Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps- Weight Watchers Friendly

 Tender ground chicken is bursting with sweet and savoury flavours of the Orient. Topped with crisp Asian slaw and spicy Asian cucumber, this is a fantastic and filling low carb meal.

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Summer is here and with the warmer weather, my food tastes have changed. I crave lighter meals, that aren't carb heavy. Things like salads, grilled chicken wraps, kabobs and delicious lettuce wraps. As I continue on my Weight Watchers journey, I am learning how to make healthier versions of foods I love and still enjoying some not so healthy foods as well. It's all about balance and I love that Weight Watchers gives me the tools I need to eat a balanced diet. 

I've learned that if 95% of my diet is healthy food and the occasional 5% is indulgent foods, I do not feel deprived. I am never hungry and never short on calories, thanks to a large list of 0 point foods to choose from. I'm not really a calorie counter (who the heck has time for that?), so tracking my foods using my daily points and having a buffer of weekly points to dip in to, helps me stay on track. I am so happy to say that I have lost 24 lbs so far and I feel confident that once I reach my goal, I will be able to maintain it this time.

While browsing Pinterest for some new Weight Watchers recipes, I saw a mouthwatering photo of Asian lettuce wraps and I knew I had to make some this week. I tried to add butter lettuce to my grocery order, but it wasn't available, so I decided to make them using romaine lettuce. I also had a bag of broccoli slaw I needed to use up, so I decided to make an Asian slaw to top the wraps. For added spice, I thin sliced some cucumber and marinated them in rice vinegar and spices. 

These lettuce wraps were the best thing I've eaten in a long time. They were so fresh, with different textures and flavours. There was savoury ground chicken, earthy Asian broccoli slaw and crisp, fresh and spicy cucumbers. It really was a beautiful symphony of tastes and textures. Since this was a carb free meal, I was able to enjoy my dinner without worrying about using too many points. I had 2 filling wraps and they only came up to 6 points on the purple plan. Since I had a low point breakfast and lunch, I was able to splurge more on my dinner. I usually use a larger portion of my points on dinner, since it is my last meal of the day.

How do you make lettuce wraps?

To make Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps begin by browning the lean ground chicken in a pan. Once chicken is opaque, add in ginger root and garlic. In a small bowl, make your sauce using hoisin, coconut aminos and spices. Pour sauce over the chicken and continue cooking, until ground chicken is fully cooked. Spoon ground chicken into prepared lettuce leaves.

 Coconut aminos is similar to soy sauce, but has a deeper umami flavour and is naturally gluten free. You can find it in the health food section of the grocery store. Alternatively, you can also use Tamari, as a gluten free option to soy sauce. Hoisin sauce used in this recipe can be found in the Asian section of the grocery store.

What kind of lettuce is used to make lettuce wraps?

The most popular lettuce used to make lettuce wraps is butter lettuce, due to it's texture and shape. Iceberg lettuce can also be used, but it has a more watery texture and bland flavour. Romaine lettuce is similar to butter lettuce, in texture and shape; but is more oblong than butter lettuce. Since I couldn't find butter lettuce, I used romaine lettuce in this recipe. Large untorn leaves work best when making lettuce wraps.

What makes lettuce wraps so healthy?

Lettuce wraps are healthier than traditional bread wraps, since they are so low in carbohydrates. A traditional tortilla wrap has 32g of carbohydrates, while romaine lettuce only has 3g of carbohydrates. Using lettuce rather than your favourite wrap or bun, saves on calories and carbs, providing you with a healthier version of your favourite foods. You also get the added benefits of the vitamins and minerals from the lettuce.

Lettuce wraps can be used to replace carbs in many of your favourite meals. From sandwiches, burgers and wraps, you won't miss the carbs when using a fresh crisp lettuce wrap!

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Equipment needed to make this recipe

• skillet
• wooden spoon
• micro-plane zester
• measuring cups and spoons
• sharp knife
• cutting board
• 2 small mixing bowls

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps (4 servings)
4 WW points (purple plan) with peanut sauce

8 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried

1- 454g package of extra lean ground turkey

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 Tbs ginger root, grated

2 Tbs coconut aminos

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce

2 Tbs hoisin sauce

1/8 C roasted peanuts, chopped

Peanut Sauce

• 4 Tbs PB2 powdered peanut butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp water
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
• 1/2 Tbs coconut aminos

Asian Cucumbers (2 servings)

1 WW point (purple plan)

• 1/2 C English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/4 C red onion, sliced paper thin
• 1/4 C carrot, cut to matchsticks
• 2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Asian Slaw (8 servings)

1 WW point (purple plan)

• 1- 85g bag Broccoli Slaw
• 3 Tbs rice wine vinegar
• 3 tsp monk fruit sweetener
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbs coconut aminos

Start by making the broccoli slaw and cucumbers. For the slaw, place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and toss to coat completely. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

For the cucumbers, add the cucumber, matchstick carrots and red onion in a small mixing bowl. In a small bowl combine the rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil and red pepper flakes; until emulsified. Pour dressing over the cucumber, tossing to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

Preheat a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ground turkey and cook until opaque. Add in garlic and ginger and cook until garlic becomes fragrant; about 1 minute. 

In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, 2 Tbs coconut aminos, sesame oil and 1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce. Mix until well combined and pour over ground chicken. Stir to coat and cook chicken for 5 minutes longer, until sauce has absorbed and meat is cooked through.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the peanut sauce; mixing until sauce is smooth and emulsified.

To assemble the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps, place 2 leaves of romaine lettuce onto a plate. Top with 1/3 C each of ground chicken,  and a generous helping of Asian Slaw. At this point you can also top with Asian Cucumbers, or serve them on the side, adding them to your wrap before eating. Sprinkle wraps with a few chopped peanuts for crunch, and serve them with peanut sauce for dipping.