Description
These Thai-style minced chicken lettuce cups are a flavorful and refreshing dish that’s perfect for a light meal or appetizer. The combination of savory ground chicken, aromatic herbs, and a zesty lime dressing wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves creates a delightful contrast of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Lettuce Cups:
- 1 large head iceberg or butter lettuce
Chicken Mixture:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 large scallions, sliced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup chopped cashews or peanuts
- Sriracha, to taste
- Finely sliced carrots, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Cilantro and/or mint sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- Lettuce Preparation: If using iceberg lettuce, cut off the stem and core, remove outer leaves, gently separate leaves, and chill in water. For butter lettuce, skip this step.
- Cooking the Chicken: Sauté onion and ginger, add garlic, then cook ground chicken. Stir in soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is done. Mix in scallions, cilantro, mint, and nuts.
- Serving: Spoon chicken mixture into lettuce cups. Serve with optional garnishes.
- Note: Refer to a guide on preparing fresh ginger if needed.
Notes
- The chicken mixture can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated for future use.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Main Course
- Method: Sauté, Mix
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lettuce cup filled with chicken mixture
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: Thai, Chicken Lettuce Cups, Appetizer, Gluten Free, Healthy
