BEST CHINESE CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

BEST CHINESE CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS image

Number Of Ingredients 23

1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Marinade:
2t cornstarch
2t toasted sesame oil
2t rice wine vinegar
2t soy sauce
Stir Fry Sauce:
3T Oyster sauce
1T rice wine vinegar
2t toasted sesame oil
2t soy sauce
1/2t sugar
1/4t red pepper flakes
2T peanut oil
6oz shitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced thinly
2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, whites only, minced
1/2c water chestnuts, chopped into small dice (doesn't need to be perfect)
rice, for serving (optional)
butter, iceberg or Boston lettuce leaves, for serving
hoisin sauce, for serving
2 scallions, greens only, sliced thinly, for garnish

Steps:

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and place on a plate; put plate in freezer for 20 mins until starting to harden around edges. Meanwhile, whisk marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Working in 2 batches, pulse chicken about 10 times, for 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces. Add chopped chicken to bowl with marinade and stir to coat; place in fridge for about 15 mins. Whisk all stir fry sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Heat 1T peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering and starting to smoke. Add chicken; stir constantly for 3-4 mins, preventing it from clumping; remove once it begins to brown and set aside. Add another 1T of oil; let it heat up. Add mushrooms and celery; stir fry 3-4 mins. Add garlic, scallions and water chestnuts, stir fry for just a minute. Add chicken back into skillet. Give sauce a quick whisk and add to skillet.Stir to combine everything and heat through. Serve over rice or in lettuce wraps, w/hoisin and garnished w/scallions.