Chicken Lettuce Cups with Hoisin Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Chef Cybele Pascal, 'Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking'

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 cup small-dice carrot
• 1/2 cup small-dice celery heart
• 1/2 cup small-dice red bell pepper
• 3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
• 1 (5-ounce) can water chestnuts, chopped to pea size
• 1 1/2 pounds ground dark meat chicken
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Freshly ground pepper
• Butter or iceberg lettuce leaves
• Sriracha sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the canola oil in a nonstick wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, until fragrant and golden.


2. Add the carrot, celery, bell pepper, green onions, and water chestnuts and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often.


3. Add the ground chicken and broth and increase the heat to high. Sprinkle with a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon or spatula and breaking up the chicken into crumbles, for 4 minutes, until no longer pink and starting to brown.


4. Add 3 tablespoons of the Hoisin Sauce, reserving the rest for serving alongside the lettuce cups. Stir in the rice vinegar, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook at a slow simmer for 3 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.


5. Serve with the lettuce leaves. Each diner makes his or her own bundles by spooning about 2 tablespoons of chicken into each leaf, toping with a little of the remaining 3 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce, wrapping it up, and eating! (I like to add a little Sriracha sauce to mine, too.)

Hoisin Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut amino acids
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch

Instructions

1. Combine the coconut amino acids, orange juice, garlic, ginger, cayenne, five-spice powder, and salt in a small heavy pot and stir well.


2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the sugar and molasses and stir well. Add the vinegar.


3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cold water with the cornstarch until smooth, then add it to the pot.


4. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until thickened up a bit, about 4 minutes.


5. Makes 1 1/4 cups that will keep for 1 to 2 weeks, covered, in the refrigerator.

Full story: Allergen-free recipes for Chinese New Year