Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
Makes 10–12 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 chicken breasts, baked and shredded (or 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions or green onions, sliced diagonally
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 head butter lettuce (Boston, Bibb), divided into lettuce cups
Peanut sauce, store-bought or homemade
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, garnish
Lime wedges, garnish
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Saute bell pepper and mushrooms until soft. Add garlic, and saute an additional minute. Add precooked chicken, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper, and cook an additional 3 minutes or until chicken is heated thoroughly. Remove from heat; stir in scallions and cilantro. Divide chicken mixture among lettuce cups, and drizzle with peanut sauce. Garnish with pine nuts and lime wedges. Serve additional sauce on the side.
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Recipe tips
Why use kosher salt?
Salt is not a spice or seasoning—it does not impart its own flavor to food. Rather, salt is a flavor enhancer, bringing out the natural flavor tendencies of a food.
Recipes often specify the use of kosher salt, as opposed to more familiar table salt. Chefs recommend it because it is easy to handle and works well for a variety of uses. It’s an affordable, healthy alternative to table salt and can be used in all phases of the cooking process—for pre-seasoning foods, for use during cooking or for adding a finishing element to a dish.
Table salt has a finer texture than kosher salt. Because kosher salt has a coarser texture, you don’t need to use as much of it when measuring into a recipe.
Table salt contains additives, which some cooks choose to avoid. Kosher salt and sea salt do not.
Sea salt, due to the way it is processed, is more expensive than table and kosher salt. It is typically used as a “finishing” salt—sprinkled on food dishes lightly just prior to serving, to enhance natural flavors.
If all you have on hand is table salt, feel free to substitute it in any recipe calling for kosher salt, being careful to adjust the amounts specified to account for different salt textures. Often, when salt is listed in a recipe, you may notice that no amount is specified—just “to taste.” It is more common to see specific salt amounts in baking recipes.
How to toast nuts
Preheat oven to 375 F. In an oven-proof skillet or a shallow, foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet, spread out nuts in a single layer. Bake for 6–8 minutes, shaking pan occasionally for even toasting.