Chicken Lettuce Wraps

For all the times I have ordered chicken lettuce wraps at restaurants like P.F. Chang’s, inhaled entire “appetizers” by myself, and sighed with happiness while licking sticky sauce from my fingers, it never once occurred to me to try making this dish at home. Partly, lettuce wraps have always felt like an indulgence that needed restriction to restaurant visits only. Partly, I assumed that the secret to their deliciousness surely lay in a long list of ingredients, fussy technique, or both.

You see where I’m heading here, yes? We can definitely make chicken lettuce wraps at home. It’s actually super easy and makes a surprisingly quick weeknight meal. Pick up what you need on your way home, and you can have these for dinner tonight.

• This sauce is what gives the chicken filling its rich, savory depth. We can’t claim to know what P.F. Chang’s or other restaurants put in their secret sauce, but this is pretty close. It’s what makes these lettuce wraps so incredibly delicious.
• Chicken lettuce wraps are a true 30-minute meal. Even including the time to chop up the vegetables.
• This is a meal that won’t heat up your kitchen or feel too heavy to eat. It hits that magical middle zone of being both very satisfying and also surprisingly light and refreshing.

• Sauce ingredients: The key ingredient is hoisin sauce — a sweet, salty, slightly tangy, spiced sauce. Here, it’s mixed with some soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil to make a sticky glaze for the ground chicken.
• Ground chicken: Ground chicken is convenient, but you could mince some chicken breasts or chicken thighs if you’d prefer.
• Mushrooms: To round out the filling, add some finely chopped white button or cremini mushrooms.
• Water chestnuts: Their distinct crunchiness is always a nice surprise in each bite!
• Bibb or butter lettuce: Bibb or butter lettuce are our picks for these wraps. They have sturdy, broad leaves that hold a good amount of filling without major risk of everything falling apart. Look for relatively small heads with fresh outer leaves that show no signs of wilting.

1. Make the sauce. Place 3 tablespoons of the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl and whisk. If you’d like a more thickened, glossy sauce, whisk in the cornstarch; place near the stove.
2. Cook the ground chicken. Cook the ground chicken and transfer to a clean bowl; set aside.
3. Cook the vegetables and aromatics. Add the mushrooms and any optional vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally until tender. Stir in the water chestnuts, garlic, and ginger, and cook until fragrant.
4. Combine the vegetables and chicken. Return the chicken to the pan and add half of the scallions.
5. Stir in the sauce. Add the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbling and the sauce is warmed through. Taste and add more hoisin sauce if desired.
6. Serve with the lettuce. Break off all the lettuce leaves and pile them on a plate in the center of the table, along with small dishes with hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and the remaining scallions. Transfer the hot chicken mixture to a serving dish, or serve straight from the skillet.

• Gluten-free: To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free hoisin sauce, and tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
• Ground turkey: Feel free to use ground turkey instead of ground chicken.
• Other types of lettuce and greens: You could also use long leaves of romaine lettuce, cut into a few pieces, or even hearty greens, like Swiss chard or collard greens.

The chicken filling keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. This means you can make a big batch of it for dinner and then have the leftovers for lunch over the next few days, or make this for a party without cooking at the last minute. Add a splash of chicken broth if the filling looks dry; otherwise, heat up what you need in the microwave.

• Make ahead: Refrigerate the cooked chicken filling in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• To reheat: Reheat just what you need and add a splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems dry.

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