Monday, June 8, 2009

Chili's Asian Lettuce Wraps

I love these lettuce wraps. They are so good! I always ordered them at Chili's, until recently they discontinued making them. That was a sad day for me. Fortunately, someone gave me this recipe, which is the exact Chili's recipe. It's pretty involved, so you really could cut out some steps (like the way it is served), but I wanted to put the entire recipe here in case you feel so inclined to make them exactly as they are supposed to be.

Chicken:
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
4 Chicken Breast Fillets
4 Green Onions
1/2 Cup Water Chestnuts, minced
1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Head Butter Lettuce

Stir Fry Sauce:
1/4 Cup Water
1 teaspoon Arrowroot (or Cornstarch)
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dried Chives
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
2 teaspoons Sesame Seeds
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 teaspoon Chili Oil
1 teaspoon Creamy Peanut Butter

STIR FRY SAUCE:
1. Combine the water and arrowroot in a small bowl and stir until arrowroot is dissolved.
2. Add this solution to the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until thick.

CHICKEN:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken breast until done (3-5 minutes per side), turning every couple of minutes.
2. Remove the cooked chicken breast to a cutting board and slice it into strips with a sharp knife. Keep the pan hot.
3. Load the chicken back into the same pan over medium/high heat, and add the water chestnuts. Heat for 1 minute.
3. Add 5 tablespoons of stir fry sauce to the chicken and heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. Sauce should be bubbling.
4. Add the sliced green onions and stir.

TO SERVE:
Prepare each serving plate with a bed of bean threads (optional)-(see directions below).
Spoon one-fourth of the chicken onto the bean threads.
Sprinkle the chicken with about a tablespoon of sliced almonds.
Add three leaves of butter lettuce to the plate, along with a garnish of shredded carrots.
Repeat for the remaining servings. Serve with sesame-ginger dipping sauce and peanut dipping sauce on the side (see other recipes).

Bean threads can be found in the Asian food section of your supermarket. Before using as a garnish, the threads must be flash-fried in a skillet in 2 inches of hot vegetable oil. When the threads float to the top, remove them to a towel to drain.

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