Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Lettuce wraps are kind of like the salad of left overs. I had a craving for something on the lighter side, but more satisfying than a salad. I had some leftover roasted chicken and rice to use up, as well as fresh red peppers and cucumbers. I could have sauteed my frozen shrimp, used sliced avocado, etc. I also love Thai peanut sauce. it's tangy, rich, and has just the right amount of sweetness. It's incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients:

1/4 red bell pepper, julienned

1/3 cucumber sliced into thirds

1 c. cooked rice

1 c. cooked sliced chicken

3-4 big lettuce leaves

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1 Tbs cider vinegar

1 Tbs red curry paste/sauce

1/2 c. coconut or regular milk

what to do:

1. In a sauce pan heat peanut butter, red curry paste, cider vinegar, and milk on a low-med heat, stirring constantly to combine

2. Once heated through and mixed, remove from heat, and put to the side

3. Assemble sliced veggies, chicken, and rice on a plate with a couple leaves of lettuce

4. Fill each leaf with the ingredients and either dip into the sauce or pour it over!

Pumpkin-Dijon Chicken

After yesterday's successful execution of the use of Pumpkin, I was feeling fall-inspired yet again. Taking inventory of the entire kitchen I found: pumpkin butter, honey-dijon mustard, and frozen chicken. I know I must seem like a crazy-pumpkin-addict to have so many pumpkiny things around the house. And so it goes. In the end, the pumpkin butter was straight-up rockin' in this dish.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast (frozen or fresh)

2 Tbs of pumpkin butter

1 Tbs of dijon mustard

What to do: 

1. In a mixing bowl, add the pumpkin butter and the dijon mustard

2. Make sure the chicken is defrosted and ready to go - salt and pepper for flavor

3. Heat a few tablespoons of oil into a frying pan

4. Add the chicken pieces one at a time into the sauce mixture and coat liberally.

5. Add to the hot oil and cover.

Let the chicken pieces cook for about 3-4 mins before turning them, and re-cover. I learned that as a trick to keeping chicken nice and moist on the inside - locks in all that yummy deliciousness.

Chicken should be ready in about 6-8 mins - give it a slice down the middle to make sure.