Asian Lettuce Wraps

Asian Lettuce Wraps

 Healthy and delicious!

 *Note: Double or triple this recipe because the delicious filling freezes beautifully. On a busy night, you pick up a head of lettuce and voila! Dinner is ready.

What you'll need:

Head of Boston, Bibb or Butter Lettuce- Iceberg or Leaf lettuce will work in a pinch
(leaves carefully separated, kept intact, washed, dried)
1 lb ground chicken
1 bunch of green onions- chopped
2 teaspoons garlic - minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger - minced (powder if you don't have fresh)
1 can of water chestnuts- chopped
6 - 8 baby carrot- chopped fine (or use preshredded)
1 cup of mushrooms (optional)- chopped
1/4 cup cilantro - chopped
2 Limes
4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2-3 Tbsp Fish Sauce (for Thai flavor)
or
Soy and/or Hoisen sauce (for Chinese style)
1/2 cup of water

Chopped mint (optional)
Chopped peanuts (optional)
Red pepper flakes (optional)


What you'll do:

There are a lot of options for this dish and ya'll know that I love options! First of all, I prefer to use Boston, Bibb or Butter lettuce. All three are very similar and won't tear apart as easily as Iceberg.

There is a lot of chopping. Get that done first and the rest is a breeze. Reserve a bit of cilantro and green onion for garnish. 

Chop, Chop!

A lot of the flavors are optional. Not a fan of cilantro? Skip it. Don't like mushrooms? Don't use them. You really get to control the taste here and make your own signature dish. I would go easy on the pepper flakes if I was serving this with another dish that was spicy. I also like to bulk this dish up with carrots, water chestnuts and mushrooms because it makes a healthier dish and it goes further. I once used jicama in place of water chestnuts and that worked well. Make it more of a Thai flavor by using red pepper flakes and fish sauce, or use hoisen and/or soy sauce for more of a Chinese style dish.

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Brown ground chicken in a Le Creuset Dutch Oven or a heavy skillet or pot on medium/high and drain. This is me doubling the recipe, so I used a big beautiful pot.








Add the fresh ginger, carrots, green onions, water chestnuts, chopped cilantro, mushrooms, rice vinegar, fish sauce or hoisen/soy sauce, pepper flakes, juice of one lime,and a half cup of water. Reduce to simmer and let the water cook out as the veggies cook and the flavors develop. About 10 minutes.

When the water has evaporated, taste your dish and adjust any seasonings. Add more pepper flakes and fish sauce if the dish is bland.

Serve with a wedge of lime, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, green onion, mint and/or chopped peanuts if desired. Wrap this delicious mixture in the lettuce leaves and enjoy! 

I made these little beauties last night and used leaf lettuce because that's what they had at the store. As long as it's a lettuce that will hold up to being a wrap, it works. I doubled up the recipe, so I have some leftovers to freeze or to brown bag for lunch.