A delicious Asian treat using butter lettuce as nature’s tortilla.
I do not know where in my childhood it started but I have a strange affinity for finger foods. If I can eat an entire meal without ever picking up a utensil it is a good day. Maybe it stems from my love of sandwiches, maybe my often-talked-about love of tacos and Taco Tuesday, or maybe it is just my hatred of dishes. Whatever it is, I will always enjoy finger foods when I can. My only complaint with most finger foods is they often disagree with my diet plan, most finger foods are wrapped in bread or tortillas to keep the messier components at bay, and when I try to cut carbs that does not meet the criteria. However, my love of finger foods and my desire to cut carbs do in fact meet in this recipe for Thai lettuce wraps, replacing the need for a tortilla or bread with a leaf of butter lettuce to contain the delicious flavors within.
The origin of lettuce wraps is difficult to pinpoint, often thought to have originated in China, they are now popular throughout all of Southeast Asia. A lighter alternative to noodles, rice, or dumplings the lettuce wrap became popular in Thailand – which is when Thai chicken lettuce wraps grew in popularity. Featuring bright tastes like chicken, peanuts, garlic, and soy, each bite is full of flavor, all held in cool butter lettuce like a handheld salad. With every bite, you are mentally transported to Thailand while never having to step foot on a plane. I love these Thai lettuce wraps, and I know that you will too.
Are Thai Lettuce Wraps Healthy?
Yes, they are considered healthy for most individual diets. They are packed full of lean proteins because of the ground chicken and are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. High in fiber they help with proper digestive health, and as I already said, they’re low in carbs. You can easily make this recipe vegan by substituting the ground chicken for tempeh or finely chopped mushrooms. While this recipe appears to be gluten-free it is important to note that there is gluten present in soy sauce, so depending on your level of intolerance you should be cautious when preparing this recipe.
Why Does This Recipe Use Butter Lettuce?
Lettuce wraps can be done with a variety of different kinds of lettuce; however, this recipe calls for butter lettuce because it is a soft and tender lettuce unlike the tougher and more rigid romaine or green leaf lettuce. Butter lettuce is a large leaf lettuce making it ideal for this recipe as single leaves can hold all your other ingredients on their own. The texture of butter lettuce is soft and feels almost like it is melting in your mouth, like butter, with a delicate and slightly sweet flavor that really accentuates the seasoning in the Thai chicken.
How to make ahead and store
You can prepare your sauce and chicken mix in advance, cook it, and let it cool to room temperature. Then place in an airtight sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and reheat on the stovetop on low heat while stirring until warmed throughout. You do not want to store them in your butter lettuce, as butter lettuce will begin to wilt shortly after being cut from its roots. Instead, assemble these wraps with the butter lettuce only when you are ready to make your final Thai chicken wraps.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious Thai lettuce wraps are the perfect lunch or snack, but that does not mean you can’t spice things up by adding sides to the meal. I like adding other finger foods like Baked Coconut Calamari with Spicy Yogurt Dip, or a nice soup like Moroccan Cauliflower Soup with Carrots, Apples and Pistachio Cream.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- 1 head butter lettuce leaves separated
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic, onion, and ginger to the skillet. Cook until fragrant and onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add red bell pepper and shredded carrots. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables evenly. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped cilantro and peanuts.
- To serve, spoon the chicken mixture into the butter lettuce leaves. Enjoy!
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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