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Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

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Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups feature warm chicken stir fried with fish sauce, spicy fresh chiles and lime juice on top of cold, crisp lettuce cups. They make easy gluten free appetizers or a delicious and filling healthy meal.

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites for my review. All opinions are my own. Also, there are affiliate links in this post, meaning that if you click and make a purchase, the cost to you is the same, but I will receive a few pennies. I use the money to help maintain this website and to bring you new recipes!

It’s gettin’ steamy in here… and I’ve got Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups for a Steamy Kitchen #SundaySupper!! Not only that, my Sunday Supper friends and I have 20 copies of [amazon_textlink asin=’1607742705′ text=’Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’cupkalchi-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’82061054-e67f-11e7-a7b5-efc5bf8cc551′] to give away TONIGHT!!

Gonna be honest, when Isabel announced the event, I am probably the only member of the Sunday Supper crew who actually hadn’t heard of Jaden Hair or her website, Steamy Kitchen. I know! Who am I?! But right around the same time as the event was announced, I saw some other bloggers sharing recipes from her new cookbook, and I saw the recipes that we could share for this event, and instantly Jaden had a new fan and follower. These recipes are totally my style – full of flavor and nutritious, real food ingredients, but without excess fat, and naturally gluten free. Just simple, good, delicious food. This is why, other than occasionally going to our local Thai restaurant, I really only eat Asian food that I cook at home.

When I received the cookbook, I was completely hooked. First, after an introduction by The Pioneer Woman herself, the first thing you see in the cookbook is a two page spread of photos of Jaden and her family. THIS is who she is cooking for. I could totally relate, as can many of us, as I cook for my family, not for my blog. The blog just comes out of the food I make for my family. Then as I dug in further, so many recipes jumped out that I want to make – Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Peas, Chicken-Mango Lettuce Cups, Cauliflower “Steaks”, Passionfruit Mimosas…  Should I go on?!

If these sound as amazing to you as they do to me, you need a copy of this cook book. But, wait till tomorrow to buy it, because below you can find out how you can win one of 20 copies that the #SundaySupper crew is giving away. Make sure you visit all of the blogs listed at the bottom of this post to check out the amazing recipes they are sharing, and to gain another entry.

 

Out of the recipes we could choose to share, I was immediately drawn to the Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups, since they would fit in perfect with my current gestational diabetes diet – lots of protein and veggies, low in carbs. PERFECT!

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

This is a fun, interactive, and customizable gluten free appetizer or meal. Just cook up the chicken mixture, put it into a bowl, stack up some lettuce leaves, and make a little plate of add-ons and garnishes. I used julienned carrots for crunch, limes for a hit of acid, and some fresh herbaciousness from cilantro. Then everybody can put their lettuce cups together as they wish. And actually, since we were making it a meal, I made a little brown rice for wrapping in the cups, or just eating with the chicken, as The Bug did. Plus, the Thai Larb chicken lettuce cups recipe is easy to make ahead and then reheat at dinnertime. Jaden knows just how to satisfy all the the time and taste needs of a busy family!!

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

I just adore the Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups. The Hubby and The Big did, too. Well, The Bug wouldn’t eat the lettuce, because, you know, he’ll only eat leafy greens if they are cooked, chopped, and mixed into eggs. But he was all over the chicken. The flavors are so simple and bold at the same time, with contrasts in taste, texture and temperature with the tender, salty, warm chicken, and the cool, crisp, fresh lettuce. I doubled the recipe, since it was dinner for us, and not an appetizer, and we polished it off! I can see myself making Thai Larb chicken cups again and again! Although I think I need to get going on some of the other recipes in the book, too!

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

If you want to check out more of Jaden’s delicious recipes, you can follow Steamy Kitchen on  Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

Join the Sunday Supper Team along with Jaden Hair this Sunday at 7pm Eastern Time on Twitter, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag. We are giving away 20 copies of Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites Cookbook. You don’t want to miss this week’s #SundaySupper Event!

What is your favorite Asian dish?

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

Jaden's headnote excerpt: Larb is an Asian salad that’s considered the national dish of Laos. It features a sour and spicy warm stir-fried meat on top of cold, crisp lettuce. The dressing is made of fish sauce, spicy fresh chiles, and fresh lime juice. Fresh mint leaves provide a refreshing finish. On the list of my favorite sounds would be the crisp snap crunch of super-cold lettuce as you peel off the layers, one by one. Use iceberg, Boston bibb, or any kind of lettuce that has cup-shaped leaves for this recipe. Keep the lettuce refrigerated until ready to eat.
Course: Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4
Author: Printed with permission by Jaden Hair, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1/2 pound ground chicken breast
  • 2 shallots diced
  • 1/4 red onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic very finely minced
  • Minced fresh chiles Jalapeño or Fresno (amount up 
to you)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1/2 lime juiced
  • 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce leaves separated into “cups”
  • 1 handful of cilantro and/or mint cut into chiffonade

Instructions

  • Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the chicken. Use your spatula to break up the meat and spread out over the surface of the pan. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
  • Push the ground chicken to one side of the pan and swirl in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. To the oil, add the shallots, red onion, garlic, and fresh chiles and sauté the aromatics until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce.
  • Serve with lettuce cups and herbs.

