Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Wasabi Lime Dressing

By The Brown Bag Gourmet • September 29, 2010 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: PF Chang's may be a chain restaurant and yes, they may serve up a very Americanized Chinese menu, but you have to admit their lettuce wraps are pretty darn good. Obviously, I've developed a slight affection toward these little lettuce cups of perfection, so you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that there isn't a single location in NYC. Alas, I decided to develop my own version to satisfy my craving. And after several renditions, this Japanese-inspired version has become my favorite. The slight crunch of the edamame, paired with a no-nonsense punch of wasabi takes these very lunch-worthy lettuce wraps to a whole new level.
- The Brown Bag Gourmet

Serves 2

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup water chestnuts, diced
1/3 cup edamame, shelled
3-4 tablespoons Soyaki marinade (I like Trader Joe's Island Soyaki)
1 head of lettuce (any variety you prefer)
1 sliced green onion, for garnish

Wasabi Lime Dressing

1/4 cup lightly seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon wasabi paste, more to taste if you like
juice of 1 small lime
1 pinch sea salt

Heat vegetable oil in large saute pan. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant.
Sear chicken breasts in pan on medium heat to build a nice golden crust and reduce to medium low to finish, keeping the chicken tender and moist.
Remove chicken from pan and set aside to rest.
Saute onions, carrots, mushrooms and water chestnuts in chicken drippings, adding additional oil if needed. Cook only a few minutes on medium low heat, so that veggies are still slightly crisp.
Dice rested chicken into bite-size pieces and add back into the pan along with edamame.
Reduce heat to low and finish with soyaki marinade. Allow to simmer until marinade is warmed through and chicken mixture is coated.
Rinse and dry lettuce leaves and fill with chicken mixture. Top with sliced green onion and prepared wasabi lime dressing, to taste.
Pack up your lettuce cups, filling and dressing. Brown bag it all and prepare to wow the office lunch crowd or your friends!