Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Chipolte Rice

Having a personal chef allows my clients pick and choose what meals they would like me to prepare for them.  Unlike a restaurant menu which has a set list of entrees, my menu is limitless and always changing.  One of my weekly clients enjoys the variety of entrees I have prepared for him.  Since I began cooking for him over 4 months ago, I have yet to repeat a single entree.  He enjoys opening his refrigerator and being pleasantly surprised at what he has in store for dinner for the week.

While I was recently cooking for him, he was reading over the menu that I had planned for the upcoming week.

"Oh.  Finally a repeat," he commented sounding a little disappointed.

Ugh!!!!!  No!!!!  My mind began to race as I was deciding on what I was going to make with the ingredients I had on hand.  I channeled my best impersonation of an Iron Chef and viola!  Barbecued Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps were changed to Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Chipolte Rice with spices in my chef kit and the remaining ingredients from other recipes I was preparing that day.

Near tragedy averted.  And Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps will be on my menu for other clients as well as for dinner for my family too.

If having a personal chef is not for you, Dinners for a Year and Beyond is a tremendous source for dinner recipe ideas.  The recipes that appear in the blog are the same ones I make for my clients and family.  If you are searching for easy recipes to make that are a little unique, Dinners for a Year and Beyond is the place to look for dinner ideas.  Take a peak at some of the recipes.  Give a few a try.  And let me know how you like them.

Southwestern Chicken Lettuce Wraps

serves 4

1 cup jasmine rice

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/8 teaspoon chipolte powder

olive oil

1 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless and cut in small pieces

1 small onion, small dice

1 red pepper, small dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon chipolte powder

1/3 cup tomato sauce

salt

hot sauce to taste

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

lime

12 Romaine or bibb lettuce leaves

In a medium sized pot over high heat, add rice, chicken stock, and chipolte powder.  Bring to a boil and then turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat and keep warm until serving.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat.  Add about 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the hot pan and add the chicken.  Cook the chicken for about 3 - 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the onion, red pepper, garlic, cumin and chipolte powder and cook for an additional 3 - 4 minutes.  Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for a minute or until heated through.  Season to taste with salt and hot sauce.  Stir in cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.  Serve in lettuce leaves with Chipolte Rice.