I’m back from a year and a half in Japan, yet I bring to you cashew chicken lettuce wraps. Not exactly the most Japanese dish. But, I snagged the recipe from a site I love, and I guess it makes sense that coming back to home would mean coming back to old habits and beloved cooking blogs. But don’t worry, the Japanese recipes will be coming sooner or later! But for now: cashews and chicken.
The lettuce is crisp, the tomatoes fresh, and the cashews bring in a nice, deep flavor. Then add the chicken, soy sauce, syrup, onions, carrots, and garlic and it’s… gone in five minutes. But the good news is that it takes not much longer than that to prepare.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe/makes 4 servings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow or white onion
- 1 cup finely diced (or shredded) carrots
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup *I substituted honey in for syrup
- 1/2 cup chopped raw cashews (lightly toasted, if desired)
- Bibb or green leaf lettuce leaves for wrapping
- Chopped cucumbers and tomatoes for serving
- In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and carrots. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
- Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and add to the skillet with the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken pieces are cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the soy sauce and maple syrup and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, letting the soy sauce and maple syrup bubble and simmer.
- Stir in the cashews, cooking until they are just heated through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve in lettuce leaves topped with tomatoes and cucumbers
Erin's Eats 