Move over PF Changs, these cashew chicken lettuce wraps are my new favorite! Plus, I don’t have to make a trip down all the way down to Colorado for a fix 🙂

Thanks to Kirstin at Troyer’s Loving Life blog, I can enjoy these hand-held wraps in the comforts of my own home at a fraction of the cost. I was assigned Kirstin’s blog this month for the Secret Recipe Club and the moment I spotted her recipe I was sold. I’d been craving PF Changs the past couple weeks and this recipe hit the spot and then some!

I made just a few tweaks based on the ingredients I had on hand (and needed to use up in my pantry). I subbed coconut sugar for the brown sugar in the teriyaki sauce and increased the ground ginger for some added heat based on my personal preference. In the chicken filling, I opted to use up my ground chicken in the freezer instead of breast meat in the original recipe, decreased the cashews to 1/2 cup and subbed water chestnuts for mushrooms for additional crunch (oh my yum!). I also added two cloves of garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and a drizzle of sesame oil based on my flavor preferences.

I am already craving these wraps after making them TWICE. I enjoyed them so much they are going to be put into my weekly regular dinner rotation. Thanks Kirsten, this one is real winner!

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
(Adapted from “Troyer’s Loving Life”)

Teriyaki Sauce:
2 Tbsp Braggs liquid aminos (or gluten free soy sauce or tamari)
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1Tbsp coconut palm sugar (or could use honey or agave)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Sesame oil

Chicken:
2/3 – 3/4 lb ground chicken (or chicken breast or tenders, diced in small pieces)
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 green onions, finely chopped
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1-2 tsp Braggs liquid aminos or gluten free soy sauce
coconut oil (canola or other neutral oil works here too)
drizzle of sesame seed oil
3 shakes of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
8 butter lettuce leaves

Vegetable Topping:
2 carrots, peeled & Julienned
1/2 Tbs. Sesame Seeds

Directions
1. Mix all sauce ingredients, making sure the sugar dissolves.
2. Place oil in a non-stick pan and cook chicken till cooked through and lightly browned. Add garlic, green onions, water chestnuts, cashews and 1 tsp. soy sauce and cook for two minutes. Add teriyaki sauce and cook on medium-high until sauce began to carmelize a bit on the chicken, stirring frequently. Lower heat to “low” and continue to cook a bit longer or until your desired consistency is reached.
3. Drizzle with sesame seed oil to taste if desired and crushed red pepper to taste.
4. Spoon chicken mixture into lettuce leaves and top with carrots and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

check out other recipes from Group D this month!