CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS {LOW SUGAR}
This easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe from Half the Sugar, All the Love is a healthier take on the classic PF Chang’s restaurant version of this popular dish. It’s a fun and easy way to boost vegetables at your family table. Use tofu instead of ground chicken if you’d like to make this dish 100% plant-based. I love this recipe because it’s easily customizable.
CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS {LOW SUGAR}
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
This easy dinner is based on a classic recipe for Chinese chicken lettuce wraps. It’s super fun for kids to eat because no forks are required! My low-sugar Hoisin Sauce from Half the Sugar, All the Love adds plenty of sweetness with very little added sugar.
Ours = 1/4 teaspoon
Theirs: 1 1/4 teaspoons
1 cup medium-grain white or brown rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into small dice
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey (substitute 1 pound firm tofu to make vegan)
1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce
2 green onions, trimmed and minced
8 large butter lettuce leaves
Sriracha, for serving (optional)
1. Cook the rice according to package directions. When done, remove the rice from the heat and let it steam, covered, in the pot.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add the zucchini and bell pepper and half of the garlic. Season with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining garlic to the pan with the red pepper flakes, if using, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the chicken and stir-fry over high heat, breaking up the meat as you go, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add half of the hoisin sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cooked vegetables, green onions, and remaining hoisin sauce to the pan. Gently toss over medium heat to incorporate the ingredients. Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt and remove from the heat.
5. Place the rice, lettuce leaves, and stir-fry on the table. Have everyone scoop a spoonful of rice and stir-fry into each lettuce cup as they eat, topping with a touch of sriracha if they like.
Quick Tip
To make a quick sub for the hoisin sauce, in a small bowl combine 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil, 2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger, 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.
What Kids Can Do
Kids can separate and wash the lettuce leaves.
Make Ahead
To save time, chop the zucchini and bell pepper 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information (1 serving):
Calories: 427 | Added sugar: 1/4 teaspoon or 1g | Carbohydrates: 46g | Sodium: 860mg | Saturated fat: 7% of calories or 3g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 22g
Excerpted from Half the Sugar, All the Love by Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel, MD, MSPH. Photographs by Erin Scott. Workman Publishing ©2019.
- 1 cup medium-grain white or brown rice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into small dice
- 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small dice
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey (substitute 1 pound firm tofu to make vegan)
- ¼ cup Chinese Hoisin Sauce (see recipe)
- 2 green onions, trimmed and minced
- 8 large butter lettuce leaves Sriracha, for serving (optional)
- Cook the rice according to package directions. When done, remove the rice from the heat and let it steam, covered, in the pot.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add the zucchini and bell pepper and half of the garlic. Season with ⅛ teaspoon of the salt and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining garlic to the pan with the red pepper flakes, if using, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the chicken and stir-fry over high heat, breaking up the meat as you go, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add half of the hoisin sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the cooked vegetables, green onions, and remaining hoisin sauce to the pan. Gently toss over medium heat to incorporate the ingredients. Season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon of salt and remove from the heat.
- Place the rice, lettuce leaves, and stir-fry on the table. Have everyone scoop a spoonful of rice and stir-fry into each lettuce cup as they eat, topping with a touch of sriracha if they like.
To make a quick sub for the hoisin sauce, in a small bowl combine ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil, 2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger, ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
What Kids Can Do
Kids can separate and wash the lettuce leaves.
Make Ahead
To save time, chop the zucchini and bell pepper 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Excerpted from Half the Sugar, All the Love by Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel, MD, MSPH. Photographs by Erin Scott. Workman Publishing ©2019.
