Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Made with Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt.
Tender ground chicken, sautéed mushrooms, fresh ginger, and a deliciously savory-sweet hoisin sauce, tucked into crisp butter lettuce leaves. All the flavor of restaurant-style lettuce wraps, made right at home!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
For the Chicken Filling
1 lb ground chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
-or- water chestnuts, finely chopped -or- finely chopped celery1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
½ teaspoon Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt, plus more to taste
3 green onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Hoisin Sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (without added MSG)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. cornstarch stirred into 1 T. water (add to sauce after cooked)
For Serving
1–2 heads Boston or butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and dried
Optional: shredded carrots, extra green onions, or chopped unsalted cashews
DIRECTIONS
1. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, optional honey, water, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the white parts of the green onions and the ginger. Cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Brown the chicken. Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F. Allow it to develop some golden-brown edges for extra flavor.
4. Add the sauce. Pour the prepared hoisin sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Add the cornstarch mixture. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Stir in the toasted sesame oil and most of the green onion tops. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
5. Fill and serve. Spoon the warm chicken mixture into crisp lettuce leaves. Garnish with the remaining green onions and any optional toppings. Serve immediately!
FRED'S TIPS!
No water chestnuts? No problem! The finely chopped mushrooms add wonderful texture and flavor. For a little extra crunch, add ¼ cup finely diced celery when sautéing the onions.
Love a saucier filling? Increase the hoisin sauce to 4 tablespoons and the water to 3 tablespoons.
Make it ahead! Prepare the chicken filling up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. Reheat thoroughly, then spoon into fresh, crisp lettuce leaves just before serving. Double the recipe for leftovers!
A little seasoning, a lot of delicious!