Copycat PF Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps

There are dozens of copycat PF Chang’s lettuce wrap recipes out there, and these are the authentic chicken lettuce wraps you have been looking for! Don’t skip the crunchy rice noodles!

Years ago we used to love getting the lettuce wraps at PF Chang’s and set out to make a copycat recipe. It was full of delicious Asian components like hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, mushrooms and water chestnuts, etc. They were absolutely delicious, but totally not a copycat recipe. The more we’ve tried them and researched the more we discovered that PF Chang’s claims only a few ingredients and no veggies at all. So, we stripped the recipe down and went for a simply delicious, far more authentic copycat.

Ingredients for Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I used to be so intimidated when it came to Asian recipes because the ingredients list can be so long and slightly overwhelming, not to mention hard to find and items you only use once in a blue moon.  Well, this is NOT a recipe like that! Here is what you will need:

• Rice Noodles – don’t skip these! They are quick and easy to fry up and add a fabulous crunch to the wraps that you don’t want to miss!
• Oil – vegetable oil or canola oil works great
• Ground Chicken – see section below for possible substitutes, but you can keep these lettuce wraps super healthy by using lean ground chicken
• Vegetable and Sesame Oils – the combination of the two oils gives the perfect flavor, that sesame oil is critical in Asian cuisine
• Garlic – adds flavor
• Green Onions – adds flavor
• Soy Sauce – I prefer to use low sodium so I can better control the salt in the recipe.
• Fresh Ginger – you can used dried ginger if you have to, but I strongly suggest to use fresh ginger. See section below for how to peel and grate ginger.
• Iceberg or Butter Leaf Lettuce – these lettuce leaves hold up well for wraps and stay crispy and fresh without breaking

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Substitutes for Ground Chicken

We’ve found that it’s far easier and faster to use ground chicken because you can use your meat chopper and leave it in minced sized pieces versus the hassle of chopping up chicken thighs. However, that being said, chicken thighs do offer more flavor so it’s up to you. You could also chop up chicken breasts into little bits before cooking or use ground beef or pork as substitutes as well.

What Lettuce is Best for Wraps?

You really want cold crisp lettuce that is hearty and will hold up well wrapped around the yummy filling. We’ve found that iceberg or butter leaf lettuce work best. You would also use romaine hearts though they can be hard to wrap around the filling since they tend to be long and thin.

How to Peel Fresh Ginger

If you aren’t used to using fresh ginger, you might be confused when it comes to peeling it. You can peel ginger one of two ways. First, yo

It’s time for the digital age to dial down the CO2 production. Here’s how you can do your part and engage in more sustainable behaviours

How much time do you spend using tech each day? Whether it’s working from a screen or calling a client, checking in with a friend on Whatsapp, tracking your walk on a wearable device, playing music via Alexa, chilling out with some TV, or feeling safe with home security, it’s pretty much impossible to imagine a day without utilising the array of modern technology in our lives. But, how is this affecting our planet?

The environmental impact is the true cost of convenience that many of us overlook in our day-to-day lives. Every email sent, appliance charged, and image loaded contributes to carbon emissions. So how can we be more mindful about our tech habits? Here are nine simple, but effective, changes that you can incorporate into your digital day:

Device settings

Save power simply by adjusting the automatic settings on your screens – whether it’s your phone, laptop, TV, or tablet. By reducing the brightness of your screen and the volume down to 70%, Harvard University reports that you could save 20% of your energy consumption – costing you less, and meaning your battery should last longer too.

Inbox organisation

Did you know estimates suggest that every email produces between 0.03 and 26g of carbon – the longer messages, with more images or attachments, and recipients copied in, all adding to the total. It’s something we can easily overlook, but with overflowing inbox and spam folders, and 306 billion emails sent in 2021 alone (according to Statista), it can quickly add up. Rectify the situation by having a clear-out; unsubscribe from the sales emails, historic newsletters, or random junk you’ve accumulated over the years that you never open, and reserve space only for messages that actually have value to you.

Minimise messaging

Carrying on the email thread, a place where over-sending is rife is at work, where we automatically ‘reply all’ or send that quick ‘OK thanks’ in a message of its own. But how necessary is that? Choosing to limit how many emails you actually send to only those that are absolutely essential, collating all info into one message, and reducing the thank you pleasantries (perhaps by saying ‘Thank you in advance’), will drastically cut back on waste – and probably save you a lot of time, on top of that.

Unplug those sockets

Our need to always be available means we’re almost conditioned to constantly have things ‘on charge’ – and our power sockets are working overtime, even when the devices aren’t attached. Save electricity, and probably a few pennies on those bills, by switching off sockets instead of leaving appliances on standby, and only charging devices when they need it.

Axe the autoplay

When you open a browser or start watching something on YouTube, you might find videos are playing straight away without the need for you to click on them, and this can b

This is beyond any doubt the BEST ham I have ever tasted – and the secret is all in the 3 ingredient ham glaze. (The ham recipe I’m sharing today is so completely worthy of hyperbole; I’ve given up attempting to write this post without it.)

You know how sometimes you make something that’s so good that even after you’re done with dinner you find yourself snacking on little bites as you put it away later? That was this ham for me the first time I made it.

It is tender and juicy, covered in a slightly crisp, sweet, tangy glaze that makes every mouthful tastier than the last. 

