Chicken Lettuce wraps

My husband and I have been big fans of these wraps available at two of our favorite restaurants. I always wondered what went into these to make them so perfectly pleasing for the taste buds. I decided to give it a shot, I had to try and make in a very short time (as always) to make it a quick recipe, without compromising on the yummy factor. So this is what I came up with and I think it worked pretty well!

For preparing the Lettuce:
1 Head lettuce
1/4 cup Vinegar
1 bowl water

Separate leaves from the core and clean with water. Add vinegar to a large bowl of water. Immerse the leaves in this bowl and swish in the mixture. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pat dry the leaves and refrigerate in an airtight container. If you have time, an hour in the refrigerator makes the lettuce cold and crisp and perfectly ready to go with the hot chicken. 15 minutes does wonders too!

For the Chicken:
2 Tsp. Oil
1 Tsp. minced garlic
1 Tsp. minced or grated ginger
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped medium onion
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup Chicken broth
1 Tsp. Vinegar
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2 Tbs. Teriyaki Sauce
2 Tbs. Peanut Sauce (or 1Tbs.Peanut Butter)
1 Tbs. Chili sauce (I use the Sriracha brand - you can add more or less per your preference of spice)
Salt
Pepper


Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add ginger, garlic and onions. Cook for a few minutes or till the onions turn pale. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally. While this is cooking, mix all other ingredients in a bowl, whisk well and keep aside. Add the ground chicken to the onions and mushrooms and mix well. Add the sauce mixture to the chicken and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered on medium flame, stirring occasionally, till chicken is well cooked.

For garnish:
Crushed roasted peanuts.

Tip: I always keep some roasted crushed peanuts handy. It’s a great way to add a yummy protein rich garnish to the food. It goes with any preparation of chicken, tofu or even stir fry veggies. Kids love it! (Please confirm for peanut allergies before adding it so someone’s meal) I also add this in a variety of salads I make. I will share those with you very soon.

Cook well! Eat well!
Sheetal