Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups

My in-laws were so very generous and got me a brand new GE Double Oven Range for an early anniversary/Christmas present for this year. Here is a picture of me hugging my new toy:



I've named him General Bertram "Bert" Electric, and I love him.

Of course, I had to make my in-laws dinner using my nifty new present, so I tried out these chicken lettuce cups. If you like P.F. Chang's chicken lettuce wraps, you'll love these. I may have actually liked these better...

Making these were a little bit like trying out my new range through trial by fire... pretty much literally. The entire recipe is cooked on high heat, and I really had no idea how NOT hot my old range was. I think it was a successful dish, no matter how caught off-guard I first felt with my newly-acquired stove-top heat.

Totally forgot to take a picture this time around, but I will definitely be making this again at some point and will get a picture then.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups
Courtesy of Guy Fieri

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (Asian chili sauce)
1 tablespoon plum sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For the Cups:
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup diced sugar snap peas
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup mung bean sprouts, halved
1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 tablespoons diced scallions
1 tablespoon crushed peanuts
6 wonton wrappers
Kosher salt
Iceberg lettuce leaves, for serving
1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Make the sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Stir again just before using.

Prepare the cups: Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, bell pepper, peas and red onion and stir-fry about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, sprouts and shiitakes. Add 1/4 cup of the prepared sauce and cook until thickened, about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the stir-fry to a bowl; top with the scallions and peanuts.

Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons canola oil over high heat. Fry the wontons until golden and crisp, about 15 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels and season with salt.

Fill the lettuce leaves with the stir-fry. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Crumble the wontons on top or serve alongside. Serve with the remaining sauce.