Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Cilantro Lime Rice



At the first sign of warm weather I started thinking about quick dinners perfect for warm nights during the week. The first dish I made was one I've made several times, but never shared here on the blog. It was inspired by one of my favorite restraints, Red Ginger. I rarely get to enjoy the perfect mood lighting, fine decor and amazing food of Red Ginger as its located 6 hours away in Traverse City, Michigan. After my first visit there I knew I had to find a way to recreate an appetizer I thoroughly enjoyed at the restaurant.


Asian Chicken Wraps. Delicious! I googled like a mad man to find something close to the magnificent and fresh flavors I had experienced. After a few tests I came up with something very close to the original. I couldn't have been happier!



I serve these wraps alongside Cilantro Lime Rice. It's add a perfect side dish and slight pop of flavor to go with the main dish. While I had these as an appetizer, I serve them as a meal. I make a large amount of the filling and buy a three pack of Romaine Lettuce. Trust me, you'll want to make the recipe in the quantity below if you're feeding a few people. It will be eaten!

I have posted a recipe that is along the same lines as this, but I used shredded chicken instead. (You can find that recipe here.) Either way, it's a perfectly delicious meal guaranteed to please the hungry stomach any night of the week.

Enjoy!


Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

2-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 pounds ground chicken
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
2 Tablespoons fresh Cilantro, chopped
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
3-4 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 heads Romain Lettuce, minimum

Direction:

1. Prepare Romain Lettuce by cutting off the ends and cleaning thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Cook chicken, in oil, until done. Add onion and cook until onions are tender.
3. Add garlic, ginger, and cilantro and cook until heated thoroughly.
5. Mix in sauce mixture and heat though. Serve along side Cilantro Lime Rice and Romain Lettuce.
6. Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice
2 cups water
Juice of one lime
1-2 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Cook rice as directed.
2. Halfway through cooking add the lime and cilantro.
3. Finish cooking and serve warm.

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