Could there be such a thing? Yes.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about tacos. I love the shells. I prefer soft over crunchy. White, wheat, corn flour…each just as tasty as the next. I enjoy burritos, enchiladas, open faced, and melted shut with cheese. I would even consider wraps as part of the taco family.

HOWEVER, I have recently discovered the beauty that is the lettuce wrap. While not too different from your everyday taco, they still act as the perfect food vessel. I am in a new relationship with lettuce wraps that is happy and budding with much room for happy growth.

While at lunch one day at a well known Asian fusion chain restaurant, my friend ordered lettuce wraps to eat for lunch. I didn’t think there was anything special about them since I didn’t try them at that time but I did notice that most tables around us also ordered these wraps as an appetizer.

I recreated these lettuce wraps at home and I must say, they were delicious. Maybe it was the deliciously sauced and seasoned ground chicken filling or perhaps it was the lettuce.

Whoever created or thought of the idea to use lettuce as a holder of food is pretty smart. Speaking for myself, I just think of lettuce as a side to accompany a main dish or in a salad, but to think of it as a holding device for a food that will be transported into your body is just a whole new can of worms which I personally have never opened.

Overall, the lettuce wraps were easy to make, delicious and pretty healthy. For the recipe, I used ground chicken, which is less fatty and less calories than ground beef (a traditional taco favorite). Browned that in a pan, added chopped ginger, onions and garlic. I then added hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha sauce. Combined the ingredients and garnished with scallions and water chestnuts.

Other than the taste of this delicious concoction, the wraps were also fun to eat. Peel some leaves off a head of lettuce, scoop on the filling and get to work! No cheese. No sour cream. No pico de gallo.

Thoughts? Leave ’em below!