Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Source: Spice to Plate Cookbook, P. 26

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup fish sauce
• 3 tbsps mirin
• 3 tbsps honey
• 2 tbsps Barrier Reef Caribbean Style Seasoning
• 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 4 oz very thin rice sticks, also called Maifun rice noodles
• 1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce, whole leaves plucked, rinsed and dried
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced
• ½ cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 4 scallions, white and green parts sliced
• ½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Method

For Sauce

Whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, mirin, honey, and Barrier Reef until honey is incorporated. Place chicken in a zip top storage bag. Pour half of the sauce over chicken, seal bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Reserve remaining sauce.

For Chicken

Preheat grill to medium-high, making sure it is well oiled. Remove chicken from refrigerator and shake off any excess marinade. Grill until cooked through, 10 to 20 minutes depending on grill heat and size of chicken. Turn chicken over halfway through to get an even char on all pieces. (The chicken can also be pan seared on the stovetop over medium-high with a little canola oil.) Remove chicken from grill and mince into small pieces. Transfer to a serving bowl and toss with 1 to 2 tbsp of reserved sauce.

For Garnishes and to Serve

Place noodles in a medium saucepan or heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes or until noodles are soft. Drain, rinse with cold water, transfer to a serving bowl and toss with 1 to 2 tbsp of reserved sauce. Stack lettuce leaves on a serving plate. Place remaining reserved sauce, mango, cucumber, scallions, and peanuts in separate serving bowls. Serve family-style so everyone can assemble to taste. Build a wrap starting with 1 lettuce leaf topped with a small pile of noodles. Add a scoop of chicken and scatter remaining garnishes on top to taste. Serve with extra sauce.