Thai chicken lettuce wraps

Oh my gravy... Thai chicken lettuce wraps... I love lettuce wraps of any kind, throwing all kinds of delicious stuff inside a lettuce leaf..so good.. especially since I am trying to lose weight and eat  more veggies.  Boy when your paying attention it is not always easy to get 5-7 servings of fruit and veggies in a day.  Sometimes you only get 1-2 servings and the day is over with.  Not so with these yummy things. 

What they basically are is cooked chicken in a delicious, flavorful sauce with lots of fresh veggies, put together in a lettuce leaf.  My kids like the wraps in a flatbread, and my oldest son likes them in sheets of nori seaweed along with a lettuce leaf, so the varieties are endless. 

I was also thinking maybe next time I am thinking they would be good made into a salad with everything layered over lettuce, and a little extra sauce drizzled on top. 

The sauce ingredients are a mixture of sweet, savory, spicy and just plain flavorful.  You can add more vinegar, brown sugar,or more soy.. taste it and make any adjustments that you like.  Also, you can vary the types of veggies, I used red & yellow peppers, green onion, and then I take a little help from the store.  I buy bags of already shredded carrots, cabbage (think for coleslaw), and shredded radishes ( I try and keep these things cut up in the fridge to put together a quick salad, so they have multiple uses in my house.  I also cooked thin rice noodles in salted water and added them too.  I also used chopped up cocktail type peanuts, but you can leave them how they come outta the can, less chopping.  Also, you can use the same mixture and put into rice spring roll wrappers and they would make great spring rolls too.

   I used really lean ground chicken which makes me happy, cause the less I have to chop raw meat and worry about the contamination after affects makes me a happy girl.  But substitute whatever meat your family likes, even thinking Tofu would be good, or seafood too.  Whatever you choose, make these today Enjoy.

Thai chicken lettuce wraps

1 lb. lean ground chicken
couple of dashes of sesame oil
Veggies of your choice ( I used sliced seeded red & yellow peppers, julienned cucumbers, shredded carrots & radishes, 1 bunch of sliced green onions, tops removed,
2 T. sesame seeds
1 t olive oil
1/2 package thin rice noodles prepared as package directs
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt  & pepper


Condiments:
Chopped cocktail peanuts
Chopped fresh parsley
Bibb lettuce washed
Nori sheet (optional)
Flatbread (optional)


Sauce ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 brown sugar
1/3 cup hoison sauce
1 t Asian garlic chili sauce( can substitute a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a clove of minced garlic)
Dash of sesame oil
1 T molasses
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Mix everything together and let sit to blend together.


In large skilled heat olive oil, add chicken, sesame oil,  pinch of red pepper flakes, salt & pepper and cook breaking up with a spoon until meat is no longer pink and is cooked through.  When cooked thru add 1/2 of the sauce stirring well, add sesame seeds and bringing up to a boil. Turn off heat and remove from heat.

To assemble, put a spoonful of the meat mixture onto the lettuce leaf (or nori sheet.or flatbread if using).  Add a small handful of the noodles, some of the veggies (making sure not to over fill, you need to be able to shut the leaf), then drizzle with a little of the remaining sauce, sprinkle peanuts and fresh parsley over the chicken and veggies.  Fold/Roll the lettuce (or nori sheet up) and eat.  Enjoy