Notes

I used coconut oil as my cooking oil, and I served the chicken lettuce cups with cilantro, limes, julienned carrots, and brown rice. I also substituted tamari for the soy sauce to make it gluten free.
Tried this recipe?Mention @cupcakekalechip or tag #cupcakesandkalechips!

Enjoy!

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

Here is the list of #SundaySupper Contributors who will be giving away a copy of Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites Cookbook and the recipes they will be sharing:

Tofu-Mushroom Miso Soup 

Crispy Rice Patties

Thai Larb Chicken Lettuce Cups

Miso Cod

Sake Steamed Mussels

Salmon Honey Teriyaki

Korean Beef Bites

Mapo Tofu

Mango Brulee

We are sharing more Steamy Kitchen inspired recipes. The following Sunday Supper Contributors are joining us with some of their favorite recipes from the Steamy Kitchen website:

 

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Comments

  4. Anne says

    Thanks! I’ve been seeing recipes around that use “cauliflower rice” but it never occurred to me to sub some in when I’m making fried rice. I’ve marked your recipe to try–so kind of you to point it out to me. I love cauliflower, and this looks like a great way to use it.

    Reply

  5. Anne says

    My favorite Asian dish is the ubiquitous fried rice. Simple, but still good. I’m hoping to branch out into more adventurous foods, and your lettuce cups look great. Also getting lots of good ideas at the #SundaySupper chat.
    @NotherAnneOther

    Reply

    • Brianne Izzo says

      I have a great fried rice that subs in cauliflower for some of the rice. So good! Hopefully you win a cookbook – lots of great Asian recipes!

      Reply

  8. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says

    I love these lettuce cups! The flavors sound amazing! I am definitely going to try them, and I am sure my 7 year old will be the same way (just eating the meat)!

    Reply

    • Brianne Izzo says

      What is it with these kids?! 😉 Kidding – I don’t think I ate lettuce till I was 13. But I did make some broccoli with it, which he happily gobbles up. More than I ca ay for my 2 year old self.

      Reply

  9. Shannon says

    5 stars
    I love Asian lettuce wraps and these look so delicious! Your photos just make these look even more delicious too! One of my favorite Asian dishes is cold soba noodles that are served with wasabi and scallions. This #SundaySupper chat is going to be fun! @frogger097

    Reply

  11. Melanie from Fast Food 2 Fresh Food says

    wow!!! what amazing pictures of a fabulous dish!!! so pretty!!

    My favorite dish is Vegetarian Hot & Soup Soup, but after today I think I might have to try the tofu-mushroom miso… I just might have a new favorite! @FF2FFBlog

    Reply

  12. Diana @GourmetDrizzles says

    What BEAUTIFUL photos! And I love that you added the excerpt on what Larb is. Can’t wait to try it!

    And my fav. dish is Mongolian Beef and my Twitter is @GourmetDrizzles

    Reply

    • Brianne Izzo says

      Mmm, I made a Mongolian Beef dish in the slow cooker a couple weeks ago. So good! And that was Jaden’s description of Larb, so I can’t take credit 🙂

      Reply

  15. Heather @girlichef says

    What a delicious introduction to Steamy Kitchen! I am so loving the sound of these, and I think they’re something the whole family will dig – I can’t wait to make them. Gorgeous photos 😀

    Reply

    • Brianne Izzo says

      They are definitely delicious, and I love that everyone can do their own thing with them. Like a new spin on taco night!

      Reply

  16. Katie says

    Your lettuce cups turned out beautifully! I absolutely loved how fresh and flavorful (but simple) they were to make…I’m definitely keeping this recipe on my regular rotation!

    Reply

    • Brianne Izzo says

      Thanks! Yes, I’ll definitely be making this again! I want to try it with the rice cakes that some others made.

      Reply

  17. Alaiyo Kiasi-Barnes says

    Very nice. Your presentation is wonderful, and I like the “magazine-cover” effect. What a wonderfully inviting -looking meal.

    Reply

    • Brianne Izzo says

      Thanks! Yet another where I was at a store and only bought one – just prop plates 🙂 But I love them!

      Reply

  19. Family Foodie says

    I am so glad I introduced you to Steamy Kitchen. You will love following her… amazing recipes and inspiration. Your photography for this post is amazing!

    Reply

  22. Lane @ Supper for a Steal says

    These lettuce wraps look delicious! You are right lettuce wraps make such an easy dinner. Love being able to prepare something earlier in the day and just reheat it for the night.

    Reply

  23. Hezzi-D says

    I loved this recipe! It was so flavorful and easy to prepare. I love how you have the chicken in the bowl and the lettuce cups stacked up-gorgeous photos!

    Reply

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