Go Back
Print

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

PF Chang's Famous Lettuce Wraps, made (almost) the same as the restaurant. A great appetizer, but with the addition of white rice to the plate, an instant entree.
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword MustangChef Summer Camp, PF Changs
Servings 6

Ingredients

FOR MARINADE

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 3-inch finger fresh ginger peeled and minced, about ¼ cup
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili-garlic paste
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • ½ cup scallions sliced ¼ inch thick

FOR FILLING

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs medium dice
  • 3 tablespoons safflower or canola oil plus more for greasing
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms minced
  • Lettuce leaves such as green leaf, butter lettuce or romaine, pulled apart into cups, at least 18 (3 cups per serving)

FOR GARNISH:

  • 1/2 cup scallions sliced very thin
  • ½ cup carrots shredded
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 3 cups flash-fried Thai rice sticks

FOR POTSTICKER SAUCE

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce dark
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic pressed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 inch finger of fresh ginger grated fine with a microplaner
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste
  • 2 tablespoons scallions minced fine
  • ½ teaspoon hot chinese mustard
  • 1-2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

FOR RICE NOODLES

  • 1 Thai thin dried rice noodles 8.8 ounce package
  • 3/4 cup oil for frying

Instructions

POTSTICKER SAUCE

  • Heat water, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil till simmering, take off heat. Add remaining ingredients to warm mixture, transfer to a storage container and chill for 1 hour or until ready to serve.

FILLING

  • In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, scallions, garlic, ginger, sugar, chili paste and sesame oil and mix well. Add chicken and mushrooms and mix, thoroughly massaging the marinade into the meat. Let stand for 15-25 minutes.

FOR RICE NOODLES

  • Separate the rice noodles by pulling apart the various sections into manageable amounts. Using scissors, cut the noodles into strips 4 to 5 inches long.
  • Place the oil in small to medium saute pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for a minimum of 1 minute.
  • Take a few longer noodle pieces in your hand and dunk just the ends into the hot oil. If the oil is hot enough, the submerged parts will bloom within seconds into puffy, crispy noodles. If this doesn't happen, remove the submerged parts and cut them off. Wait a little longer for your oil to heat up, then try again.
  • Once the oil is ready, gently drop handfuls of the noodles into the hot oil.
  • Have tongs and a spider ready to quickly flip them once. The actual cooking time is only a few seconds.
  • Set the puffed noodles to drain on paper towels.

ASSEMBLY

  • Heat a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with oil. Stir fry chicken mixture in batches until evenly cooked. Reserve.
  • Make a mound of rice noodles on each plate. Ladle chicken over the top. Drizzle chicken with chili oil. Garnish with scallions, shredded carrots, and sesame seeds. Place lettuce cups to one side of the plate. Serve with a ramekin of potsticker sauce.