How to Make an Asian Chicken Wrap
Lettuce Serves as a Healthy Wrap Base
Oct 30, 2009 Sapna Nayyar-Pellicane
Sweet and sour or other Asian chicken in a sauce-based gravy can be fattening if served with fried noodles, in most bread rolls, or in most flatbread wraps. Using lettuce leaves as a wrap for sweet and sour or other Asian-style chicken can give it a healthy twist, as can stir-frying chopped skinless boneless chicken and chopped cashew nuts in a mixture of low-fat Asian sauces, such as Hoisin, Soy, and Sweet and Sour.
"Lettuce wraps are turning up in restaurants across the country," says Linda Stradley in her 2009 article, "Lettuce Wraps - Lettuce Tacos - How to Make Lettuce Wraps" on her website, whatscookingamerica.com. While they are usually offered as appetizers, Stradley actually prefers to eat them as a main course. This recipe will serve them as a main course. Lettuce wraps are also conducive to a no-carb diet, she says. While iceberg lettuce is the most common kind of lettuce used, red leaf or even romaine lettuce can be used, says Stradley.
Chopped cashew nuts add to the variety of textures. According to information provided in 2007 on Irish nutritionist Anne Collins' Weight Loss Program, cashew nuts are good sources of fiber and protein, like other nuts. They contain mono-unsaturated fat, the healthy kind of fat that protects the heart, and are also fine sources of Vitamin B complex. One ounce, which is equivalent to 25 grams of cashew nuts, contains only 160 calories.
Ingredients & Preparation Tips
- Romaine lettuce is recommended, as its bright green color is visually appealing. The leaves should be firm and sufficiently green.
- Boneless and skinless chicken should be used, as it makes preparation easier and quicker, and the skinless variety is less fattening. Chicken should always be handled very carefully; individuals should thoroughly wash and clean chicken and all the utensils and work surfaces it comes into contact with. Failure to do so could lead to salmonella.
- Cashew nuts should be of the regular variety, not the golden fried kind, in order to maintain the nutrition value of this dish. These cashew nuts would gain some of the desirable golden color during the course of stir-frying.
- A mixture of sweet and sour, Hoisin, and Soy sauces add a variety of flavors and keep the filling moist. The sauces should be low fat, and should be used sparingly in order to prevent sogginess in this lettuce wrap filling. Kikkoman is an example of a popular brand. It can be found in many grocery or convenience stores. Store brands can also be used, and may, in fact, be less expensive and taste just as good or even better.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
- 4 romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 cup boneless and skinless chicken
- 1/2 cup cashew nuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup Soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions:
- Thoroughly rinse the lettuce leaves, pat dry with a paper towel, and place carefully on a plate. Place plate on flat and stable surface.
- Carefully clean and wash the chicken. Chop into small pieces.
- Heat the oil on a non-stick skillet, using medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until the raw pink color disappears. Add the cashew nuts and cook for 5 minutes until slightly golden brown. Add the sauces and cook until most of the gravy is absorbed.
- Spoon the chicken and cashew nut mixture onto the lettuce leaves. Allow mixture to cool slightly and then carefully roll up the lettuce leaves. Serve immediately. The wraps can be served either by themselves or with an Asian soup, such as sweet corn, hot and sour, or egg drop.
This healthier take on wraps and juicy Asian chicken yields 4 servings.
Lettuce can be used as a wrap
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