Lettuce Wraps As Good As Pf Changs Food

P.F. CHANG'S LETTUCE WRAP RECIPE (COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Prep the chicken. First things first, if you are using thawed chicken, place it in the freezer so that it is easier to chop later. If you have completely frozen chicken, take it out of the freezer to start thawing. You want to chop partially-thawed chicken.
• Rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms.* Add 2 ounces DRIED mushrooms to a medium bowl and cover with very hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Once they are softened, squeeze out as much water as you can and place on a cutting board. Chop off the stems and discard (they are too tough). Chop the mushrooms into small pieces, see photos. You should end up with about 1 and 3/4 cup mushrooms, about 7-8 ounces. Set aside.
• Prepare the vegetables. Meanwhile, drain the 8 ounce can of water chestnuts and chop them into small pieces. Smash and mince 1 tablespoon garlic. Peel a knob of ginger with a spoon (it's easier than a peeler) and mince 1 tablespoon. Set aside.
• Assemble the filling sauce. In a small bowl add 1/4 cup cold water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons aji mirin**, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir together and set aside.
• Chop the chicken. Once your chicken is partially frozen (if it's still rock hard, you can put it in the microwave in 30-second increments until it is chop-able), use a chef's knife to chop the chicken into very small pieces. Smaller than you have ever chopped chicken before, probably. See photos. You want them to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice. It doesn't need to be perfect, but the smaller your chicken pieces, the more homogenous your wrap filling will be. It's all about the texture in this recipe. Seal the still-partially frozen chicken pieces in a ziplock, place in a medium bowl, and cover with water. The chicken should be thawed out within 10-20 minutes. Do not cook the chicken until it's completely thaw.
• While the chicken thaws, fry the rice sticks. This step is optional but delicious. In a 3 quart pot, heat 2 inches frying oil to about 400 degrees (I set my burner to just above medium heat.) It will take several minutes for the oil to come to temperature. Use a thermometer to see the temperature.
• Break off a small handful of rice sticks and carefully drop it into the oil. Within 2-3 seconds, they will rise to the top of the oil. They will be puffy and huge compared to what you dropped in. It's so fun! Remove the puffed rice sticks to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Continue the process until you have as much as you think you will want to eat on your wraps. Set the oil on a back burner to cool.***
• Cook the filling. Heat a wok (best), cast iron skillet (better), or large skillet (ok) over medium high heat. (You want to cook over very high heat; woks are best for this. I don't have one, so I used cast iron). Once the pan is very hot, add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil and 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil.
• Add the diced chicken and stir constantly until thoroughly cooked. Season with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. It will only take 2-3 minutes to cook. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Keep the heat on medium high. Add another 1 tablespoon neutral oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. When hot, add in the mushrooms and water chestnuts. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger and saute for another 1 minute.
• Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Add the prepared sauce to the chicken and mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Chop 4 green onions. Set aside a small amount to add as a fresh garnish to each wrap. Add the remaining green onions to the pan and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chinese hot mustard, 1 to 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (taste it!) and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Whisk it together.
• Assemble the wraps. Carefully remove the core of the butter lettuce from the head, and clean each butter lettuce leaf. There is a LOT of debris in butter lettuce, so take your time washing each leaf. Lay on paper towels to dry. (You can also try iceberg lettuce.)
• Place a handful of fried rice sticks in each lettuce leaf. Top with a spoonful of warm chicken and mushroom filling. Sprinkle with fresh green onions. Devour!

ASIAN CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS (BETTER THAN P.F. CHANG'S)!

Steps:

• Whisk together sauce ingredients until well combined. If you use a firmer peanut butter you may need to microwave the mixture for 30-60 seconds in order to melt it and ensure everything is well-mixed.
• Heat 2 TBS peanut oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add ground chicken.
• Cook until some pieces are starting to brown. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is becoming translucent.
• Add the peppers and water chestnuts and cook about 5 minutes or until peppers are becoming soft.
• Add sauce and simmer on low heat until the chicken and veggies are evenly coated and everything is heated through.
• Serve in lettuce leaves, on top of your favorite Asian salad, or over noodles or rice!

P. F. CHANG'S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through; stir intermittently to crumbly while cooking.
• Add the onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent and most of the liquid has been absorbed; stir intermittently.
• Add the garlic, ginger, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
• Add the water chestnuts, green onions, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until tender. Taste filling and make any necessary flavor adjustments, i.e. more soy sauce, hoisin, pepper, etc.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the lettuce leaves to serve. Recipe is best warm and fresh but filling will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.

PF CHANG'S TOFU LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• Drain the tofu, and then remove excess moisture by cutting it in half lengthwise and microwaving on high, uncovered, for two minutes. Gently squeeze out and wipe off excess moisture, then throw tofu in the freezer for one or two hours before removing to thaw in the fridge -- this will give the tofu a slightly heavier texture.
• Cut tofu into tiny cubes (about 1/4" thick) and arrange in a lidded dish to be marinaded. Combine brown sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Pour over tofu. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour; I usually leave it overnight.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, water chestnuts, mushrooms, onion, and garlic and cook until vegetables are tender.
• Dissolve 1 Tsp brown sugar in 1 Tsp soy sauce and add to pan. Saute until well mixed and heated through. Spoon mixture into lettuce leaf "bowls".
• For the sauce, combine sugar, water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, sesame oil, mustard and garlic in a bowl; pour over lettuce wraps and serve.

P.F.CHANGS LETTUCE WRAPS

Steps:

• Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
• Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
• Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
• Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
• Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
• Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
• Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
• Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
• Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
• As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
• Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
• When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
• With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
• Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
• Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
• Top with"Special Sauce".

LETTUCE WRAPS AS GOOD AS PF CHANG'S

Steps:

• Rinse lettuce leaves and pat dry; set aside.
• Combine sauce ingredients. Add a bit of sugar if desired. Set aside.
• Combine raw ground beef with re-hydrated TVP by hand, mixing well.
• In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute the meat mixture with onion and garlic.
• When cooked, add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile paste.
• Stir in the water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil. Cook just until the green onions begin to wilt (about 2 minutes).
• Transfer to a serving dish and let each person fill their lettuce leaves and top with sauce.