Japanese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This is the recipe for the Japanese version of the chicken lettuce wraps I grew up eating and loving WAY before they became a trendy menu item at many restaurants! 

Unlike the traditional Chinese version which typically uses hoisin sauce, this Japanese version of the lettuce wraps has a more subtle, delicate flavor that is typical of Japanese cuisine.  The red ginger, which I highly recommend you use, can give a bold finish that surprisingly complements and ties all the ingredients together.  My husband doesn’t like ginger so he skips it altogether, but he eats these things like hungry locusts on vegetation.

These lettuce wraps are meant to be eaten as a meal, not as an appetizer (mainly because you end up eating a ton of it!). You could skip the rice and serve it as an appetizer, but I always find putting some sticky rice makes it even easier to wrap.

Lettuce options

As for the lettuce, it’s the vessel that carries the food from the plate to your mouth.  It should be as efficient as possible. (haha)  I personally prefer iceberg lettuce for this.  The larger leaves and nice light texture can also make it easier to wrap.  But choose whatever type of lettuce you prefer: Boston lettuce creates nice presentation. Or romaine lettuce can also add a great crunchy texture.

Mushroom options

Try not to skip the shiitake mushrooms in the recipe. They have become more common in the regular grocery stores in the States. You can always substitute with regular button mushrooms. Or, better yet, have these dried shiitake mushrooms handy:

Japanese sake options

You don’t need to use an expensive bottle of Japanese sake for this recipe. Just find some less expensive Japanese sake you can find in the grocery store. And why not just serve the warm Japanese sake with these chicken wraps? Here are the instructions on the best way to heat Japanese sake. You can also buy “cooking sake” such as the ones listed here:

Make chicken wrap bowls

You can serve this as a chicken wrap ‘bowl’ instead if you want it less messy:  Put rice in a bowl, add shredded lettuce, pour the cooked chicken mixture over it, sprinkle it with red ginger and serve!

Make gluten-free chicken lettuce wraps

Use the gluten-free soy sauce for a completely gluten-free meal!

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