CHICKEN LARB LETTUCE CUPS
Big lettuce leaves filled with flavoursome chicken larb, vermicelli noodles, mango, cashews and fresh herbs. This is a fresh and tasty Thai-inspired meal.
I’ve made pork lettuce cups before and really enjoyed them as a light meal for the warmer months. The mango adds a delicious fruity twist to this chicken larb version and pairs perfectly with the cucumber and cashews.
I can’t resist adding a big handful of coriander! If you don’t like it, feel free to leave it out (don’t omit the mint if you are going to do this though).
CHICKEN LARB LETTUCE CUPS
Big lettuce leaves filled with flavoursome chicken larb, vermicelli noodles, mango, cashews and fresh herbs. This is a fresh and tasty Thai-inspired meal.
Ingredients
CHICKEN
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp peanut oil
- 500 g chicken mince (1lb 2oz)
TO SERVE
- 1 large mango
- 1/2 small telegraph cucumber
- 1 red chilli (optional)
- 125 g vermicelli noodles (4.4oz)
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 4-8 large whole iceberg lettuce leaves
- 1/3 cup roasted, salted cashew nuts (45g)
- 2 handfuls fresh coriander
- 1 small handful fresh mint leaves (optional)
Instructions
PREPARE SAUCE FOR CHICKEN
Place water in a medium-sized bowl and whisk in cornflour. Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic powder. Whisk to combine.
PREPARE SERVING INGREDIENTS
Slice or dice mango. Dice cucumber and finely slice chilli (remove seeds if you like), if using.
Place noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Leave for 10 minutes.
COOK CHICKEN
Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in a large frying pan on medium-high. Add chicken and cook, breaking up into small pieces, until white all over. Pour in sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, until sauce has thickened and chicken is completely cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
ASSEMBLE AND SERVE
Drain noodles. Stir soy sauce and sesame oil into noodles and toss to combine. Place noodles and mince into lettuce leaves. Top with mango, cucumber, chilli, cashew nuts, coriander and mint, if using. Serve immediately and eat with your hands!
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: A Sauvignon Blanc
or a Riesling.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use gluten-free cornflour. Make sure fish sauce is gluten-free and use gluten-free soy sauce. Vermicelli noodles are made from rice and should be gluten-free, but check the packet to make sure.
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: You could use pork mince instead of chicken mince.
BUDGET OPTION: If fresh mango is expensive or not available, swap for tinned mango. Use peanuts
instead of cashews.
STORING AND REHEATING: Refrigerate chicken and noodles together and reheat in the microwave. Refrigerate all other components together. Assemble lettuce cups just before serving.
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