PF Chang Lettuce Wraps

Most of you have heard of P.F. Chang right?
ok...and if you have you've more than likely had their lettuce wraps??!!
Well I found the recipe and let me tell you ladies, even my "steak and potatoes" PICKY husband really liked it and he didn't even snack after because there is SO much flavor!

Here's the recipe and directions (serves 2)
1) Boil one thawed boneless/skinless chicken breast for 20 minutes in balsamic vinagrette (2 tbsp), garlic (1 clove), dash of salt and EVOO (1 tbsp).

2) Chop into small pieces water chestnuts (1c), mushrooms (1/2c OPTIONAL), garlic (3 cloves), chopped onion (1/2c), chopped peanuts (1c). Set aside.

3) In a saucepan on medium heat, add sugar (1/4c), water (1/2c), soy sauce (3 tbsp), rice wine vinegar (3 tbsp), ketchup (3 tbsp), lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon), sesame oil (1/4 tsp), hot mustard (2 tbsp), garlic & red chile paste/sauce (2 tbsp). Bring to a boil while stirring then remove from heat and set aside.

4) Once chicken is done boiling, remove from water and rinse in cool water (so you can handle it w/o burning your fingers. *the chicken should fall apart in shreds. Shred the chicken breast into small pieces.

5) In a large frying pan, mix together soy sauce (4 tbsp), brown suger (4 tbsp), rice wine vinegar (1 tbsp) and garlic & red chile paste/sauce (2 tbsp). Once mixed well, add shredded chicken. Stir so the chicken is covered in the mixture.

6) Add the ingredients from step 2 and the sauce you made in step 3. Let simmer, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes to let the chicken and veggies absorb the flavors.

7) Remove from heat and strain the sauce from the pan, *but be sure to save the sauce to use on top of the wraps.

8) Place the chicken mixture into a serving bowl.
9) You'll need bibb lettuce, iceburg lettuce or butter leaf lettuce to make the wraps.
10) Place the sauce from step 7 into a ramiken or bowl. Add seasame seeds (1 tsp). You may also add more hot mustard and/or garlic & red chile paste/sauce for more intense spice.
11) Shred 2 carrots and place into a serving bowl to top the lettuce wraps with.
12) Chop another 1/2 cup of peanuts to top them as well if you like.

As with all things I cook, I don't exactly measure, and there are certain flavors I like more than others. So if you like things spicy add more mustard and chile paste to the entire recipe. Also, the sesame oil - while you should use it sparingly, the flavor is amazing, so add away! Let me know when/if you make it. It's so good, seriously. And it's not as difficult to make as it seems.

Also, when buying your soy sauce, I recommend low-sodium, otherwise it gets to be too salty.

When I made this, I cooked it all the night before and let it sit over night so the flavor could soak up in the chicken mixture. Makes life a little easier because then you can just take it out, heat it up whenever you are ready for it.

Nutritional Facts are not bad. The sodium is high, but when you exchange for low-sodium soy-sauce it should hugely decrease that:
(copy and paste into browser to view)
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e343/melissa2ca/lettucewraps.jpg
:flowerforyou:

If you go to your local grocery store, you can generally find vegetarian chicken (boca chicken) which I think would work just as well. Subsitute that and you're good to go!