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Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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I remember loving all of my rotations during my internship to become a Registered Dietitian. While the clinical aspects of nutrition and being in the hospital was a seemingly natural fit for me, I wasn’t challenged or excited about clinical nutrition. I guess my thoughts on clinical nutrition (in the in-patient setting sense) is that I much prefer proactive nutrition rather than reactive nutrition. I like to educate and teach and see my patients over and over again and I lacked that bond and sense of accomplishment when helping people make changes in their life to improve their health.

I enjoyed the elderly population, but quickly realized that they can be one of the most challenging populations to work with. And I didn’t particularly care for 1. death or 2. paperwork and so I knew long-term care wasn’t a likely best fit for me, either.

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While most students hated their “food service management” rotation, I was happy to get down and dirty in the kitchen and this was wellllllllllllll before I could 1. cook, 2. wrote a blog, and most certainly before 3. writing a cookbook. I enjoyed the pace, the people, the food, the work…everything. But in truth, because it wasn’t the most glorious of RD jobs, I brushed it off the top of my list when pursuing jobs.

In my current role, jack-of-all-trades in my little community hospital, I once again, found myself in a hospital kitchen…running the show. I’ll be honest, my kitchen was a well-oiled machine prior to my arrival. I’d like to think I’ve made some positive changes, but since most of those changes have to do with nutrition and healthy food offerings, I’m probably biased.

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Yesterday, I sat in on a webinar focused on “Healthy Retail” in the clinical care setting – hospitals, etc. I sat there and listened for all 60 minutes and could proudly say that my little community hospital is leaps and bounds ahead of many other hospitals, including huge, huge, huge amazing hospitals. As I’m told, the food has always been amazing, but I’ve certainly introduced some new items and people have embraced (and loved) them all. We regularly serve quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and rarely serve anything other than the leanest of proteins. We serve the most stunning specialty salads with homemade vinaigrettes that bring people from the community in each day…just for the food. I swear, I’m going to work on getting our cafe on Yelp to bring in more business!

As I learned in the webinar, ethnic flavors sell well in most hospital cafeterias. Whether those flavors be Mexican, Asian, or even Indian (we make a killer homemade Tikka Masala!), people love them. The recipes I try out on the cafe menu are generally the ones Mr. P and I love most. In other words, this recipe and its Asian flavors will be making an appearance soon!

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5.0 from 2 reviews
Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
A light meal ready in minutes and packed with flavor. Despite the so-so ratings on CookingLight.com, we LOVED this recipe!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp dry sherry
  • 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 7 oz slaw mix (about 2 cups)
  • 8 oz boneless, skinless rotisserie chicken breast, diced (about 2 cups)
  • ½ cup sliced green onions, divided
  • 9 Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
  • ¼ cup cashews, chopped
Instructions
  1. Combine first 4 ingredients (soy sauce through rice vinegar) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
  2. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add garlic and ginger to pan; sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute. Add slaw, chicken and ¼ cup onions to pan; cook 1 minute or until slaw is slightly warmed but not wilted.
  3. Divide chicken mixture evenly among lettuce leaves; sprinkle evenly with remaining ¼ cup onions and cashews.
Notes
Recipe from Cooking Light
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 3 lettuce wraps Calories: 271 Fat: 11.7 Carbohydrates: 15.7 Sugar: 6.0 Sodium: 558 Fiber: 3.0 Protein: 25.3 Cholesterol: 62

 TGIF!!! I have a happy hour tonight and tennis tomorrow! 😀 Looks like a good weekend ahead!

Be well,

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12 Comments

  1. Hezzi-D
    January 17, 2014 / 6:30 am

    I made this for dinner this week too! My husband loved that there is a bag of slaw mix in with the chicken. That by itself sold it to him. I agree that we loved it despite the so-so ratings. Your photos look amazing!

  2. Michele @ Flavor Mosaic
    January 17, 2014 / 7:46 am

    Oh my! These look fantastic! I love mushu pork. I’m pinning this to make later.

  3. Regan @ Cabot
    January 17, 2014 / 8:19 am

    In my small hometown, I hear that the hospital cafeteria is the best place in town to eat. Sounds like you’re earning that same rep!

    These look so good. I’m pinning them for dinner very soon!

  4. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
    January 17, 2014 / 12:44 pm

    Nicole, I love lettuce wraps and this recipe looks great! Can’t wait to try them!

  5. Toni | Boulder Locavore
    January 17, 2014 / 1:32 pm

    Love these Nicole! We accidentally made something with lettuce as the outside wrap the other day (a faux taco made out of no time and fogetting we had no shells) and they were delicious.

  6. Biz
    January 17, 2014 / 1:56 pm

    This looks delicious – I am loving fresh ginger too! Happy Friday Nicole – sounds like a fun weekend planned!

  7. Renee'sKitchenAdventures
    January 17, 2014 / 4:38 pm

    These look gorgeous Nicole! I’m with Biz, love, love, love fresh ginger.

  8. Anna
    January 19, 2014 / 5:43 pm

    Hey its Anna from Pinterest! As you know I really want to become a RD but I have been looking up the classes i have to take in college and it seems really hard!! Also I live in Illinois and was wondering what colleges you recommend!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      January 19, 2014 / 7:31 pm

      Hi Anna! University of Illinois, Illinois State, and Benedictine University all have nutrition programs. I went to U of I, but I’m not sure on other programs. I’d highly recommend U of I, though 🙂 Check out this site on accredited programs: https://www.eatright.org/become-an-rdn

  9. Anna
    January 20, 2014 / 12:40 pm

    Thanks so much! Your so sweet! 🙂

  10. Cass
    May 31, 2016 / 12:39 am

    You spelt sauce wrong but it is a really nice dish

    • Nicole Morrissey
      Author
      June 7, 2016 / 9:52 am

      Thanks, Cass! I corrected the misspelling – thank you!

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