These Easy Dan Dan Noodle Lettuce Wraps in 30 Minutes are perfect for a quick midweek meal or for snacking on during the big game. Ground chicken and Asian noodles are tossed in a sweet and spicy ginger, garlic sauce and wrapped in cool, fresh lettuce leaves. Topped with shredded carrot, green onions and peanuts and a generous squirt of fresh lime juice – they are a perfection!
These vibrant lettuce wraps are not only a feast for the taste buds but also a nod to the rich history of Dan Dan Noodles and my favorite football team – the Detroit Lions. Join us as we dive into the story behind this iconic dish and guide you through crafting your own mouthwatering masterpiece, all within the span of just 30 minutes.
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Dan, these Easy Dan Dan Noodle Lettuce Wraps in 30 Minutes are for you
In Michigan, you choose your colors. Some people bleed maze and blue. During football season, others can be heard chanting, “Go Green!” in response to someone else’s call to “Go White!” much like a game of Marco Polo. And then there are Detroit Lions fans. You’ll see us sporting Honolulu Blue with a bit of a chip on our shoulders, and for good reason.
True Lions fans are a different animal all together. We’ve been patiently standing behind our team for a very, very, very long time. For years we’ve defended their good name when others besmirched them, speaking into existence that glorious day when our team would rise up and claim a winning season – maybe even win the Super Bowl. The sky’s the limit!
I believed in coaches Wayne Fontes and Jim Schwartz. I think they saw the possibilities – believed their teams could be more, do better, have a winning season. But it was Dan Campbell’s first press conference as new head coach of the Detroit Lions that pushed the dial for me from defender to all-in believer. I’ve enjoyed watching the demeanor of the players change over the past three years. They rise and fall together. They play as a team.
For many years, our family had a tradition of making a “party feast” to enjoy during the game. The thought process was, if we win, it’s a really good day, but if we lose, at least we got a really good meal out of the four hours dedicated to sitting there, watching the carnage. Rumor has it this recipe was inspired by Coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions. I unapologetically acknowledge this rumor as truth.
In fact, last season I named a dessert after my beloved football team. Yep. I kinda did. Name aside, this recipe for Honolulu Blueberry Crisp is really quite lovely. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, it’s a great way to kick off the second half. If you’re looking for easy game day recipes, these lettuce wraps and blueberry crisp are sure to become two of your new favorites.
The history of Dan Dan Noodles
Before diving into the delightful details of this recipe for Easy Dan Dan Noodle Lettuce Wraps in 30 Minutes, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the rich history that these noodles carry. Dan Dan Noodles, known as “Dan Dan Mian” in Mandarin, originated in the Sichuan province of China. This iconic dish has traversed through time, captivating the palates of countless individuals worldwide.
Dan Dan Noodles have roots that stretch back to the street vendors of Chengdu, Sichuan’s capital city. Originally, these noodles were served as a simple street food, sold by vendors who carried their ingredients in baskets suspended from a pole (known as a “dan dan” in Chinese). The noodles were doused in a spicy, savory sauce and topped with minced meat, often pork or beef, creating a symphony of flavors that captured the hearts of those who tasted them.
Over the years, the recipe for Dan Dan Noodles has evolved to accommodate diverse tastes while still staying true to its bold, fiery nature. The distinctive flavors of Sichuan cuisine are embraced in the form of the dish’s signature sauce, made from a harmonious blend of Sichuan peppercorns, chili oil, sesame paste, soy sauce, and other secret ingredients passed down through generations.
Today, Dan Dan Noodles continue to be a culinary adventure for those who seek to experience the vibrant tapestry of Sichuan cuisine. From the bustling streets of Chengdu to the comfort of your own kitchen, the history of Dan Dan Noodles adds depth to every savory bite. So, as you embark on the journey of preparing this recipe for Easy Dan Dan Noodle Lettuce Wraps in just 30 minutes, take a moment to savor not only the flavors but also the rich history that has made this dish a cherished part of global gastronomy.
