To me, the ideal summer meal comes together relatively quickly without turning on the oven. These chicken lettuce wraps are just that; the most labor-intensive part is in chopping all the fresh produce, and then it cooks up in less than 15 minutes on the stovetop. It’s a wonderful family dinner or summer party finger food. I love the vibrant colors and flavors here, especially the kick of ginger and sweet hoisin sauce and the subtle notes of orange. Some lightly sautΓ©ed bell pepper and crushed peanuts give it some lovely crunch. I use romaine lettuce as I think it stands up better than traditional iceberg to hold all that delicious filling inside and to me has more flavor. Make these fresh & vibrant chicken lettuce wraps and you won’t ever crave the Chinese restaurant ones again!
Chinese-Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from Rachael Ray’s recipe on the Food Network
- About 10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed & stems removed, tops halved then sliced thin to make 2 cups of sliced shiitakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger root, finely grated on a microplane grater
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into a small dice
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot (one medium carrot)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
- 2 scallions, diced
- 1 orange, zested and cut into wedges for garnish
- 1.5 lbs. chicken breast (4 chicken breast halves) or chicken tenders, cut into very small pieces, about 1/2-cm. cubes or smaller
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Fine sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp. sambal oelek or other hot pepper sauce
- 1/4 cup crushed unsalted peanuts
- 6 chives, chopped (extra left long for garnish if desired)
- 2 full romaine lettuce bunches, thoroughly washed and stems removed (about 20 leaves of varying sizes)
Directions:
- Prep the fresh ingredients and set aside in separate prep bowls as you go: Wash mushrooms, remove their stems, halve and slice the tops. Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, dice the 1/2 bell pepper, shred the carrot, dice the scallions and zest the orange (then slice and set aside wedges for garnish). Crush the unsalted peanuts in a mortar & pestle or use a knife to chop and crush; wash & chop the chives.
- Cut the chicken into the smallest pieces you can (no larger than 1/2-cm. cubes) and sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper (note: if you are using salted peanuts, go easy on the salt here or omit). Heat oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken until it is no longer translucent, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When chicken is no longer translucent (but not fully cooked through yet), add the mushroom slices, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, carrot and scallions and let cook through, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally (cover to hasten the cooking time).
- Add the orange zest, hoisin sauce, and sambal oelek and stir; taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Turn the heat off and add the peanuts and chives, mix once more and give it a final taste. Adjust seasonings as necessary, then transfer filling to a large serving bowl.
- To serve, scoop a few spoonfuls of the filling into the romaine leaves, or let guests assemble their own. Set out orange wedges and extra chives for garnish if desired; I found a little spritz of orange over the top brings out the vibrant flavors. You might also like to serve it with steamed white sticky rice; my little one enjoyed filling her wraps mostly with rice and a little filling. Enjoy!
June 19, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Looks delicious!
June 23, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Thanks π
June 19, 2014 at 1:34 pm
Lovely flavours!
June 23, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Thanks! I think we like a lot of the same flavors, I think you’d like these wraps with the ginger & orange.
June 19, 2014 at 2:25 pm
I have everything I need for this, looks wonderful!
June 23, 2014 at 2:51 pm
Thanks, Suzanne! These are surprisingly easy to put together, and if you’ve got all the ingredients, you’re halfway there π
June 19, 2014 at 4:35 pm
I love lettuce wraps of any kind, especially in the summers! Delicious looking recipe!
June 23, 2014 at 2:53 pm
Thanks, Ngan! Lettuce wraps are so nice in the summer, aren’t they? Fresh and light and these ones are so easy.
June 19, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Looks like the perfect summer dinner, Laura. It sounds perfectly flavored and love the mix of textures, too…a party for the taste buds!
June 23, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Thanks, Nancy! These do make a nice summer dinner, even for the cook, as they’re easy π
June 19, 2014 at 6:44 pm
I love lettuce wrap, and this is a wonderful healthy recipe. π
June 23, 2014 at 2:56 pm
Me too – I find I can enjoy the tasty filling without feeling too guilty, as it is wrapped in a healthful exterior. The orange really brightens it too:) Thanks, Fae!
June 20, 2014 at 6:08 am
These sound fantastic!
June 23, 2014 at 2:56 pm
Thanks, we enjoyed these!
