Thursday, June 24, 2010

Grams Made Asian Chicken Wraps

One of Grams favorite places to eat when we go to San Antonio is P. F. Chang's China Bistro. And, creature of habit that I am, Grams always orders the same thing, Chicken Lettuce Wraps. These are so good that I practically dream about them. But since it's a two and a half hour drive from my house, I haven't eaten them very often.

The good news is that Corpus Christi now has it's very own P. F. Chang's China Bistro at La Palmera Shopping Center (formerly known as Padre-Staples Mall). It's scheduled to open on June 28. The bad news is that it will probably be months before you can eat there without a very long wait. That's how it always is when a new restaurant opens in Corpus Christi.

In an effort to satisfy my yen for Chicken Lettuce Wraps, I searched online for a copycat recipe. The recipes I found were widely varied and had way too many ingredients for me to mess with. So after reviewing all the recipes, I decided to create my own version. I made sure to keep it simple, I omitted a LOT of ingredients that the other's used, and tried to keep it healthy. I was very pleased with how it came out.

3 H-E-B Sweet Chili Seasoned Chicken Breasts
1 head Lettuce
½ bag of Matchstix Carrots (julienne cut)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 yellow bell pepper, diced pea-size
1 red bell pepper, diced pea-size
1 small can button mushroom slices, drained
½ cup Newman’s Own Low-fat Ginger Sesame Salad Dressing
1 Tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

Grill chicken breasts and set aside. (I use my George Foreman Grill.) When they are cool enough to handle, dice them into pea-size pieces.

Separate lettuce into individual leaves. Wash, dry and set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, sauté bell peppers in olive oil until crisp tender. Stir in carrots and chicken and sauté another 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together salad dressing, Hoisin sauce & soy sauce. Pour over chicken mixture and cook until heated through.

Serve wrapped in lettuce leaves.