Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps - FOX19.com-Cincinnati News, Weather & Sports

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 head of lettuce (iceberg, or your favorite)
1/2 cup vegetable or peanut oil (or enough to cover 1 inch in a wok)
6 ounces rice stick noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chicken, beef, or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated

2/3 cup mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar, divided
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
Chili garlic sauce, to taste
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon hot mustard

2 teaspoons water

1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chili paste

1. Rinse lettuce leaves, dry them gently and set aside.

1. First, make the sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.  Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate 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 your wraps.

1. Heat oil in wok until it is about to smoke. If using a skillet, cut oil in half. Test oil heat by placing a small piece of noodle in oil. If it puffs immediately, the oil is ready. Place a thin layer of noodles in the oil. As soon as they puff, use tongs to turn them over to crisp on other side, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in another skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground chicken/beef/turkey until browned. Set aside.

1. In the same pan cook the onion until it is soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, water chestnuts, carrots, mushrooms, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar. Cook until vegetables are heated through, about 3-5 minutes.

1. Return the chicken/beef/turkey to the pan and stir to incorporate. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce, hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon rice-wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil. Add to the pan and heat until everything is warm and covered in sauce. Fill lettuce leaves with a scoop of filling and top with rice noodles.