My kids jump at the chance to order chicken lettuce wraps from restaurant menus, so I was thrilled when I perfected this scrumptiously lighter version that I can make at home. It has all the punch of the original but with a lot fewer calories, less fat and sodium, and still a hearty dose of protein. Loaded with vegetables and chicken and spiced with ginger, garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, it’s sure to please kids and adults alike. When I discovered how a manual food chopper made quick work of chopping all the veggies, I was amazed— and a true convert to this handy kitchen device. (Carefully pulsing the ingredients in a food processor works equally well.) Be sure you use soft, pliable butterhead lettuce, such as Boston or Bibb, for the lettuce cups. I promise, everyone will have fun scooping the chicken mixture into the lettuce and eating this out of hand— it makes for a perfect kid- friendly meal!
SERVES 4 (SERVING SIZE: 3 LETTUCE WRAPS)
4 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 (8- ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely diced
3 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons grated or finely minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chicken (at least 90% lean)
1 ⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1 ⁄3 cup bottled Chinese plum sauce
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot chili paste, such as sriracha (or to taste)
1 ⁄4 cup unsalted roasted cashews, chopped
1 ⁄4 cup minced fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish (optional)
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce
1. Liberally coat a large skillet with oil spray, and preheat it over medium- high heat.
2. Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, water chestnuts, scallions, ginger, and
garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly, about 5 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water at a time as necessary to prevent scorching.
3 Reapply oil spray if necessary, and add the ground chicken to the skillet. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, breaking the meat into a fi ne
crumble with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with the salt and pepper.
4. Add the plum sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili paste and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until heated through.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the cashews and cilantro. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. Clean the lettuce and break off 12 individual leaves (trim away the stem ends
of the leaves if they are tough). Fill each lettuce cup with roughly 1⁄2 cup of the
chicken mixture. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information
Calories – 298 • Protein – 27 g Carbohydrate – 34 g • Total fat – 9 g •
Saturated fat – 2 g Cholesterol – 80 mg • Fiber – 5 g • Sodium – 610 mg
