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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Appleton Monthly Magazine

The savory-sweet filling mixed with crisp lettuce and crunch Asian noodles makes for the perfect balance of flavor and textures.
Can easily substitute ground turkey instead of using ground chicken.
Made July 2022 (recipe came from a freebie June 2022 edition of a magazine we received in the mail)

Ingredients

  • 1 head butter lettuce (bibb)
  • 1/3 c. hoisin sauce
  • 2 Tbls. soy sauce (low sodium Kikkoman)
  • 2 Tbls. rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbls. grated ginger root
  • 1 t. sesame oil
  • 1 t. white sugar
  • 1-1/2 t. sriracha sauce
  • 1-2 Tbls. canola oil (or any neutral oil)
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
  • salt, to taste
  • ¼ t. white pepper
  • ¼ t. Chinese five spice powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz. can water chestnuts, diced
  • ¼ c. shredded carrot, divided (2 Tbls. and 2 Tbls.)

Garnishes (divided evenly among each serving)

  • scallion onion, sliced
  • remaining shredded carrots
  • 1 Tbls. sesame seeds
  • 1/2 c. crunchy Asian noodles

Instructions

Carefully remove leaves from head of lettuce. Wash in diluted vinegar water and spin dry. Store in refrigerate, in a paper towel lined container, until ready to serve.

In a small dish, combine hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, ginger root and sriracha. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to cook, if made ahead of time.

In a frying pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of canola oil and chopped onion. Fry until onion starts to turn translucent, then add in the ground chicken or turkey. Break up the chicken/turkey with your hands to make crumbles.

Sprinkle salt, white pepper and Chinese five spice powder over chicken. Use a spatula to break up more, like taco meat, when cooking.

Once the chicken is almost cooked, add in the garlic. Cook 1 minute, then add in the sauce, diced water chestnuts and half of the shredded carrots (2 tablespoons). Stir and cook until sauce bubbles and thickens a bit (about 5-7 minutes).

Spoon meat mixture onto lettuce leaves and top with sesame seeds, scallion onion slices, shredded carrots and crunch Asian noodles.

NOTE: Serves 6