Kung Pao Little Gem Lettuce Cups

Servings: 4

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Ingredients: 

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon dry sherry

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Sauce: 

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or other Asian chili sauce

• 1/3 cup water

Stir Fry: 

• 1 large red bell pepper, diced

• 1/3 cup water chestnuts, roughly chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 5 green onions, white and light green parts thinly sliced on the diagonal

To Serve: 

• 3 heads Church Brothers Farms Little Gem lettuce heads, leaves separated, washed and dried

• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions: 

1. Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Prepare the sauce: In another medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved.

3. Cook vegetables: Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add the bell pepper and water chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.

4. Cook the chicken: Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan and set over high heat. Add half of the chicken (it's important not to crowd the pan) and brown on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for another 1½ minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the peppers and water chestnuts. If needed, add more oil to the pan. Add the remaining chicken and cook until golden on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and green onions, and cook, stirring with the chicken, for about 30 seconds more.

5. Assemble: Add the reserved vegetables and chicken to the pan, along with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. To serve, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into each little gem lettuce cup. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and serve immediately.

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Kung Pao Little Gem Lettuce Cups

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or other Asian chili sauce
• 1/3 cup water

Stir Fry

• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup water chestnuts, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 green onions, white and light green parts thinly sliced on the diagonal

To Serve

• 3 heads Church Brothers Farms Little Gem lettuce heads, leaves separated, washed and dried
• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Prepare the sauce: In another medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved.
3. Cook vegetables: Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add the bell pepper and water chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Cook the chicken: Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan and set over high heat. Add half of the chicken (it's important not to crowd the pan) and brown on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for another 1½ minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the peppers and water chestnuts. If needed, add more oil to the pan. Add the remaining chicken and cook until golden on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and green onions, and cook, stirring with the chicken, for about 30 seconds more.
5. Assemble: Add the reserved vegetables and chicken to the pan, along with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. To serve, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into each little gem lettuce cup. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and serve immediately.