These Low Carb Chicken Lettuce Wraps are such a fun and flavorful dinner! Ground Chicken, Carrots, scallions, and cashews give a meaty and crunch texture. The ginger, garlic, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and Soy Sauce are a harmonious blend of BIG flavor! Rice bulks up and rounds out this meal.
PREP LETTUCE & CASHEWS. Cut the end of the Romaine lettuce head off so that the leaves are loose. Rinse the leaves and dry off with a towel. Chop the Cashews.
MAKE SAUCE. Make the sauce in a blender. Peel and rough chop the garlic and ginger. Add these plus the rest of the sauce ingredients (sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, water, cornstarch) to the blender. Blend until no large bits. Pour into a small sauce pot and bring up to a simmer on Medium heat, stirring constantly as it starts to thicken, 2-3 minutes. Once thickened, turn off the heat and let sit or store in the fridge.
COOK CHICKEN. Preheat a large frying pan/skillet on High Heat. Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil and the ground chicken, breaking it up and spread into a single layer. Let sit to sear for 5 minutes. Once the bottom is browned, stir and cook for another 4-5 minutes. During the last minute, add the chopped cashews. Transfer the chicken and cashews to a plate.
PREP VEGGIES. While the chicken cooks, peel the carrots; cut into 2 inch long matchsticks. Slice a tablespoon of scallion green tops for garnish. Cut remaining scallions in 1 inch pieces.
COOK VEGGIES. To the same pan used for the chicken, add ½ tablespoon olive oil, carrots and scallions. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often. Add back the Cashew Chicken and HALF of the sauce. Stir and cook for 2-3 min.
Can I Freeze The Chicken Filling?
Yes, you can freeze the chicken, carrot, and scallion filling in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 5 months. I do want to note that while the chicken will thaw and reheat with a perfect texture, the carrots will not be the same. The carrots will absorb the moisture and when they thaw and reheat will become a bit mushy. That said, if you know in advance you are making this to freeze it, then simply cook your carrots only slightly so that they still have quite a crunch to them. This will help prevent them from getting too mushy.
How Can I Make This Vegetarian?
Yes! You can substitute the ground chicken with any of the following proteins: extra firm tofu, lentils, black or white beans, chickpeas, quinoa, or any combination of these. You could also replace with more veggies, such as mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini, or any combination of these.