Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I found this recipe on a cooking blog. I haven't tried it yet but it looks very good. Here is the link if you would like to browse through the blog.

The fish and chili garlic sauce will come in handy for a lot of Asian cooking and both keep for long time. You might be able to find both in your regular grocery store. If not, a local asian food market will definitely carry them. As for the lemongrass, you only need one large stalk so, once you find it, you’ll use it up.

Because of it’s nuanced flavor, lemongrass is a hard one to substitute. Though it won’t be quite the same, if you really can’t find lemongrass, try using lemon zest (about 1/2 tsp for each 3” of lemon grass) or a combo of lemon zest and ginger (about 1/2 Tbsp for each 3” of lemon grass).

If you’ve never worked with lemongrass before, cut off the end of the bulb and peel away the tough outermost leaves. Then cut off the green, almost grass-like stem. You only want to use the bottom few inches of the stalk, the bulb-like yellow portion.

Though it takes a little planning to have the ingredients for this on hand, it’s so worth it. Totally delicious. The kids loved it (both of them!). And it takes, at most, 30 minutes including prep. It’s a perfect meal to plan for a night you know you’ll be busy or running late.

Ingredients

2/3 c fresh lime juice
1/3 c fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp chili-garlic sauce
3/4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
1 c thinly sliced green onions
3/4 c thinly sliced shallots
3 Tbsp minced fresh lemongrass
1 Tbsp thinly sliced Thai or serrano chilies (you can substitute jalapenos in a pinch), seeds and veins removed for minimal heat
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 c chopped fresh mint
2 small heads Boston lettuce, separated into leaves
chopped cashews, for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Set aside.

2. Bring broth to simmer in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken. Simmer until cooked through, breaking up meat with spoon, about 8 minutes. Add green onions and next 3 ingredients. Stir until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in sauce from step 1, cilantro and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into lettuce leaves and garnish with cashews; serve.

Serves: 6