Kung Pao Lettuce Wraps
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer/Entrée
Serves: 2 people
 
Your mouth will tingle with delight when you bite into one of these Kung Pao Chicken Lettuce Wraps!
Ingredients
  • Marinade
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Stir-Fry Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Other Ingredients
  • ¼ raw peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns*
  • 2 - 10 dried red chilies, roughly chopped*
  • 4 scallions, white parts thinly sliced. Then thinly slice the green parts of two of the 4 scallions.
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 1 head of Bibb lettuce, leaves gently pulled apart and washed
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, dry sherry, cornstarch, and salt. Mix well and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, add the chopped peanuts to a skillet over medium heat. Toast until lightly browned (this will only take a few minutes, so don’t walk away).
  3. Then combine all of the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce and set aside.
  4. In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated ground chicken and sauté for about 3 - 4 minutes. (You’re really just searing the outside, not cooking all the way through at this point - so it's ok if it's a little pink for now). Then transfer the chicken, and any brown bits from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
  5. Reheat the pan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoon of oil. Add the peppercorns and once they start to sizzle, cook for 2 minutes longer, until fragrant. Remove the peppercorns with a slotted spoon and discard.
  6. Turn the heat down to low and add the chili peppers to the Sichuan peppercorn infused oil. Cook until they darken, less than 1 minute. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
  7. Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Give a stir of the stir-fry sauce (incase the cornstarch has settled) and add that to the pan as well. Stir-fry for several minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
  8. Spoon the Kung Pao chicken into the lettuce cups and garnish with the toasted peanuts and sliced scallions. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
* Use 1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns for a very mild numbing sensation. Use 2 teaspoons for a little extra oomph. Unfortunately there's no really good substitute for Sichuan peppercorns, so just omit them if you can't find them and/or don't want to order them online, I recommend Penzeys.

* Dried red chili peppers are generally sold as 'dried red chili peppers' and not specifically labeled. Depending on the type of chili you buy and its age, the heat can vary greatly. To gage it's level, you'll want to smell the chilies when you open the bag. If it's pungent and tickles your nose, they're probably pretty hot. If you don't get much fragrance off of them, they're probably more on the mild side. If I've learned anything from cooking with chilies, it's that someone's idea of what is hot, covers the spectrum. So use the amount of chili peppers that best fits your comfort level.
* Another note about the dried chilies - when cut into small pieces, I enjoy the extra bit of heat of biting into them. If you want the flavor but not the additional heat, then slice the chilies lengthwise (so they're in larger pieces), remove the seeds and cook as directed. When done cooking, simply remove them and serve.

* Serves 2 as an entrée and 4 as an appetizer.
Recipe by at https://hapanom.com/kung-pao-chicken-lettuce-wraps/