suemunzlinger's Recipe

Lettuce Wraps With Chicken- California Pizza Kitchen

Category: Copy Cat Recipes (I have not tried all of these recipes)

Yield: 4 servings (2 wraps each)

1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons toasted (Asian) sesame oil

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided

2/3 cup sliced or coarsely chopped water chestnuts

4 fresh shiitake mushrooms caps, sliced or coarsely chopped

2 green onions (white and light green parts only), chopped

1/2 teaspoon chile oil

About 2 cups fried rice sticks (see note)

8 large iceberg lettuce leaves

1. Make the sauce. In a small pot, combine rice vinegar, rice wine and soy sauce; stir in cornstarch mixture. Stir in sesame oil and sugar; cook over low heat just until mixture begins to simmer. Stir in garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Cool. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 5 days. (Makes about 1 cup.)

2. Grind chicken in a food processor or mince with a knife. Place a wok or heavy skillet over high heat; add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl pan to coat. Add chicken in small clumps, breaking up meat as it cooks. Cook until chicken is done, about 5 minutes; drain in a colander.

3. Return pan to high heat; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add water chestnuts and mushrooms. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Return chicken to pan and add 1/2 cup sauce. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute more, just until evenly mixed and heated through. Stir in green onions and chile oil and cook a few seconds more. (Makes about 2 1/3 cups filling.)

4. Divide rice sticks among 4 serving plates; mound chicken mixture on top. To assemble wraps, scoop some of the chicken and rice sticks into a lettuce leaf; fold or roll. Pass remaining sauce for dipping.

Note: Rice sticks are thin noodles made of rice flour that puff up to four or five times their size when flash-fried in hot oil. Heat at least 1 inch of vegetable oil in a wok or skillet to about 375 degrees. Drop in a small handful of noodles, pressing into oil with a strainer to make sure all noodles hit the hot oil. Fry for a few seconds, then drain well on paper towels. (Prepare noodles up to 1 hour ahead.) Rice sticks are available at Asian markets and specialty stores.