These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps Are Way Better Than Sandwiches for Lunch
How often do you dutifully prepare yourself lunch the night before (and pack it in one of these awesome adult lunch boxes), then when lunchtime arrives it just looks so dull and uninspiring? Meaning you either: a) Miserably eat it, then binge on a large chocolate cupcake that Andrea the office “baker” made (we’ll let her off if it’s one of these key lime chocolate cupcakes), or b) Head to In-N-Out and go all the way with that Double-Double (yikes).
Ingredients:
Makes 8-10 lettuce wraps
— 1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
— 1 large chicken breast, cut into small chunks
— 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
— 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped finely
— 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
— 1 teaspoon fish sauce
— 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
— 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
— juice of half a lime
— 1 red chili pepper (we used the Anaheim variety), sliced
— outer leaves from 2 Baby Gem lettuces (or other small-leaf lettuce)
— 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
— 2 Tablespoons chopped, skinless peanuts
— a few sprigs of cilantro, roughly torn
Instructions:
1. Heat the oil on a high heat in a large skillet and add the chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes, turning regularly until the chicken is cooked and lightly browned.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, peanut butter and lime juice to the skillet. Bring to a gentle bubble, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken well.
3. Stir through half of the chopped chili pepper slices and cook for another 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
4. Place the lettuce leaves on a serving plate. Top each with a few slices of red bell pepper, then spoon on the chicken mixture. Top with a few more slices of bell pepper, a few chopped peanuts, the cilantro and a slice of red chili pepper for each wrap. Eat immediately. Alternatively if you want to prepare this ahead for a cold lunch, complete the recipe up to the end of step 3. Then cool the chicken, before putting the lettuce wraps together. Cover and refrigerate for the next day.
Heat the oil on high heat in a large skillet and add the chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes, turning regularly until the chicken is cooked and lightly browned.
Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, peanut butter and lime juice to the skillet. Bring to a gentle bubble, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken well. Stir through half of the chopped chili pepper slices and cook for another 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
Place the lettuce leaves on a serving plate. Top each with a few slices of red bell pepper, then spoon on the chicken mixture. Top with a few more slices of bell pepper, a few chopped peanuts, the cilantro and a slice of red chili pepper for each wrap. Eat immediately!
But don’t forget to save some for tomorrow’s lunch — maybe topped with a little sweet chili sauce!
Do you have a delicious healthy lunch recipe? Share your pics with us on Instagram using the hashtag #iamcreative!
