A Break From the Cold – Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Think about winter food; root vegetables, hearty soups and stews, braised meats. All delicious, they warm the body as we face the chill of the season. They are heavy and satisfying, getting us through the darkest, coldest months of the year.
But sometimes we need a mental break from the cold. We need to transport ourselves to the warmer, sunnier side of the calendar. A meal light in density and bright in flavor can carry us there. It awakens our taste buds and reminds us that spring and summer will be here before too long. With more than a foot of snow on the ground from a recent storm, as I write this, I am craving flavors from a region closer to the equator.
These Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps fit the bill perfectly. Since there are no carbohydrates or heavy gravies or cream or butter-based sauces, they won’t weigh you down. Salty, sweet, a bit sour, and a touch spicy, these little packets are flavor bombs that warm you without the heft of traditional winter fare. Rather, their warmth comes from their vivid taste and the mental journey that ensues.
Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you don’t feel like making wraps, the ingredients, with a few of your own additions, can also make an impressive, flavorful salad.
6 servings, ½ hour
For the Chicken
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 lime, zested and juiced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water
For the Sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ Tbsp. fish sauce
½ Tbsp. fresh red chili pepper (Thai birds eye, jalapeño, serrano, or Fresno), minced
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
For the Lettuce Wraps
1 head Bibb, butter, or Boston lettuce
1 carrot, cut in matchsticks
½ cucumber, cut in matchsticks
1 jalapeño pepper (optional), seeded, cut in thin strips
½ bunch cilantro, leaves and thin stems
1 or 2 scallions cut in thin, 1 to 2-inch strips
- Cut chicken into half-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Mix the lime zest, lime juice, crushed garlic, brown sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Combine with chicken and set aside to marinate until ready to cook. Mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Make the dipping sauce. Bring the brown sugar and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce the heat to low. Allow the mixture to simmer until it has thickened a bit, about 5 minutes. Watch it carefully to make sure the water does not boil away. Remove from the heat and add the minced garlic. Stir, set aside, and allow to cool. Once cool, add the remaining dipping sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside.
- While the dipping sauce is cooling, cook the chicken. Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil. Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through, about four or five minutes. Give the cornstarch and water a quick stir and add to the chicken. Stir and cook for an additional minute to thicken up any remaining sauce.
- Prepare the other ingredients for the wraps. Peel off, wash, and dry individual pieces of lettuce, trimming the end of the stiff rib if necessary. Cut the rest of the vegetables.
- Lay lettuce leaves flat on a plate, inside of each leaf facing up. Place a tablespoon or two of chicken on the rib end. Add other ingredients as desired, trying to keep the filling towards the central axis of the leaf. Top with a teaspoon of sauce. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling. Then fold the sides in and roll. Place on a plate seam side down.
