If you are a big fan of P.F. Chang's and their famous chicken lettuce wraps, you are going to love this blog post. I'm sharing my own take on these light and flavorful wraps. Lettuce wraps are one of my “go-to” for lighter meals, which makes them a perfect dinner choice for summer. You can even substitute turkey for the chicken. Both meats are great for wraps.
Just a word of warning, this recipe is a bit more involved than previous recipes I've shared and will require a couple of unique ingredients, so make sure to plan ahead. Even though there are multiple steps (don't worry, I offer some of my best pro-chef tips), you will be so glad you took the time to make this recipe, because these wraps are addicting.
Cooking Sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, packed (can substitute coconut palm sugar)
Filling
• 5 ounces dried shitake mushrooms
• 1 cup hot water (to reconstitute the mushrooms)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon ginger root, grated
• 8 oz. bamboo shoots, canned, drained and diced
• 8 oz. water chestnuts, canned, drained and diced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
Dipping Sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed (can substitute coconut palm sugar)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1-3 teaspoons Chinese Hot Mustard
• 1-3 teaspoons Garlic and Red Chili Paste
Directions
- Begin by preparing the cooking sauce. Mix all ingredients for the cooking sauce in a small bowl.
- Place the ground chicken or turkey in a medium bowl and pour half of the cooking sauce over it, mixing the chicken with the sauce gently.
- Place remaining cooking sauce in the refrigerator until ready to cook chicken.
- Cover chicken and place in refrigerator for at least one hour, preferably overnight. Pro-Chef Tip: You can quickly marinate the chicken by using a vacuum sealer, such as a food saver appliance.
- When ready to cook, pour 1 cup of hot water over the dried mushrooms and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
- Once the mushrooms have absorbed enough water, lift them out of the water and gently squeeze some of the liquid out. Remove any stems and chop the mushrooms no larger than a dime. Set aside.
- Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients except the mustard and red chili paste in a small bowl. Add 1-3 teaspoons of each, depending on how spicy you want the dipping sauce to be. Set aside until ready to serve lettuce wraps.
- When ready to cook the chicken, heat up the wok skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) of vegetable oil, then add the marinated chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and add remaining tablespoons (1/8 cup) of vegetable oil to the pan and add the onion, garlic, ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the pan again as well as the rest of the reserved marinade and the rest of the cooking sauce, cook until thickened and hot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken mixture on a bed of romaine lettuce. Enjoy!
