Description
If you need an easy, weeknight dinner packed with veggies and flavor that kids love, try these Chicken Lettuce Wraps. So many variations can make the dish easier in a time crunch and accommodate a variety of palates!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Lettuce Wrap Filling
- 1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups of chopped raw vegetables (carrot, celery, broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper, etc)
- 2 medium to large chicken breasts
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 8–10 large leaves of crispy lettuce (hearts of Romaine recommended)
- Optional toppings: chopped cashews, sliced scallions, Siracha sauce (spicy), sweet and sour pepper sauce (tangy)
For the Sauce:
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 T honey
- 2 T brown sugar
- 1 clove pressed garlic
- 1 T corn starch
- 2 T warm water
Instructions
Cooking the Chicken
- First, you need to choose your chicken cooking method. My preferred methods are either to grill or sous vide the breasts.
- Simply rinse and pat the breasts dry—season lightly on both sides with garlic salt.
- Grill or sous vide the chicken until opaque and the internal temperature is 165°. Then, chop the chicken into small chunks, cover, and set aside.
**Alternatively, rinse and dry the chicken, chop it in raw form, and sauté it over medium heat in olive oil until opaque and done.
Making the Sauce
If you do have the extra 10-15 minutes that making this teriyaki sauce requires, it is worth it!
- First, peel and mince the fresh ginger and set aside.
- Combine the soy sauce, water, honey, and brown sugar.
- Add freshly pressed garlic and the minced ginger in a saucepan, combining over medium heat.
- Then, whisk together warm water and cornstarch, separately until combined.
- Add this mixture to the sauce and stir over medium heat until it thickens.
- Finally, take off of the heat and set aside.
***If you are using a prepared teriyaki from the store, skip this step!
Preparing the Vegetables
- Chop 1/2 of a yellow onion into a small dice and set aside.
- Begin to warm a large skillet with 2 T olive oil.
- Rinse and chop the vegetables you chose into small pieces, until you have about 2 1/2 cups of raw veggies.
- Sauté the onions until they are translucent in the warmed, oiled skillet.
- Once the onions are cooked (about 3-4 minutes), add the other raw vegetables to the pan. Sauté them, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until they are bright in color and still crunchy.
- Once the vegetables have been sautéed, add the small chicken chunks to the pan and about 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce. (You will have more sauce left over, which can be added if preferred.)
- Turn the skillet to medium, stirring the chicken, vegetables, and sauce until combined. Allow this to simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serving the Lettuce Wraps
- Carefully peel lettuce leaves and wash each one you will use. Pat dry with a towel.
- Scoop the chicken and vegetable mixture into the lettuce leaf.
- Top with chopped cashews, sliced scallions, and/ or sauce of your preference.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min