Asian Chicken Wraps

The first time I had a lettuce wrap was several years ago at my friend Diane's house. I have no idea now what she had done, but there was a variety of fillings and they were absolutely delicious. I love Asian flavors to begin with, and the crisp lettuce against the pungent, sharp and spicy fillings was delightful.

Several years before that I had found Larb Gai, a Thai chicken salad that is served as a street food, wrapped in crisp fresh cabbage leaves. The salad is spicy, light, tangy and delicious, and quickly became one of my favorite all time dishes.

Like many stir fry recipes, this one seems to have a long list of ingredients, but most of the prep time for this one comes in the chopping. I find the easiest thing to do is to simply line all ingredients up on the counter, and measure out the sauce, then chop all the vegetables at once.

This dish comes somewhere between the two mentioned above - it contains a stir fried chicken like the larb gai, but has milder flavors (although they can be as spicy as you wish!). Instead of several fillings I've simplified it into one, served warm with a fabulous dipping sauce. Try this one - the flavors are out of this world, and you'll add it to your own list of favorites in no time!

You'll Need:


for the sauce:



•1/2 cup soy sauce

•2 tablespoons rice or black vinegar

•2 tablespoons minced garlic

•2 tablespoons minced ginger

•1 tablsepoon garlic chili paste

•1 tablespoon plum sauce

•1 tablespoon mirin

•1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced

•2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

•1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the stir-fry:



•2 tablespoons canola oil

•1 pound skinless, boneless chicken, diced

•1/2 cup carrot, diced

•1/2 cup celery, diced

•1/2 cup bell pepper, diced

•1/2 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced

•1/2 cup onion, diced

•1/2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger

•1 teaspoon minced garlic

•1/2 cup mushroom caps, sliced

•2 tablespoons green onions, diced

•2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped

•Iceberg or butter lettuce leaves, or fresh green cabbage, for wrapping

1.Start with combining all ingredients for the sauce. Stir and set aside. Stir again before adding to the chicken.

2.In a large skillet or wok over high heat, stir fry the chicken until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes or so.

3.Add the carrot, celery, pepper, peas and onion and and stir fry until just crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes.

4.Add the garlic, mushrooms and ginger. Add 1/3 cup of the prepared sauce, and allow to cook for about 1 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are well coated and the sauce has thickened slightly.

5.Place the stir fy in a large serving bowl, and top with the nuts and green onion.

6.Serve the stir fry with lettuce leaves or cabbage. Serve with the remaining sauce.