Asian chicken lettuce wraps

The first time I tasted the likes of this dish was as an appetizer at PF Chang’s. I wanted to order another batch and forget dinner! But alas, I was with dear family and friends who had other plans, so I kept my mouth zipped. A closed mouth helped my busy mind with mental notes. I could replicate this delicious item in my own kitchen. Yes indeed!

It turns out this dish is really simple and quick. Your greatest challenge will be locating good quality freshly ground chicken. Once you have that base covered, you will be amazed at how quickly the chicken wraps come together.

The adapted recipe below is not as sweet as the PF Chang rendition. If I am going to make a meal of these wraps, there needs to be a measured amount of sugar. The sweet is brought into the recipe by the hoisin sauce. Should you decide your want wraps closer to the PF Chang version, then add more hoisin, a little at a time, until you have reached your preferred sweetness.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 rounded tablespoon freshly minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 cup peanuts, roasted, salted and lightly chopped
• Romaine lettuce leaves or green leaves of your choice, washed and patted dry

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet until the oil just begins to shimmer. Add the minced garlic, pepper flakes, and ginger. Saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the ground chicken. Push it down into the bottom of the skillet, breaking up large clumps of chicken as you do.
3. Cook over medium heat for about three minutes. Flip the meat over as best you can and break up clumps again. Cook another three minutes.
4. Drizzle tamari sauce and hoisin over the chicken. Toss gently to coat all the chicken chunks with sauce. Saute for another couple of minutes then taste. Add more tamari for salt, more hoisin for sweet, a splash of hot sauce for more sizzle.
5. If the meat gets a bit drier than you want, add a couple tablespoons of water, chicken broth, or white wine, or a combination of the three. Serve the cooked chicken warm or at room temperature accompanied by the chopped peanuts. If you are serving to company, check for peanut allergies. These wraps are enjoyable without the peanut addition, so take no chances. Pass the chicken, the peanuts, and the green leaves around the table. Each person can serve themselves and make life nicely simple for you.

Leftover chicken just needs a bit of warming to serve it in the next few days. You might also consider freezing enough of the prepared chicken to make up a whole meal at a later day. This chicken recipe maintains quality for at least 3 months of freezer time.

Leftover chicken makes super travel food. It’s not messy to carry or consume. Carry the lettuce leaves in one container and the chicken in another. Include a spoon for dipping and napkins for cleaning up afterward. It works beautifully!