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Healthy 30-minute meals: Moo shu chicken lettuce wraps

Getting bored of the same old chicken dish? Add this Asian-inspired recipe to your rotation.
Moo Shu chicken lettuce wraps
Moo Shu chicken lettuce wraps.Alix Turoff
By Brianna Steinhilber

Chicken breast is a weeknight dinner staple. It's easy enough to build a meal around (just add a whole grain and a veggie), can be cooked up quickly, and is generally universally liked by all taste buds at the table (picky eaters included).

But the same old recipes on rotation can get stale fast.

This recipe from registered dietitian Alix Turoff's latest book, "Lose Your Belly Fat Cookbook: A Jumpstart Plan and 75 Delicious Recipies for Weight Loss," will help mix things up — without adding any time at all to your weeknight dinner routine. You can have these Asian-inspired wraps on the table in just 30 minutes.

Moo shu chicken is a Chinese dish made of stir-fried vegetables, egg and meat. It's traditionally served with thin pancakes, but this recipe lightens things up by serving the filling in lettuce cups instead. Turoff suggests rounding out the meal by serving them up with 3/4 cup of cooked rice or cauliflower rice.

Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Servings: 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast (cut crosswise into thin slices)
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil (divided)
  • 1 egg (lightly beaten)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 cup Shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
  • 3 cups coleslaw mix
  • 2 tsp ginger (minced)
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into lettuce cups (you can use flour tortillas or low-carb tortillas in place of lettuce wraps)

Preparation

  1. Wash iceberg lettuce and cut into round shape lettuce cups. Keep it in the refrigerator to stay cool.
  2. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until a flat omelet forms, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the eggs and cook on the other side until done, 1-2 minutes more.
  3. Remove the eggs from the pan and cut into strips. Cover to keep warm.
  4. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
  5. Heat the remaining teaspoons of oil in the pan.
  6. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate; cover to keep warm.
  7. Add the cabbage, ginger and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cabbage is wilted.
  8. Return the chicken and eggs to the pan.
  9. In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, honey and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
  10. Add the sauce to the pan and turn the heat to high; bring to a boil. Boil for 30 seconds or just until sauce starts to thicken.
  11. Serve immediately with lettuce wraps or tortillas, extra hoisin sauce and green onions.

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