Ever since I was a kid and my parents took me to Korean BBQ, I learned the traditional way of eating meat, wrapping each succulent chunk of meat in red leaf lettuce with some hot red pepper paste and soybean paste topped with some scallions. It’s got all the wonderful flavors along with that added refreshing green crunch to it within each bite.

So making these wraps brought me back to these Korean BBQ days because the concept is pretty much the same, except now the filling is not just a piece of meat but with a whole mess of other stuff, like caramelized onions, bell peppers, and tender slices of chicken swimming around in a thick, spicy sauce. (Drooling, yet?) Best of all, it’s a healthy, hearty dinner with tons of flavor made in less than 30 minutes. Win!

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps (adapted from Martha Stewart):

Yields 4 servings

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless thin sliced chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  • 12 to 16 Boston lettuce leaves (about 2 heads)

Slice the chicken into thin strips, about 1/4-inch thick, 1/4-inch wide, and 2 1/2 inches long; season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Be cautious with the salt since the sauce you’ll be making later on is soy sauce based.)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, until golden and opaque throughout, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining tablespoon oil, onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender and golden, about 4 minutes. (Reduce heat if browning too quickly.)

Add the garlic, ginger and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.

Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat.

Add the chicken, along with any juices, and stir to coat.

To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-stype. Drizzle with a few drops of Sriracha for extra spiciness.