Chicken Lettuce Wraps
My Chicken Lettuce Wraps have the perfect crunch and are a healthy yet satisfying meal! My entire family loves this one. Pair it with my Herbed Cauliflower Rice or my fresh Heirloom Tomato Salad, and you have the perfect meal!
The secret to making these wraps soooo incredibly satisfying: the crunch factor. I love tossing in some water chestnuts with the chicken and wrapping it all up in Bibb lettuce for that irresistible crunch that'll make your taste buds sing. The fresh ginger adds a mild kick, and the hoisin sauce brings in a mild saltiness that is absolutely necessary to make these wraps a winner.
CHICKEN lettuce wraps
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. Ground chicken or ground turkey (Usually, I like to use ground chicken)
2 Small heads Bibb or Boston lettuce*
3 Cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. Fresh ginger
1/2 Cup scallions, roughly chopped
1 (8-ounce) can of water chestnuts
3 Tbsp. Gluten-free hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
1 Tsp. Cornstarch
2 Tbsp. Rice vinegar
1 Tsp. Toasted sesame oil
2 Tsp. Vegetable oil
NOTES:
*While Boston lettuce is great, I prefer Bibb lettuce as it adds more crunch, and the leaves are more sturdy!
INSTRUCTIONS
Start off by making the sauce. Place the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl and whisk. Add the cornstarch to make the sauce more thick and glazed. Place it near the stove, to use it later.
Cook the ground chicken. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until it simmers. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until cooked through and no longer pink; about 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean bowl, and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the same pan. Add the water chestnuts, garlic, and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the pan and add 1/2 of the scallions.
Stir in the sauce. Add the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbling and the sauce is warmed through; around 60 seconds. Taste and add more hoisin sauce if desired.
Serve with the lettuce. Break off all the lettuce leaves and pile them on a plate in the center of the table, along with small dishes with hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and the remaining scallions. Transfer the hot chicken mixture to a serving dish, or serve straight from the skillet. Place a generous spoonful of chicken mixture in the middle of a lettuce leaf, top with the remaining scallions and hot sauce or red pepper flakes, and dig in!
BON APPÉTIT!
Photography by: Patricia Brochu