Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I came up with dish on a whim one night, and it never ceases to amaze me how easy it comes together. I've always thought that chicken needs at least 1 hour to marinate, but I think the bite-size pieces give some wiggle room if you're short on time (and have a growling tummy). Though I have a sensitive tongue (meaning I don't like my food hot by any means), I really enjoy the little bite afforded by the addition of chili pepper and a generous amount of coriander. Nevertheless, I respect differences in tastes and suggest adding spicy things slowly, tasting often.

You can vary the added sautéed vegetables based on what you have on hand, or what happens to be nearing the end of its lifespan in your fridge. Maybe it's the German in me, but I love this recipe simply for the fact that it awesomely uses up those vegetables that you dare not waste.
The Stuff:
  • gallon size plastic close-able bag
  • medium-sized sauté pan
The Edibles:
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 T. of a light vinaigrette dressing (I recommend an Italian or Greek style)
  • generous shake of garlic powder
  • generous shake of Italian seasoning
  • light shake of chili powder (for a little kick)
  • shake of ground coriander
  • light shake of onion salt
  • pepper to taste
  • olive oil cooking spray spray
  • 1 T. garlic, minced
  • lettuce (butter, bib, or (if you're poor like me) iceberg)
  • sauteed vegetables
  • optional: feta cheese, hummus, dressing of choice
The Making:
  1. Trim chicken breasts of fat and cut into chunks about 1 inch by 1 inch. Place chicken pieces in a gallon size plastic bag with remaining ingredients (through pepper). Massage the meat in the bag to ensure marinade is evenly dispersed. Place on a plate and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  2. Once marinaded, coat sauté pan lightly with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Place 1 T. minced garlic in pan. Once garlic begins howling (okay, some call it, "sizzling"), empty the contents of the bag of the marinading chicken into pan. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and has a bit of brown color.
  3. Serve with sautéed vegetables, topped with a light sprinkle of feta, hummus (if desired), and/or dressing of choice in a lettuce "tortilla".

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