Ginger Chicken & Quinoa Lettuce Wraps
Ha! You got another quinoa post out of me after all. I can’t believe it myself. After complaining about the food world’s obsession with kale, quinoa and baked doughnuts, I bring you not one but two quinoa recipes? I just don’t know what the world is coming to. But, what can I say? Quinoa is growing on me.
My last quinoa post, boozy chipotle chicken and quinoa, was a manly quinoa salad. Chicken, bacon, not too many of those wussy veggies. This time I had set out, on purpose, to create a lighter, citrusy salad. I went for orange, lime and ginger. It was tasty, sweet, pleasantly citrusy, but it just was’t coming together for me. After a few bites I found I wanted salt, spice, something to balance out the sweet flavors. Plus I was feeling like I needed some variety in texture. Chicken cooked until it’s tender and quinoa are both, well, soft. Plus brown. I needed crunch! I needed color!
I wasn’t sure what to do, but, then it all came together in one magical moment of food blogger wonder. Lettuce wraps! Add some soy sauce for salt, some Siracha for heat, even more ginger because finer is awesome, and we have a fabulous filling for lettuce wraps. The lettuce adds some crunch. Topping the whole thing with shredded cabbage and carrots adds some more crunch. Soy sauce, spicy mustard, and more Siracha for dipping… and you have a perfect but simple twist on the lettuce wrap. Though quinoa is not Asian in origin to the best of my knowledge, it so works.
Yep. Nailed it.
Even more excellent, when I served the wraps for dinner, they were a major hit with the family. My oldest got a kick out of assembling the wraps himself. My youngest was so cute delicately nibbling at his mini wraps (made from the tinniest leaves of the head of lettuce). My husband, who looovees ginger, was also a fan. Win-Win! It was a nice, light, fresh summer dinner + remarkable easy to make.
Wouldn’t this make a nice appetizer too? Well, whatever course you end up making it for, enjoy!
PrintGinger Chicken & Quinoa Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts
- kosher or sea salt and black pepper
- splash of olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Siracha
To Serve
- one head of iceberg lettuce, washed and each leaf separated for wrapping
- 1–2 cups shredded cabbage and carrot (pre-chopped coleslaw mix works great!) for topping wraps
- soy sauce, spicy mustard, Siracha for dipping
Instructions
- 1. Lay chicken breasts in an oven safe baking dish. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Bake at 350* for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked all the way through but still tender.
- 2. About 15 minutes before the chicken is fully cooked heat a skillet with a lid to medium high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and the quinoa to the pan. Lightly toast the quinoa, string frequently to prevent burning. This should take about five minutes.
- 3. Add the chicken broth to the pan. Allow the broth to come to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the quinoa for 15 minutes. The grains will split open when fully cooked.
- 4. When fully the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from oven. Using two forks shred the chicken while still warm. Add the shredded chicken to the quinoa.
- 5. Add the lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, ginger, garlic, paprika, and Siracha to the pan. Mix well. Allow the quinoa to absorb the liquid added, string to prevent burning. The dish is ready to serve when the liquid has been fully absorbed.
- 6. Serve chicken and quinoa mixture alongside prepared lettuce, with shredded cabbage and carrot for topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4