Chicken Lettuce wraps from "the Changer" are a guilty pleasure of mine. I decided that they must not be too difficult to make, so I searched around online and found this recipe that claimed it was the real thing. I tried it out, and I have to say it is pretty darn close! Only these you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home without having to deal with the mayhem and hour waits that you usually encounter at most PF Chang's. The prep work is a little time consuming, but the results are worth it!
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp water
salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (or 1 lb. ground chicken which is what I used)
5 Tbsp oil
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis, (optional)
8 oz can bamboo shoots, minced
8 oz can water chestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package (I omitted these since they don't add any flavor)
Head of iceburg lettuce OR green cabbage
Cooking Sauce:
1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and discard woody stems. Mince mushrooms. Set aside. Mix all ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In another medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, 1 tsp oil and chicken. Stir to coat chicken thoroughly. If you are using ground chicken, just pour the sauce over the meat and let sit. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
Cooking Sauce:
1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
Directions:
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and discard woody stems. Mince mushrooms. Set aside. Mix all ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In another medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, 1 tsp oil and chicken. Stir to coat chicken thoroughly. If you are using ground chicken, just pour the sauce over the meat and let sit. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
Heat wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 Tbsp oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes. Set aside. Add 2 Tbsp oil to pan. Add ginger, garlic, chilies (if desired), and onion; stir fry about a minute or so. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan.
Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Cook until thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and cover bottom of serving dish with them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles (if using). Spoon into lettuce leaf and Roll.
Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Cook until thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and cover bottom of serving dish with them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles (if using). Spoon into lettuce leaf and Roll.
If you are using green cabbage, peel off the leaves and steam them in a vegetable steamer for 3-5 minutes. Pat dry and use in place of lettuce. This adds a lot more nutritional value and I think it actually holds the wraps together better than the iceburg which breaks apart easily.
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