All wrapped up.
A terrible dish I ordered on Seamless two weeks ago inspired this gem. I ordered lettuce wraps from a Japanese place that happens to offer several alleged “Thai” options, perhaps capitalizing on the fact that I live in a neighborhood comprised entirely of sushi and hummus. They knew they could get away with it, but that’s a rant for another post. The dish’s diced, fried chicken skin, tossed with minced peppers and uber-sweet goo had me convinced that I could do it better. I’m really going for the hard sell here, right?
I hereby present to you, chicken lettuce wraps, Fat Noodle style.
I hereby present to you, chicken lettuce wraps, Fat Noodle style.
The Lettuce
1 head bibb lettuce, washed, dried, and separated by leaves
The Sauce
½ c. reduced sodium soy sauce
3 T. mirin or sherry wine
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger, grated
Splash of sesame oil, if you have it
Note: this is a variation on a standard teriyaki sauce recipe. Nothing special. If you don’t think you’ll enjoy it, or if you’re feeling pressed for time or ingredients, use teriyaki from a bottle. Incorporate the ginger along with the minced garlic, below. Sorry, I’m not sorry.
The Chicken Goodness
3 bell peppers, diced into small bites (I buy a multi-pack of red, yellow, and orange, to be festive.)
1 yellow onion, diced the same
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, diced the same
1 c. pineapple, diced a little larger (I use canned pineapple. We’re not fancy here.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 habanero pepper, minced with seeds removed (Don’t use if you don’t like spice!)
1 small lime, juiced
4 chicken sausage, removed from their casings
Crushed peanuts, for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
First, the sauce. Heat the liquid ingredients in a small saucepan until simmering. Stir in the ginger and the brown sugar, and simmer until all of the brown sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a little bit of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peppers and onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and habanero (and ginger, if necessary) and sauté for 1 more minute. Slide to the side of the pan.
Add the chicken sausage and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon, cooking for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the sauce and lime juice, stirring until fully incorporated into the mixture. Season to taste. Add pineapple and water chestnuts and simmer for 5 minutes.
After scooping a perfect mound of chicken into a lettuce leaf, I enjoy sprinkling crushed peanuts for crunch and drizzling a bit of sriracha on top. I also serve with rice vermicelli noodles. Savoring a meal that tastes much better than chicken-skin goo, I can say with confidence: “Take that, Seamless.”
1 head bibb lettuce, washed, dried, and separated by leaves
The Sauce
½ c. reduced sodium soy sauce
3 T. mirin or sherry wine
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger, grated
Splash of sesame oil, if you have it
Note: this is a variation on a standard teriyaki sauce recipe. Nothing special. If you don’t think you’ll enjoy it, or if you’re feeling pressed for time or ingredients, use teriyaki from a bottle. Incorporate the ginger along with the minced garlic, below. Sorry, I’m not sorry.
The Chicken Goodness
3 bell peppers, diced into small bites (I buy a multi-pack of red, yellow, and orange, to be festive.)
1 yellow onion, diced the same
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, diced the same
1 c. pineapple, diced a little larger (I use canned pineapple. We’re not fancy here.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 habanero pepper, minced with seeds removed (Don’t use if you don’t like spice!)
1 small lime, juiced
4 chicken sausage, removed from their casings
Crushed peanuts, for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
First, the sauce. Heat the liquid ingredients in a small saucepan until simmering. Stir in the ginger and the brown sugar, and simmer until all of the brown sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a little bit of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peppers and onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and habanero (and ginger, if necessary) and sauté for 1 more minute. Slide to the side of the pan.
Add the chicken sausage and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon, cooking for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the sauce and lime juice, stirring until fully incorporated into the mixture. Season to taste. Add pineapple and water chestnuts and simmer for 5 minutes.
After scooping a perfect mound of chicken into a lettuce leaf, I enjoy sprinkling crushed peanuts for crunch and drizzling a bit of sriracha on top. I also serve with rice vermicelli noodles. Savoring a meal that tastes much better than chicken-skin goo, I can say with confidence: “Take that, Seamless.”
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