P. F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I'm pretty sure that the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's put them on the map.  Not only are they awesome, but they're an interesting way to convince people that iceberg lettuce has any value in this world (yeah, I went there).  So naturally, rather than having to put on pants to enjoy lettuce wraps, I've been attempting to live the dream at home over multiple attempts at a copycat recipe.  Well folks, I think I've got it.  Close your eyes, imagine you're sitting at an exotic Chinese restaurant near a giant brass horse and staffed by surly white teenagers, and you won't know that you're not at Chang's.

Lettuce wraps, the way they were meant to be experienced

P. F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps (copycat recipe)

from Food.com, modified slightly by me

• 1.5 tablespoons oil (canola and a little sesame)
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced or ground
• 1/2 cup water chestnuts
• 1/3 cup mushrooms (I used button mushrooms)
• 1/4 yellow onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce (I used Boston bibb lettuce)

'Special' Sauce

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1/2 tablespoon hot mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon hot water

Stir Fry Sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

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.

Dice the onions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms.  Or, if you have one, pulse the onions and garlic until the onions are at a medium chop, then add the mushrooms and water chestnuts and pulse a few more times to get everything to the right size.  Dice the chicken, or use ground chicken if you can find it.  I spun mine through the food processor, but only because I just got it and have been desperately trying to use it for anything that will fit in there, such as overripe fruit, old Christmas ornaments, or expired credit cards.

Take that chicken for a spin in the food processor to save time

Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.  Stir-fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove chicken from the pan and allow oil to heat again.  Keep oil hot in the pan, adding another drop if necessary.  Once the pan is hot again, add the chicken back in along with the garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms.  Add the stir fry sauce and sauté the mixture for a couple minutes.

You don't even need a wok for this recipe - just sauté the chicken, then add in the vegetables and sauce.  It's pretty easy.

Just make sure to reheat the pan between the two steps, so you're not boiling the vegetables.

Immediately transfer to a serving plate along with the lettuce "cups".  If you want to get really fancy, you can fry some maifun rice stick noodles in hot oil as the bed for the noodles, but I tried this once and didn't have much luck.  Top with the "Special Sauce", and enjoy!

These were long gone before the steam was done coming off that plate