor than the others.  The round shape makes it perfect for smaller turkey lettuce cups.  

🔪How to make it

Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent of some sort. You can use a nonstick cooking spray or oil of choice. 

NOTE: Some slow cookers come with a nonstick surface. They often still recommend using a nonstick agent, but suggest using an oil rather than a spray. 

Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.  

Add ingredients

Add all ingredients on the list, other than lettuce and garnishes to your greased or lined slow cooker.  Use a spoon or spatula to break up the uncooked, ground turkey.  

Be careful not to mix it up too much.  Overworked ground turkey can become mushy.   

Cooking time

Cook your sweet chili turkey lettuce wraps filling on low until the turkey is cooked through.  Turkey is safe to eat once it reaches 165℉.  This generally takes me about 3-4 hours on the low heat setting.  

If you are crunched for time, you can cook this dish on high heat for 1.5 - 2 hours.  Turkey can go from cooked to overcooked more quickly this way. Therefore, it is important to keep a closer eye on it the first time you try it out.  

🍽Serving suggestions

Spoon cooked turkey mixture into lettuce wraps. Now, it is time to top with some yummy garnishes! Some delicious toppings for your Asian lettuce wraps are:

• Sriracha sauce
• Sesame seeds
• Carrot matchsticks
• Diced red onion
• Sliced green onions
• Diced bell peppers
• Diced water chestnuts 
• Crushed crunchy peanuts

These wraps are great served with extra soy sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, or hoisin sauce for dipping.  

🔁Substitutions

If you aren't a fan of turkey, use ground chicken in its place.  

Some other great slow cooker lettuce wrap dishes include beef lettuce wraps and Asian chicken lettuce wraps.  

Storing leftovers

Store leftovers of these Thai turkey lettuce wraps in an airtight container or zip top bag.  They will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or about 3 months in the freezer.