Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Thai Chili Sauce
Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Thai Chili Sauce are one of our favorite appetizers. In fact, this appetizer is so hearty that we often have it as a main course. I start this appetizer by marinating some chicken breasts for just a few minutes. I’ve marinated these overnight as well. The chicken does absorb more of the marinade flavor that way, but I don’t feel that it makes a big difference in the finished dish. Next, I make boil some rice noodles and assemble some fresh veggies. Then, I serve it all in Bibb lettuce leaves with some bottled Thai Chili Sauce. We like this appetizer for several reasons. First of all, I like that I can prepare the entire dish in less than an hour. Secondly, I like that the chicken can be prepared the day before or earlier in the day. And, lastly, we all love the fresh and delicious flavors in this dish.
The Equipment I Used
- I like cooking my chicken on a nonstick grill pan. But, you could also grill it outside or cook it in any nonstick skillet.
The Ingredients Needed for Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Thai Chili Sauce
- Lettuce- Use Bibb lettuce leaves.
- Chicken- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts. I always use Bell and Evans chicken and I would recommend trying to buy the smaller breasts. I find them to be more tender.
- Noodles- I used Kame brand vermicelli rice noodles.
- Cucumbers- Use the English cucumbers, that don’t need to be peeled.
- Thai Chili Sauce- I used Melinda’s Thai Chili Sauce. It’s nice and mild, and not spicy.
- Peanuts- Use unsalted roasted peanuts. I used the Planter’s brand.
- Coconut Milk- Use full fat milk. I like the Native Forest organic brand.
How I Made my Lettuce Wraps
- First, I make the chicken marinade and marinate the chicken.
- Next, I grill the chicken.
- Then, I assemble everything on the platter and serve it up.
If you like lettuce wraps, you need to try these easy and delicious Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Thai Chili Sauce.
Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Thai Chili Sauce
Ingredients
For the Coconut Chicken:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- ½ tsp. each cumin powder and black pepper
- ¼ tsp. each yellow mustard powder, ground ginger, and fennel seed
To Assemble the Lettuce Cups:
- 4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
- 1½ cup thinly sliced cucumbers
- 1 head Bibb Lettuce, separated into leaves
- 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, shelled and chopped
- ½ cup Thai chili sauce, like Melinda's
Instructions
- Begin by making the Coconut Chicken: In a bowl mix all the ingredients together, except for the chicken. This will be your marinade for the chicken.
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and then pound them to an even thickness of about half an inch thick. Place them in the marinade while the grill pan heats up.
- Heat the grill pan on medium heat and brush it with olive oil. Grill the breasts in batches until they're cooked through. Place them in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the platter.
- Right before you're ready to serve them, slice the chicken into thin strips.
- Next. cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain them.
- Next, assemble the platter: Lay out the lettuce leaves, the cucumbers, the radishes, the noodles, the chicken, the cilantro, and bowls of the peanuts and chili sauce. Let everyone put what they like in the leaves, including a drizzle of chili sauce.
