Hoisin Chicken in Lettuce Leaves

By Bostoncook

Gourmet, 6/06

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 scallions, chopped (1/4 cup)
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 can waterchestnuts (8-oz) sliced, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (preferably Lee Kum Kee, House of Tsang, or Koon Chun brand)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, not seasoned
• 1/2 cup pine nuts (2 1/2 oz)
• 12 large lettuce leaves, red or green leaf

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat a wok or a 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until just smoking, then add oil. Add ginger, salt, and 2 tablespoons scallions and stir-fry until ginger is fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add water chestnuts, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and pine nuts and stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons scallions.

2. Have guests serve themselves by spooning chicken mixture into lettuce leaves and wrapping leaves around filling to enclose.

Notes: This was quite good! Incredibly easy - really was done in 15-20 minutes all told. Used cashews instead of pine nuts, only half of the water chestnuts, whole wheat tortillas instead of lettuce leaves, and double the scallions. Salt was unnecessary and will leave out next time. Would be good to add some more veggies - julienned - red peppers, carrots, etc.