Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Crispy, crunchy, and super saucy orange sesame chicken folded up into a lettuce wrap with all the textures: these Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps are seriously better than takeout!!

Growing up, sesame chicken was always my go-to Chinese delivery order. You know, the type of chicken that’s super breaded, has a nice crisp, and is coated in a whole lotta orange sticky sauce? It’s the best. Usually, this dish is served over jasmine rice… but that’s boring and pretty damn heavy. I mean, I want to be stuffed to the brim with crispy chicken… not white rice. These Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the perfect lighter alternative that still incorporates ALL the good nostalgic flavors from your classic orange chicken. Oh, and with crispy bits from some scallions and almonds? Dare I say it’s even better? You have to try this one!!

the breakdown…

These Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps are super simple. Really, they can be broken down into just three parts… okay four if you include assembling (but it’s literally just rolling up a lettuce wrap). First, you have to get the marinade going for your chicken. Chicken breasts are naturally very dry, and always require a good bit of moisture thrown into the mix. Given that the chicken in this recipe is very finely diced, all you need is about an hour to get a ton of good flavor and that much needed moisture locked in and ready to go. 

Speaking of that flavor, let’s get to the specifics. I use orange juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and fresh garlic as my main players here. The key word here is fresh (except for maybe the sesame oil lol). The natural sweet and tanginess from a real deal orange is just so much better than store bought, and really takes the flavor of the chicken off the charts. Plus, with the addition of fresh ginger and garlic, you get the perfect sweet and spicy kick that every good orange chicken needs. Don’t skimp on the good stuff!!

the science behind it…

With all that good flavor, you’ve also got to add a bit of chicken broth, baking soda, and cornstarch to the mix. The chicken broth gives the marinade a bit of substance, and allows for those flavors to blend well in the fridge. But, the baking soda and cornstarch is really where the magic happens. Cornstarch allows for your chicken to get perfectly crispy when stir fried in a bit of oil. But, given that it’s not the healthier, I opt to add a bit of baking soda to the marinade instead of using cups and cups of cornstarch. You see, baking soda raises the pH level of chicken, breaking down the peptide bonds on its surface and jumpstarting the browning process. I don’t want to get too technical here, so, moral of the story: it allows for the skin to cook faster than the inside, resulting in a super crispy chicken.

Once that chicken is locked and loaded with flavor, all you have to do is roll it in a simple batter of eggs, flour, cornstarch, and garlic powder. You could easily substitute the egg for flax egg and the cornstarch for arrowroot starch, and could probably even switch out the flour for coconut flour or cassava flour. In my opinion, however, you’re already eating lettuce wraps… so there’s no need to skimp on the good stuff:)) Simply batter up your chicken bits, send up to a super hot skillet or wok, and get to cooking your crispy chicken!!

all about that sauce!!

The final step of these Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps is to prepare your sauce. Personally, I like to do this as I’m making my chicken marinade, just so I don’t have to mince garlic and grate ginger over and over again. In all honesty, it’s kind of a pain, but it’s definitely worth it. With those spicy, cruciferous flavors, mix in some sweet chili sauce, spicy chili sauce, more fresh orange juice, sesame seeds, and rice vinegar. You’ve got the sweet, the spicy, the tangy, the crunchy, the acidic… there’s really nothing better. Oh, and with a bit of brown sugar in the mix? You get a molasses-y, sweet, and spicy result — just perfect for coating your chicken in. After a few minutes on a low heat, the sauce becomes a sticky, delectable coating that’s absolutely delicious wrapped up in your lettuce wraps.

how to serve these up…

Speaking of which, let’s talk about assembling! These Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps are really very minimalist. The only toppings I find necessary are some toasted sliced almonds for crunch, and a few scallions for a fresh bite. The orange chicken itself is loaded with flavor and texture, so it really doesn’t need much else. That being said, you could totally throw some brown or white rice into your lettuce wraps to add a bit more bulk… or you could even do this chicken inside a wonton shell or tortilla. The sky’s the limit with these ones! Personally, however, I like to serve these up with some fried rice, Kimchi Fried Rice, or plain rice on the side, as opposed to in my wraps. It’s truly the easiest way to build a well-rounded weeknight dinner, without all the fuss of a ton of sides!!

I hope you love these Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)))

Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Chinese, American, AsianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Crispy, crunchy, and super saucy orange sesame chicken folded up into a lettuce wrap with all the textures: these Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps are seriously better than takeout!!

Ingredients

• marinade:

• 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into ½ inch cubes

• ½ tsp baking soda

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 orange, juiced

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 inch ginger, grated

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Orange Sticky Sauce:

• 1 orange, juiced

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• ½ cup sweet chili sauce

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tsp chili paste (such as gochujang)

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 inch ginger, grated

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

• preparation:

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ½ cup all purpose flour

• ½ cup cornstarch

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tbsp avocado oil (or another neutral oil)

• assembly:

• 1 head butter lettuce, pulled apart

• thinly sliced scallions, for serving

• toasted sliced almonds, for serving

• Sriracha or more sweet chili sauce, for serving

• Optional: brown or jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

• In a large bowl or freezer bag, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Toss with chicken and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
• To prepare the sauce, whisk together all of the Orange Sticky Sauce ingredients until completely combined.
• Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Whisk together the flour, corn starch, and garlic powder in a separate shallow bowl. Once the chicken is done marinating, dredge each piece through some of the beaten egg and then through the flour mixture.
• In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium high heat. Once hot, toss in the coated chicken and pan fry for 4-6 minutes, or until it is crisp and cooked through. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir in the Orange Sticky Sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce, then remove from heat.
• Serve the saucy chicken in a couple pieces of butter lettuce, and top everything off with some scallions, toasted almonds, and a drizzle of sriracha or more sweet chili sauce. Enjoy!