Lange Estate’s Chicken Salad Wraps with Pinot Gris

The team at Lange Estate Winery has an ideal solution for cooking dinner in the late summer heat: these fresh and bright chicken salad lettuce wraps that come together in a snap. Pair with a Dundee Hills Pinot Gris, and you’ll see how the acidity and fruit-forward flavors beautifully contrast the sweet and saltiness of the peanut sauce. Enjoy!

See the full recipe here. 

INGREDIENTS

Peanut Sauce

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup warm water to thin the sauce, adjust as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, mince
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chicken Wraps

• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• juice of one lime, plus wedges for serving 
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 boneless chicken breasts, skin on. For a vegetarian option substitute 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, pressed to remove excess liquid and cut into 1″ cubes 
• 12 leaves romaine or butterhead lettuce
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeds removed and cut julienne
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and cut julienne
• 1/2 medium-sized carrot, peeled and cut julienne
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, cut diagonally 

INSTRUCTIONS

• For the peanut sauce, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, rice vinegar, and water until smooth. Add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate. 
• In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, lime juice, ginger, and garlic. Whisk until the honey has dissolved. Toss in the chicken breasts and marinade in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
• Rinse the lettuce leaves and pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside. 
• Use a mandoline to julienne the bell pepper, carrot, and cucumber. If you don’t own a mandolin, use a sharp knife to cut the carrot into 2″ to 3″ segments. Square off the carrot by cutting off the rounded edges. Slice the core of the carrot lengthwise into 1/8″ planks, then cut each plank into 1/8″ strips.  Repeat with the bell peppers. Set aside. 
• Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with olive oil. Add the chicken breasts and cook, skin-side down, until grill marks are visible and the skin easily releases from the pan, around 8 to ten minutes. Flip and cook for another five or six minutes, until the breast meat is opaque.
• Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cut each breast into 3/4″ slices.
• Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter. Fill each leaf with chicken, bell pepper, and carrot. Top with sesame seeds and garnish with scallions. Serve with peanut sauce and lime wedges on the side.