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Spicy Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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  • Author: Amanda
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Looking for a flavorful meal? These Spicy Coconut Chicken Lettuce Wraps are packed with Thai-inspired flavors, featuring green curry, coconut, and fresh herbs. Perfect for a light yet satisfying dish, this recipe is ideal for those who love a bold, refreshing bite. This is not an quick and easy weeknight meal, but if you split it over two days, it’s manageable!

Ingredients

Scale

CHICKEN AND MARINADE:

  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 16 makrut lime leaves
  • 3 scallions, white and green parts coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup cilantro stems and leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons green curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1–1/2 pounds chicken thighs (preferably) or breasts (sliced in half horizontally to make two thinner cutlets if using)

PICKLED SHALLOTS AND CARROTS:

  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, julienned
  • 5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce

AVOCADO-COCONUT SAUCE:

  • 1 small, ripe avocado, halved and pit removed
  • 4 ounces plain coconut yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons reserved marinade
  • Juice of 1–2 limes, to taste
  • Kosher salt, to taste

CRACKLE SAUCE:

  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2” fresh ginger
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili flakes, to taste (preferably Thai chili flakes)*
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons reserved marinade
  • Kosher salt, to taste

TO SERVE:

  • Butter lettuce leaves
  • Thinly sliced mini cucumbers
  • Fresh mint and cilantro leaves
  • Toasted sweetened coconut chips

Instructions

  1. To make the marinade: Combine all of the ingredients, except the chicken, in a high-powered blender and blend until completely smooth. If you’d like it spicier, add up to 2 tablespoons green curry paste. Reserve 2/3 cup of the marinade for later. Put the chicken in a marinating container or bowl and pour the marinade over top. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for up to 12–24 hours. This chicken really does benefit from a 24-hour marinade, so plan ahead if possible to give it the full time.
  2. Up to a day ahead, make the pickled shallots and carrots: Place the carrots and shallots in a small mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and fish sauce to a boil; stir until the sugar is dissolved. Once boiling, pour over the vegetables, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Prior to cooking the chicken, make the avocado-coconut sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a small blender and purée completely. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Preheat a gas grill on high heat for 15 minutes or prepare a charcoal grill for medium-high heat about 25 minutes before you want to cook. Oil the grill grates and turn the grill down to medium (if using gas). You can also cook this indoors on a grill pan or in a skillet using the same instructions.
  5. Pour 1/3 cup of the reserved marinade into a bowl; have a pastry brush accessible. Add the chicken to the grill and cook for 4–6 minutes per side, basting occasionally with the marinade, until the chicken has grill marks and is lightly charred in places. You may have to move the chicken around to the cooler part of the grill if you’re getting flare-ups or the chicken is browning too fast. The chicken thighs are done at 170°, and the breasts are done at 155°. Remove from the heat and cover.
  6. While the chicken rests, make the crackle sauce: In a small skillet, heat the oil, peanuts, and sesame seeds over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peanuts look toasty and the sesame seeds are golden. Watch closely and take care with the nuts and seeds; they go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds! If anything, remove them from the heat slightly before you think they are done, as they will continue to darken off the heat. Grate the garlic and ginger into the hot oil, stirring to combine. Add the reserved marinade, honey, and chili flakes to taste. Season with salt.
  7. When you’re ready to serve the lettuce wraps, thinly slice the chicken across the grain and cut into bite-sized pieces. Serve with butter lettuce, cucumbers, herbs, coconut flakes, pickled shallots and carrots, and two sauces.

Equipment

Notes

*Go easy with the Thai chili flakes at first and adjust to your taste/desired spice level—they’re hot!

Inspiration: Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps on thedefineddish.com; Makrut Lime Fried Chicken Buns in Elizabeth Street Café; Crackle Sauce on mollybaz.com (paywall)

  • Category: Chicken, Asian-Inspired, Dairy-Free

Find it online: https://nevernothungry.com/spicy-coconut-chicken-lettuce-wraps/