Lettuce Wrapped Chicken Meatballs
Lettuce Wrapped Chicken
Meatballs
Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 head red leaf lettuce, leaves separated
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus 1/3 cup leaves for serving
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 small shallots, finely chopped
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, tender white inner bulb only, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint, plus 1/3 cup leaves for serving
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 small seedless cucumber peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 . Put the rack in the top third of the oven. In a food processor, pulse the chicken until coarsely ground; transfer to a bowl. Add the fish sauce, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chopped cilantro and mint, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix with your hands.
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the sugar on a plate. Using slightly moistened hands, roll the chicken mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the meatballs in the sugar until they are evenly coated. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet and bake them for 15 minutes, until they are lightly browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, arrange the lettuce, cilantro and mint leaves, cucumber and onion on a platter. Transfer the meatballs to the platter and serve with Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.