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Baby Lettuce Wraps with Sauteed Vegetables and Roasted Chicken

These delicious lettuce wraps include bell peppers, fiery jalapenos, sauteed onions, and roasted chicken with garlic. Instead of small tortillas, the filling is spooned into individual baby lettuce leaves and the small bites are arranged on a serving platter.
It’s a great snack idea for a large group, when you want to provide something healthy that is packed with flavor without being too filling.

Ingredients

  • 24 oz boneless, (skinless chicken thighs)
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 3 heads of baby butter lettuce, (or any crisp lettuce green)
  • 1 red bell pepper, (sliced 18” thick)
  • 1 green bell pepper, (sliced 1/8” thick)
  • 1 large white onion, (sliced 1/8” thick)
  • 1 jalapeno, (seeds & stems included, finely sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic, (peeled and finely minced)
  • Zest from 1 lime
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, (roughly chopped)
  • Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, (to taste)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375F.
  • Season the chicken thighs with kosher salt.
  • Place the thighs in a large mixing bowl.
  • Drizzle chicken thighs with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
  • Rub the mixture into the thighs to coat.
  • Place chicken thighs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake at 375F for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
  • While the chicken is baking, prepare the vegetables.
  • In a large bowl, combine red bell pepper, green bell pepper, yellow onion, and jalapeno pepper.
  • Drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, and toss to coat.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the oiled vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are almost tender.
  • During the final two minutes of cooking, add the minced garlic.
  • Continue to cook for an additional two minutes, and sprinkle kosher salt over the cooked vegetables to taste.
  • Remove the cooked vegetables and set aside.
  • When the chicken is done cooking, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes
  • Then, shred the chicken with two forks.
  • Add the shredded chicken to the cooked vegetables.
  • Add the lime zest, lime juice, and fresh cilantro.
  • Stir to combine, taste, and season with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
  • Once the chicken and vegetable filling mixture is assembled, prepare the lettuce leaves that will serve as the wraps for the filling.
  • To assemble the lettuce wraps, place a heaping spoonful of the chicken and vegetable mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf.
  • *If you want the presentation to be even tighter, you can fold the sides of the leaves inwards, and roll it up like a burrito. You can then secure the leaves with a toothpick or two. I just serve them as open-faced tacos.
  • Serve immediately, with an added squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Notes

These wraps are best eaten right away, although you can adjust the contents however you like. It is a great way to serve up a healthy and fun bite-sized snack using whatever vegetables and proteins you have in your fridge as the filling.