Thai Lettuce Cups

I am really excited to post these delicious lettuce wraps for you! They are quickly becoming one of my new favorites. Perfect staple dinner in my opinion. They just hit the spot! Not to heavy, not too light...just delicious! And yes, they are even pretty good for you:) This is originally a Rachael Ray recipe that was introduced to me by my sister Deb. I have literally been begging her for the recipe since we made them together on a girls night. I do enjoy these as lettuce wraps. However, my new favorite way to eat them lately is to chop up the lettuce and make it a delicious salad. It's a little easier to eat them this way when it's just my family. In my opinion, it definitely still needs the crunch of iceberg though. These can have a slight spice to them, (not too bad) depending on the type of sweet chili sauce you use (and your tolerance for spicy:) but that's part of what I like when I make them. I would also say that this recipe probably will only serve 3 hungry adults so feel free to double, triple, etc. Enjoy!

Thai Lettuce Cups

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Printable recipe

1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (I usually chop chicken)
Salt and freshly, ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (Again I like mine chopped:)
1/4 c. sweet chili sauce
1/4 c. honey
2 iceberg lettuce heads, cut into quarters and leaves gently removed to make lettuce cups (1 head is enough if you are making as a salad.)
1/2 c. honey-roasted peanuts, chopped (or whole, or crushed, however you like them)
Juice of 1 lime
1 handful basil, chopped (fresh is best but not essential)

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. (Or you can use Pam, and a little water when needed to save calories) Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until golden brown on all sides.

Add in the red pepper and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in the chili sauce and honey and simmer to reduce it and coat the chicken.

To serve, lay the lettuce leaves on a platter. Scoop some chicken mixture onto each leaf. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, lime juice and basil. (I often just add these ingredients to the pan at the very end. You may want to taste to see the amount of lime juice you prefer. I think a whole one is yummy personally) Serve and enjoy!

*Update-I changed my mind since I first posted these and would no longer recommend adding the lime, peanuts, and basil to chicken mixture. I now just sprinkle them on top of the salad as the original recipe says. This way each person can personalize their salad a little more and the honey-roasted peanuts don't lose their flavor. Also, I want to reiterate to taste the dish as you add the lime juice and basil because I know some people prefer the taste of these before it is added.