I love Chicken Lettuce Wraps but I rarely eat them when I’m dining out at a restaurant. The thing is with Chicken Lettuce Wraps is that they are so darn messy! Honestly, I try to eat them as daintily as I possibly can but I still make a huge sticky mess. I’m sure I’ve been talking with my dinner companions with sauce on my chin from partaking in such a messy meal.
Because Chicken Lettuce Wraps are so messy, I’ll forgo them for something easier and less embarrassing to eat. Not all the time, of course. Sometimes I throw caution to the wind and order Chicken Lettuce Wraps in hopes no one notices how much sauce is on my fingers and chin while I’m eating… not to mention all the stuff that’s falling out of the lettuce wrap.
So that I don’t miss out on eating Chicken Lettuce Wraps, I have created a recipe I can easily make at home. I can eat them all alone with wild abandon and make the biggest mess without caring. YES! Or I can serve them up to guests I have over and we can all enjoy them without judgment. 😊
It’s so easy to make these Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Just slice up some scallions very thin. Add some oils, scallions and chicken to a skillet over medium high heat. Breakup the chicken into little nuggets and cook until done.
In a bowl, add ginger, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and pepper flakes. Mix all these ingredients together. When the chicken is done add this sauce to the chicken. Stir the mixture over medium high heat for one more minute.
The mixture seems a little thin, which means extra messy to me. I add cold water and corn starch to a very small bowl and stir until it is well mixed. I added this to the chicken mixture and cooked it for one minute while stirring everything together. This thickens up the sauce. It’s ready to assemble now.
One one large piece of lettuce, add a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture. Leave enough of the lettuce leaf free to wrap around the chicken mixture.
If I want a bit of extra veggies with my Chicken Lettuce Wraps, I throw a bit of raw shredded carrots on top of the chicken mixture after assembling. A little note here: I buy shredded carrots at my local grocery store so I don’t have to do any chopping. Also, I like to top my off with a dollop of hoisin sauce. YUM!
If you are like me and you want to eat Chicken Lettuce Wraps in the privacy of your home or need something that will be a big hit with your guests, make these delicious finger lickin’ good Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Enjoy!
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hoison sauce
- ½ red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 bunch of butter lettuce
- Shredded carrots optional
Instructions
- Add oils, scallions and chicken to a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a non-stick skillet. As the scallions and chicken are cooking use a spoon or spatula to break apart the chicken so it looks like crumbles. Cook the chicken thoroughly until there is no more pink.
- While the scallions and chicken are cooking, add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce and pepper flakes to a small bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Once the scallions and chicken are done cooking, pour the ginger and soy sauce mixture over the chicken. Cook for 1 more minute. While the mixture is cooking, add cold water and cornstarch to a small bowl and mix well. Pour this mixture into the chicken mixture and stir for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat.
- To serve, place about 1 – 3 spoonfuls, depending on the size of your lettuce leaf and spoon, onto one piece of lettuce. Add shredded carrots, if desired. Fold lettuce leaf up around chicken mixture and eat. Enjoy!