53min prep: 23min cook: 30min
Soooo tasty, yet you can indulge in this great meal without feeling guilty afterwards. I prepare this meal and talk about eating healthy and saving money in this short video.
Notes:
- If you don’t have fresh corncobs, feel free to use 1 cup of frozen corn instead. Defrost in the microwave according to package instructions before adding to the rice.
- Water chestnuts add a great textural crunch, but you can substitute any other favorite veggies like peas, corn or extra carrots.
Make this recipe gluten-free by buying gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
Ingredients
Produce
- Bibb Lettuce — 12 Leaves
- Corn On The Cob — 1
- Fresh Cilantro — 4 Tablespoons
- Fresh Ginger — 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons
- Garlic — 3 Cloves
- Green Onion — 1⁄3 Cup
Meat & Seafood
- Ground Chicken Breast — 1 1⁄4 Pounds
Dry Goods & Packaged Goods
- Jasmine Rice — 1 Cup
Canned Goods, Soups & Mixes
- Coconut Milk, Unsweetened — 1 Cup
- Water Chestnuts — 1⁄4 Cup
Frozen
- Carrots, Diced And Frozen — 3⁄4 Cup
Spice & Baking
- Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
Condiments, Oils & Dressings
- Honey — 2 Tablespoons
- Rice Wine Vinegar — 1 Tablespoon
- Sesame Oil — 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons
- Soy Sauce — 3 Tablespoons
- Sriracha — 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons
- Vegetable Oil — 1 Tablespoon
Beverages
- Water — 3⁄4 Cup
Equipment
Appliances
- Stove Top — 2
Cooking Equipment
- Can Opener
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Bowl, Small
- Saucepan, Medium (2-4 QT)
- Saute Pan, Medium (10″-12″)
- Whisk
Prep Steps
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] Stand the corncob upright on one end, then carefully run your knife down the sides to shave off the kernels.
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] Pick cilantro leaves off the stems and finely chop to measure the indicated amount. Add to the corn kernels.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Cut one end off a piece of ginger. Stand the piece upright on the flat edge. Use a knife to slice down the sides of the ginger, removing the skin. Mince the ginger to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Smash the garlic under the side of your chef’s knife to remove the peel. Mince the garlic, then add to the ginger.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Cut the ends off the green onions and peel away any loose or damaged outer layers. Rinse under cold water and dry thoroughly. Thinly slice the green onions to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Pick cilantro leaves off the stems and finely chop to measure the indicated amount. Add to the green onion.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Roughly chop the water chestnuts to measure the indicated amount. Measure out the frozen carrots and combine with the water chestnuts.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Peel away the lettuce leaves from the core, being careful to keep them intact as you separate them. Rinse and dry them thoroughly. Then refrigerate until ready to serve. Depending on the size, you will want 2-3 lettuce cups per person.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sriracha, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar in a small mixing bowl. If you enjoy more spicy heat, add extra sriracha.
Cook Steps
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] Place the rice in the basket of a fine mesh strainer. Run under cold water to rinse. Place in a medium saucepan.
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] The coconut milk separates in the can, so stir with a spoon until well combined, then add the indicated amount to the saucepan of rice. Stir in the water, then place over high heat. Proceed with next step as liquid comes to a boil.
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] Once liquid is boiling, give the rice a stir, cover the pot, lower heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and grains are tender. It should take about [15-20 minutes], but check the cooking time on your particular brand of rice and adjust timer if necessary.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and warm.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Once oil is warm, add the minced ginger and garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds until starting to become fragrant. Stir continuously. Do not brown.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Add the ground chicken to the pan and stir to break it up into pieces. Cook until you don’t see any pink, about 5 minutes. Stir often.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Once ground chicken is cooked through and you don’t see any pink, stir in the carrots and water chestnuts. Continue to cook a few more minutes until chicken starts to brown. Stir often.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Add the soy sauce mixture, green onions and cilantro to the browned chicken. Stir to combine well, then remove from heat.
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] Once rice is cooked, stir in the corn kernels and the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover until ready to serve.
- [ Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups ] Once you’ve removed chicken from the heat, scoop spoonfuls into each lettuce cup. Place 2-3 lettuce cups on each dinner plate, or arrange them all on a serving platter. Asian chicken lettuce cups can be served warm or at room temperature. Ready to eat!
- [ Creamy Corn and Cilantro Rice ] Transfer the creamy corn and cilantro rice to a serving bowl or dinner plates. Serve warm!