Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Chinese Style

Ben, my oldest, will not eat vegetables or fruit. This is painful for me. While I will never become a vegetarian, I do enjoy all the vegetable options I get from my CSA and farmers market. I plan two vegetable side dishes with every meal. And Ben? Until recently, he wouldn't allow them on his plate. They were too "Yucky."

Now, he'll try a bite of a fruit or vegetable. Then he'll make a face, and look at me and say "it was OK."
*Translation: "I took a bite. What more do you want from me?"

Recently, I had a breakthrough. He has always liked stir-fried chicken. He made the mistake of showing a slight bit of interest in lettuce wraps, so I made him take a taste of this recipe at dinner. I laid on the sales job: "Lettuce doesn't taste like much, really, and it adds a nice crunch with the chicken. Try it!"

Eventually, after much persuasion, he took a bite. And, to my surprise, he kept going. He finished the one lettuce wrap, and started making himself another one. "Dad, this is my favorite meal!" he announced. I was stunned. My son? Eating a vegetable? I tried to keep my hopes in check - It would never last.

Boy, was I wrong. He's been asking me to make lettuce wraps ever since, and when I told him I was doing this recipe for the blog, he gave me a big hug.*
*A hug! For a vegetable!

So. Are you looking for a quick, easy, weeknight stir fry, that even vegetable-averse kids will eat? Have I got a recipe for you...

📖 Recipe Card

Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Chinese Style

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Mike Vrobel
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

A quick weeknight stir-fry of ground turkey with garlic, ginger and a hoisin-soy sauce, spooned into Bibb lettuce leaves - even picky kids eat it.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x

• 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 scallion, trimmed and sliced thin
• 1 head Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves

Marinade

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

---

Instructions

1. Marinate the turkey: Break the turkey into large chunks in a medium bowl. Whisk the marinade ingredients together until the cornstarch dissolves, then pour over the turkey. Let it marinate while you prep everything else.
2. Prep the rest: Whisk the sauce ingredients together until the cornstarch dissolves. Mince the garlic and ginger, and slice the scallion. Separate the lettuce leaves, rinse, and dry in a salad spinner.
3. Heat the wok: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12 to 14 inch wok or frying pan over high heat until it just starts to smoke.
4. Stir-fry the turkey in batches: Add half the turkey (lift it out of the marinade with a slotted spoon), and stir-fry, breaking it up, until it just loses its pink color, about 3 minutes. Move it to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, heat for 1 minute, and stir-fry the rest of the turkey the same way, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the aromatics: Return the first batch of turkey and its juices to the wok. Make a hole in the center, add the garlic, ginger and scallion, and cook without stirring for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir into the turkey.
6. Sauce and serve: Slowly pour in the sauce, stirring, and cook until the turkey is glossy and coated, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, and serve with the lettuce leaves for wrapping.

Equipment

flat bottomed wok

Buy Now →

12-inch nonstick frypan

Buy Now →

Notes

See my stir fry basic technique for an overview, and for other sauce ideas.

I leave the sriracha out for the kids, and pass it at the table along with hoisin sauce and an extra sliced scallion.

Quick white rice is the traditional side dish. Spoon it into the wraps, or let picky eaters have rice and turkey without the lettuce.

Really quick sauce: Mix equal parts soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Or just squeeze hoisin sauce straight into the pan.

Hide some vegetables: Add diced red bell pepper or thin-sliced cabbage with the second batch of turkey.

Inspired by Joanne Weir's Weir Cooking in the City.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes

What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Related Posts:
Stir fry basic technique
Thai noodle and pork stir fry
Green bean stir fry

Inspired by:
Joanne Weir, Weir Cooking in the City

*Enjoyed this post?  Want to help out DadCooksDinner?  Subscribe using your RSS reader or by Email, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site.  Thank you!