Asian Lettuce Wraps are the hot new menu item, brought into popularity by restaurant chains such as P.F. Chang's China Bistro. While P.F. Chang's puts this item on the menu list under appetizer, Asian Lettuce Wraps can work well as an appetizer, side dish, or main dish.
This recipe for Asian Lettuce Wraps is simple to make and can easily be tailored to your own tastes. Read the Cooking Tips below to find ways to spice up this basic recipe and make it your own. When planning to make Asian Lettuce Wraps, remember to leave a little time for the chicken to marinate.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 to 1 1/4 lbs chicken breasts, chopped
- 1 can of water chestnuts, chopped
- A couple drops of sesame oil
- Rice noodles
- Whole iceburg lettuce leaves, washed
- Cooked rice, as much as you wish
Procedure
Whisk together the water and cornstarch in a bowl, then stir in the teriyaki sauce. Add the chopped chicken and water chestnuts and let them marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Sprinkle a little sesame oil into the bottom of your wok or pan. Cook the chicken and water chestnuts in small batches in the wok or pan over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. When all the food is cooked, place a bowl-shaped piece of iceburg lettuce on the plate. Put the hot cooked rice on top of the lettuce, the chicken mixture on top of the rice, and top it all with rice noodles.
Cooking Tips
You can add in other ingredients to suit your tastes. Try chopped shiitake mushrooms, green onions, or bean sprouts. For a change, you can brown ground beef and mix it with the water chestnuts and teriyaki sauce in the wok instead of chicken. Or for a vegetarian dish, try tofu instead of chicken.
Accompaniments
Asian Lettuce Wraps can be served as a starter to your main meal, or they can be the main meal in itself. For side dishes, you can choose from Asian options such as egg rolls and wontons, or play up the crisp fresh taste of the Asian Lettuce Wrap with a fruit salad.
Wine
If you make the lettuce wraps with chicken, try pairing it with a light wine to match the light crunchy flavor. A Riesling, Chenin Blanc, or Chardonnay are all fine choices. To make it special opt for a wine you may never have tried before. Wollersheim Winery's Prairie Fume would go perfectly with Asian Lettuce Wraps.
If You Like This Dish
You may also want to try:
