chinesepaleochickenlettuce-wrapsquickstir-fry

Sheng Cai Ji Rou Bei

Name: Sheng Cai Ji Rou Bei
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 300 g chicken mince; 100 g water chestnuts, finely diced; 15 g fresh ginger, finely minced; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely minced; 2 (30 g) spring onions, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut aminos; 2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1/8 tsp ground white pepper; 12 large leaves (about 120 g) butter lettuce leaves; 1 tbsp (5 g) spring onion greens, thinly sliced

These lettuce cups are savoury, aromatic, and fast enough for a weeknight dinner. Juicy minced chicken is stir-fried with ginger, garlic, and crisp water chestnuts, then piled into cool butter lettuce leaves for a fresh, crunchy bite.

15 min

2 servings

287 kcal

Chinese

Ingredients

Chicken filling

300 gchicken mince
100 gwater chestnuts, finely diced
15 gfresh ginger, finely minced
2 cloves (8 g)garlic, finely minced
2 (30 g)spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml)coconut aminos
2 tsp (10 ml)sesame oil
1/4 tspsea salt
1/8 tspground white pepper

Lettuce cups

12 large leaves (about 120 g)butter lettuce leaves

To finish

1 tbsp (5 g)spring onion greens, thinly sliced

Instructions

1
Separate, wash, and thoroughly dry the butter lettuce leaves so they stay crisp, then arrange them on a serving plate. Finely dice the water chestnuts, mince the ginger and garlic, and slice the spring onions, keeping the green garnish separate. Having everything ready is important because the stir-fry cooks very quickly.
2
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until hot, then add the sesame oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and sliced spring onions and stir-fry for about 20-30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let the garlic brown or it may taste bitter.
3
Add the chicken mince and break it up quickly with a spatula. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the meat loses its pink colour and starts to take on a little browning in spots. Small browned bits add flavour, but keep the chicken moving so it stays juicy.
4
Stir in the diced water chestnuts, coconut aminos, sea salt, and white pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes more until the water chestnuts are heated through and the sauce lightly coats the chicken rather than pooling in the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
5
Spoon the hot chicken filling into the lettuce leaves, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with the sliced spring onion greens and serve immediately while the filling is hot and the lettuce is cold and crisp.

Nutrition per serving

287 kcal

Calories

32g

Protein

Carbs

13g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For a true 15-minute finish, buy pre-minced chicken and canned or vacuum-packed peeled water chestnuts.
•If your pan is crowded and the chicken releases too much liquid, let it cook undisturbed for 30-45 seconds at a time to encourage browning.
•Butter lettuce is ideal because it bends without breaking, but romaine heart leaves also work if needed.
•Serve as light cups for 2, or stretch to 3-4 as part of a larger paleo meal.

Background

Lettuce-wrapped minced meat dishes are common across Chinese and Chinese-American cooking, where crisp leaves are used as a fresh contrast to savoury stir-fried fillings. This paleo-style version adapts that tradition by using coconut aminos in place of soy-based sauces while keeping the classic combination of chicken, aromatics, and crunchy water chestnuts.

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