June 20, 2014 at 9:40 am
Wow Laura, your recipe is just perfect for summer and for Fiesta Friday! The colours and the flavours are so inviting and your photography is jaw-droppingly beautiful! I have to tell you that I’m having a very hard time waiting patiently in this long line to get to your dishβ¦I hope there is some left for me when I make it to the front of the line! Thanks so much for bringing this dish to FF, Laura! π
June 23, 2014 at 2:58 pm
I hope you got as many helpings as you wanted, Julianna! I will whip up a new batch for you anytime you need π Thanks so much, and thanks for always making FF fun, it’s great to see you here each week!
June 24, 2014 at 8:28 am
I wouldn’t miss out on it! So many cool chefs at one party!
June 20, 2014 at 11:00 am
It looks so delicious! I would love to eat that during Summer and share it with my friends at a Summer party π
June 23, 2014 at 2:58 pm
Thanks, I think this would be good for a summer party too – and guests can have fun filling these little wraps on their own π
June 23, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Oh that would be a great idea to let tem fill it the way they want it to be π
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June 20, 2014 at 3:55 pm
Ah…. nice & healthy, pretty colors, and perfect for summer- I LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing this!
June 23, 2014 at 2:59 pm
Thanks, Stephanie, and so glad you stopped by!
June 20, 2014 at 4:23 pm
Looks fantastic. Thanks for bringing it to the FF party!
June 23, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Thanks, and good to see you at FF!
June 20, 2014 at 5:03 pm
Wonderful recipe! Laura, your pictures are really beautiful! And I love the presentation…
June 23, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Thank you, Serena! I’m glad you like the look of these, they were tasty even for leftovers π
June 23, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Wonderful!
June 20, 2014 at 7:07 pm
This looks really amazing. I love chicken lettuce wraps, but they’re so pricey at restaurants. This recipe will be one I have to try soon. Thanks for bringing it to FF! =)
June 23, 2014 at 3:01 pm
My pleasure, I hope you like it!
June 20, 2014 at 7:44 pm
Gorgeous photos of a delicious looking dish – I love lettuce wraps especially in the summer. Thanks for sharing this with us and Happy Fiesta Friday to you !
July 2, 2014 at 4:03 am
Thank you, Selma! I love lettuce wraps in the summer too, so fresh and tasty!
June 20, 2014 at 7:56 pm
Gorgeous looking lettuce wraps, and your pictures are just awesome too.
July 2, 2014 at 4:05 am
Thank you, I appreciate your kind comments, especially regarding the photos – It’s always a challenge for me π
June 20, 2014 at 9:52 pm
I don’t even eat chicken and you made me crave it with these beautiful pictures. Seriously stunning. I also love the use of peanuts for some crunch (who doesn’t like a little texture in a dish) and some orange for a sweet summery zest. Beautiful pictures, beautiful recipe.
July 2, 2014 at 4:07 am
Thanks! Yes, the peanuts were almost an afterthought but I was happy to have that extra crunch, and extra zesty flavor from the orange. So happy you like it! I bet you could find a chicken alternative – maybe tofu, or a grain?
June 21, 2014 at 1:23 am
Laura…these look so delicious! My daughters and I love lettuce wraps, and I can’t wait to try your version! First, because we’ve been on a mission to find the perfect recipe for them…and these look absolutely divine… and second, because it gets the three of us together for a lunch or dinner… where we can sit and relax and enjoy each other’s company… Thanks so much for sharing.. β€
July 2, 2014 at 4:09 am
That sounds wonderful, I hope you have a wonderful meal with your girls. Thanks so much for your kind words!
June 21, 2014 at 7:43 am
Oh yum! The orange would be wonderful, I’m so happy to be cooking Asian dishes regularly again….I can try this out π
July 2, 2014 at 4:10 am
Thanks, I am on an Asian kick lately too, isn’t it so nice to have all those enticing Asian staples so accessible again? Enjoy!
July 2, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Yes it is! I made spring onion pancakes tonight- heaven!!
June 21, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Wow! These look delicious and so pretty!
July 2, 2014 at 4:11 am
Thanks π
June 22, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Nice and healthy π
July 2, 2014 at 4:11 am
Yes, so easy too!
June 22, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Laura, I love these chicken wraps, your version looks so elegant! π
July 2, 2014 at 4:12 am
Thanks, we enjoyed these, so light, fresh & tasty, and easy to boot π
July 9, 2014 at 7:06 am
I’m giving this a try! They look delish!