Easy game day recipes that are sure to please
I love how this recipe comes together so quickly. I don’t always feel like cooking a good meal when I get home at night after a long day. I also tend to pack my weekends with more errands and other things than intended, so I don’t always have a ton of time to cook a big meal before settling in to watch a game. Heck, even when I’m watching football, I’m usually folding laundry or doing some other something that needs to be done, but still allows me to focus on the game. Don’t even get me started on how much can be accomplished between commercials.
This easy dan dan noodles recipe starts out by sauteing ground chicken. Not only is the chicken leaner and lighter than the traditional pork, it also lets the flavor of the sauce shine through. The meat is lightly seasoned with Tamari soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. While the chicken is cooking, you can mice the garlic and fresh ginger for the sauce and prep the carrots, scallions, limes and lettuce for the wraps. If you’re short on time, you can even pick up matchstick cut carrots and sliced scallions at your local grocery but for such a small amount, it truly takes just a few minutes to do both by hand.
This recipe calls for using 4 ounces of ramen noodles. The texture of the noodles clings to the meat and the sauce so you get a good distribution of both in every bite. And because I hate recipes with hard-to-find ingredients, I chose raman because they are easy to find in any major grocery store.
The simple yet flavorful sauce consists of peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, 5-spice powder, fresh garlic and ginger, sesame oil, water and Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil – which again, are all ingredients that are easy to find in most major grocery stores. Half of the sauce is tossed with the cooked noodles and meat. The remaining sauce can be added to the lettuce wraps so you get as much or little extra flavor as you like.
Although Iceberg lettuce is not my favorite for an everyday salad, it’s cool, crisp texture and neutral flavor proved best for this dish. The leaves also held up best when wrapping. During the testing stage, I tried other types of lettuce, but their stronger flavors overpowered the dish. For best results, use iceberg lettuce.
If lettuce wraps are not your thing, you can also make a simple salad by using shredded iceberg lettuce as a bed and finish your salad with noodles and toppings as desired.
Finally, don’t skip a squeeze of fresh lime juice. It truly elevates the dish. If you don’t believe me, try a bite without and then with the lime juice. Trust me.
Easy Dan Dan Noodle Lettuce Wraps in 30 Minutes
Course: MainCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes10
minutesGround chicken and Asian noodles tossed in a sweet and spicy ginger, garlic sauce wrapped in cool, fresh lettuce leaves and fresh toppings.
Ingredients
- For the chicken and noodles
1/2 lb. ground chicken
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 Tbsp. Tamari soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
2 ounces ramen-style noodles, cooked and drained
- For the sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky
2 Tbsp. Tamari soy sauce
1 Tbsp. white granulated sugar
1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp. sesame oil
2-3 tsp. Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil. Stir it up to get the good stuff at the bottom.
2/3 cup water
- For assembling the lettuce wraps
1 small head Iceberg lettuce, leaves separated from base
2 scallions sliced thin, approximately 1/2 cup
Shredded carrot, approximately 1/2 cup
Chopped peanuts
Fresh lime wedges
Directions
- Prepare the chicken and noodles
- In a 5-quart saucepan, bring water to the boil and cook the noodles until just tender. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Add the peanut oil to a medium-size skillet. Over medium-high heat, saute the chicken, breaking it apart into small crumbles with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season the cooked chicken with the soy sauce and vinegar. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking occasionally. Once the sauce has reached the boil and come together, remove the sauce from the heat. You should have approximately 1 1/4 cups of sauce.
- Divide the sauce in half. Toss the noodles and chicken in half of the sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for topping the finished lettuce wraps.
- Finish the lettuce wraps
- Have the prepared lettuce, green onions, carrots, peanuts and lime wedges ready for assembly.
- Add a portion of the chicken and noodles mixture to the center of the lettuce as if you were filling a taco.
- Finish with fresh toppings, additional sauce and a squeeze of lime juice to your taste.
Notes
- Can I use a different kind of oil to cook the chicken? Yes. Vegetable oil is a good substitute, but you will lose some of the flavor.
