Asian-inspired Lettuce Wraps are a quick and easy, grain free, sugar free weeknight dinner - fresh and light yet filling. They’re better (and better for you) than takeout.
Lettuce wraps come together quickly with an easy pantry sauce that works well with ground chicken, turkey, or pork, giving you flexibility. An 8-oz can of water chestnuts, diced small, provides a great crunch and texture, but I’m not always able to find them in my grocery store and they don’t actually add much flavor-wise, so this recipe calls for celery as a fresh substitute, providing a similar crunch and mild, watery flavor – if you have water chestnuts, go ahead and use them in place of the celery. The white wine might seem out of place, but I use it anytime I sauté mushrooms or cook ground poultry; I can’t explain the science behind it, I just know that it reinvigorates and hydrates browned mushrooms and poultry that can otherwise be a little lackluster or dry; alternatively, you can use chicken stock. (Dry white wine and canned Hatch green chiles are my ultimate, no longer secret, kitchen weapons – they make just about everything better). Make these Lettuce Wraps once, and you’ll be ordering takeout out less when you see how quick, healthy, fresh, and yummy they are!
Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the filling
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound ground chicken, turkey, or pork
8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
½ onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
3 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts divided
3 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, chopped small (about 1 cup)
¼ cup dry white wine, optional
For the sauce
5 tablespoons coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce, if not grain free)
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar (sodium free, sugar free)
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, about a 1-inch piece
1 tablespoon grated garlic, about 4 large cloves
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon fish sauce
For assembly
Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves (small iceberg leaves work well too for more crunch)
Thai, Fresno or Serrano chiles, thinly sliced
How to make Lettuce Wraps
Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and white parts of the green onion, and cook 5 minutes until onion is starting to soften. Add mushrooms, stir to combine and cook until mushrooms have released all of their water and starting to brown and caramelize, stirring occasionally, about another 10 minutes. Add celery and stir to mix through, cook 1 minute. Add ground chicken, or turkey or pork if you prefer, and sauté with the vegetables until fully cooked through and starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes, breaking into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon as you cook. If using pork or dark meat poultry, you will have some excess grease to drain from the ground meat before proceeding.
Once chicken is cooked through, add the dry white wine, if using, deglaze the pan, scraping up and brown bits and cook until the alcohol has burned off and wine is fully absorbed, about 1-2 minutes. Add sauce and stir until fully combined, cook, reducing sauce, for about 3 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves, topped with thinly sliced chiles of your choice.
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