Chicken Soong in Lettuce Wrap
Chicken Soong - a Chinese chopped chicken filling is served inside lettuce leaves for a delicious appetizer.
Servings 4 appetizer servings
Calories
Ingredients
Chicken
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons egg white beat the white until foamy, then measure
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Wraps
- 4 celery ribs strings removed with a vegetable peeler, finely diced (1 cup)
- 4 scallions white and green parts, trimmed and minced (3/4 cup)
- 3 carrots finely diced (1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 8 whole Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves
- 2 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- To prepare the chicken, place the diced chicken in a medium bowl. Add the egg white, cornstarch, and salt. Toss to coat.
- To prepare the sauce, whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine, sugar, and the white pepper together in a small bowl.
- Combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat and add enough oil to come up the sides of the skillet 1 inch. Heat until very hot - almost smoking. Add the chicken and stir to keep the pieces from sticking together. Cook until they turn white, about 45 seconds to a minute.
- Use a mesh skimmer to transfer the chicken to a colander to drain.
- Carefully remove all of the oil but 2 tablespoons from the skillet.
- Place back over high heat. Add the celery, scallions, and carrots and stir-fry for 45 seconds to a minute. Return the chicken to the skillet.
- Stir in the sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened. Stir in the sesame oil. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- To serve, spread 1/4 teaspoon of hoisin sauce down the center of each lettuce leave, then add 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately.