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Chinese Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Mary Tang

Ingredients

  • 1 iceberg lettuce washed, dried and ripped into palm-sized pieces
  • ⅓ cup coriander-finely diced
  • ⅓ cup scallions-thinly sliced include the white parts, 2 mm thick
  • 1 package Butterball Seasoned Easy Fresh Bone-in Turkey Thighs about 725 g
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil

Turkey Rub

  • 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Mixture for the turkey

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (Have more on-hand as needed)
  • ⅓ cup carrots-finely diced
  • ⅛ cup shallots-minced
  • ⅛ cup garlic- minced
  • ⅛ cup ginger-finely diced
  • ½ cup canned water chestnuts-rough chop
  • 5 tsp hoisin sauce (Reserve 2 tsp for the turkey mixture and 3 tsp in a bowl to serve as a condiment)

Pan fried cashews

  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • ½ cup unsalted cashews
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the lettuce. Rip the lettuce into palm-sized pieces. Set aside.

  2. Slice the coriander and scallions and set aside.

  3. Prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Roast the turkey

  1. Remove the Easy Fresh turkey from the package and place on a sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 385 degrees F (195 degrees C).

  2. Rub the turkey with vegetable oil.

  3. Prepare the turkey rub. In a bowl, add the Chinese 5 spice, ground ginger, black pepper and salt. Mix well. Rub the mixture on both sides of the turkey.

  4. Put the turkey in the oven and bake for 30 mins or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

  5. Broil the turkey for 5 minutes on high to brown and crisp the skin. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

  6. Once the turkey has rested, remove the skin and cut into 1 x 1 inch pieces and set aside. For the meat, shred and do a rough chop (about 1 x 1 inch pieces). Remove the bone for other uses.

Cooking the Turkey Mixture

  1. In a pan, add the vegetable oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Add in the carrots and sauté for about 2 minutes, then add in the shallots, followed by the garlic, ginger and water chestnuts. Cook until the vegetables are slightly soft (about 5 minutes). 

  2. Add in the diced turkey (without the skin), and add in 2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce and stir. Remove from heat. Mix in the coriander and scallions. Add to a serving plate.

  3. In a small bowl, add 3 tsp of the hoisin sauce and bring it to the serving table. 

Pan fried cashews

  1. In a pan, add oil and turn the heat on medium-high. Add the cashews and move them around to brown all sides. Add the salt. Adjust the heat as needed. Remove and set aside.

Serve!

  1. At the table, bring out the dish of lettuce, turkey mixture, turkey skin, cashews and hoisin sauce. 

  2. Start by taking a piece of lettuce, then scoop in the turkey mixture, and top with cashews and turkey skin. Add more hoisin sauce if desired.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to use fresh water chestnuts, or replace with jicama. As a time-saver, use toasted and salted cashews. 

Can substitute the vegetable oil for olive or canola oil.