Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Separate iceberg lettuce into individual leaves, rinse gently, and pat dry. Trim thick ribs if necessary so leaves fold easily. Set aside chilled.

Chop mushrooms, finely dice red onion, thinly slice snow peas and scallions, and grate or finely julienne the carrot. Mince garlic and ginger. Crush peanuts and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper (if using). In a separate small cup, whisk cornstarch into the chicken stock (or water) until dissolved and then add to the sauce mixture. Reserve.

Heat oil

Place a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until shimmering (about 30 seconds).

Aromatics

Add minced ginger and garlic to the hot oil and stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn.

Cook chicken

Add the ground chicken to the pan. Break it up with a spatula and cook 4–6 minutes until no longer pink and starting to brown in places.

Add vegetables

Stir in the chopped mushrooms and diced red onion. Cook 3–4 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown. Add snow peas and carrot and cook 1–2 minutes more; vegetables should be crisp-tender.

Combine sauce

Pour the prepared sauce (soy/oyster/hoisin mixture with cornstarch slurry) into the skillet. Stir constantly and bring to a simmer. Cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and vegetables. If mixture becomes too thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons water or stock to reach desired consistency.

Finish

Stir in sliced scallions, sesame oil (if not already added in sauce), salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch more salt or a splash of soy if needed. Remove from heat.

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the warm chicken mixture into each prepared lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and extra scallion if desired.

Serve immediately with plum sauce on the side and lime wedges if using. Guests can spoon plum sauce into wraps to taste.

Leftovers: store chicken mixture separately from lettuce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or stock before serving.