Chef John's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

When I visit my mom we usually make it to P.F. Chang’s® at least once and always start the meal with their very popular chicken lettuce wraps. They do a good job with most of the dishes I’ve had, but the wraps are clearly my favorite. I don’t do a lot of copycat recipes; these chicken lettuce wraps, however, are a delicious exception.

Original recipe makes 8 servings

Ingredients

Chicken Mixture:
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and minced
1 cup diced shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Glaze:
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion, or to taste
16 leaves iceberg lettuce, or as needed

PREP

35 mins
COOK

15 mins
READY IN

50 mins

Directions

Stir chicken, water chestnuts, mushrooms, yellow onion, 1/3 cup green onion, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ginger, and 2 teaspoons brown sugar together in a bowl. Pat mixture down, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Whisk chicken stock, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and dry mustard together in a bowl until glaze is well-mixed.
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook and stir chicken mixture in hot oil until chicken no longer looks raw, about 2 minutes. Pour 1/2 of the glaze mixture into chicken mixture; cook and stir over high heat until chicken begins to caramelize and brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low, pour remaining glaze into chicken mixture, and cook until heated through and slightly reduced, about 3 minutes more. Stir in cilantro, basil, and 1 1/2 tablespoons green onion. Transfer chicken mixture to a bowl and serve with lettuce leaves to wrap.