The balsamic dijon glaze is a fantastic compliment to the ham. Just a few ingredients and almost no real effort gets you an extraordinarily impressive meal that’s as suited for special occasions as it is for an everyday dinner.

3 Ingredient Ham Glaze

Because the glaze requires only three ingredients, for years, I’ve recommended using the best quality ingredients you can manage. I’ve gone so far as to use a high-quality aged balsamic whenever I have it on hand.

Guess what I’ve learned? It absolutely does not matter which balsamic vinegar you use to make this ham glaze. As long as the balsamic tastes good on its own, it will work fine.

Last Thanksgiving when I was roasting a ham, I was out of my fancy balsamic, so I grabbed the store-brand that I use for salad dressings. I’m happy to tell you that the ham turned out every bit as good as any of the glazes I’ve made using pricier vinegar.

For the dijon, just choose one with plenty of tang and flavor. It doesn’t need to be the most expensive dijon on the shelf but it should be tasty all on its own. You definitely do not want to substitute basic yellow deli mustard here.

You can use either light or dark brown sugar in the glaze. A darker brown sugar will yield a bit more of a molas

Braised One Pan Sausage and Cabbage and Potatoes – St Patricks Day Dinner

I don’t know what it is about these three ingredients combined, but this braised sausage, cabbage and potatoes dish is my new favorite easy dinner recipe! Perfect for St Patricks Day dinner!

I don’t love St Patrick’s Day. I can’t ever think up anything cute and the traps, ohhhhh the traps! They are so fun and I love watching the kids work for hours on them, but I’m also not crafty so I don’t just have doodads and whatsits lying around waiting to be artified.

Last year I was feeling all the feels of an inkling that we would be moving soon and then the dreaded St Paddy’s Day hit. I immediately asked my friend Megan why we had to celebrate and she came back with, “just do the ol’ cabbage, sausage and potatoes in one pot and be done.”

Wait what? No whining alongside me? She actually had a plan?! And so I did, I followed her example and recipe and voila! Dinner was done in 30 and it was delicious! WHY IS IT DELICIOUS!? It is literally 3 ingredients but everyone ate the whole darn thing. AND what was leftover I put in the Food Saver and froze it and oh my goodness, it totally held up perfectly a few weeks later when we had it again!

Ingredients for Sausage, Cabbage and Potatoes

Are you ready for the 6 (possibly 7) ingredients you need to make this quick and easy dinner? This is what you will need:

• Sausage: you can use any type of sausage you want…chicken, turkey, pork, etc…bratwurst also works or a kielbasa
• Potatoes: I prefer the flavor of Yukon Gold potatoes, but red potatoes would also work or just plain Russets, peeling is optional
• Red or Yellow Onion: either type works great, it just depends on which flavor your prefer
• Cabbage: regular green cabbage is my go-to, but you could also use red. If you’re using this for St Patricks Day, then the more green the better!
• Olive Oil: helps caramelize the onions
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Garlic: this is totally optional, it tastes great without it, but it does add delicious flavor if you are a garlic fan

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Tips for Making Sausage, Cabbage and Potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes to be the same size so that they cook evenly.
2. Use a dutch oven, it caramelizes the onions and cooks the sausage and potatoes perfectly.
3. Don’t use too high of heat when cooking. The onions will start to burn before everything else cooks through.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

1. Easy: you only need 6 (possibly 7) ingredients, and it is all made in one pot which makes it super easy to clean up and the prep work is minimal
2. Quick: you can have dinner on the table in 30 minute

I’ve been pregnant before, so why am I finding it more challenging this time? Can I cope with doing it all again? And is it normal to feel anxious?

Pregnancy can be an anxious time. According to Kings College of London, one in four pregnant women experience mental health issues, with anxiety and depression being the most common problems among those women surveyed. And it doesn’t necessarily matter if it’s your first, second or third child. Despite having gone through it before, you might find that things are a bit more difficult this time. Of course, it might not feel this way and you may be having a positive experience – all pregnancies are unique after all - but if you’re struggling, there is help out there.

When it comes to your second pregnancy, common symptoms like pregnancy fatigue can feel worse than they did the first time around, with many people finding this the most demanding part of expecting for the second time. Running around after your first child can mean you feel more tired and have less time to cherish those lovely moments with your unborn baby. But there are some things that can help you feel better.

What can I do to resolve pregnancy fatigue?

Eat well
Eating healthily will help you in so many different ways - the more nutrient dense your diet is, the better you will feel. Gut health pretty much affects the whole body - from your hormone health to your mental health. High-sugar snacks are so handy when you are busy with life, but they will only give you a temporary boost followed by a big energy belly-flop. The last thing you want is to feel even more exhausted. Keeping well-hydrated and eating nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, whole grains, and good sources of protein will help you maintain energy levels. There are certain foods to avoid during pregnancy so just be aware of that when raiding the fridge for a quick nutritious snack.

Find out more about how nutrition can boost energy levels and how working with a qualified nutritionist can be helpful.

Pregnancy yoga
If you’re on the lookout for some gentle ways to move your body, yoga postures can stabilise energy levels and help you feel calmer. There are oodles of benefits. Not only can yoga prepare those essential muscles for delivery, but it can also improve stamina and vitality – two things you will definitely need when balancing the demands of two children. If you attend a local class, you may learn some breathwork, helping you to improve your mood and stress levels. And it’s so lovely to take yourself away from the hullabaloo of the house to create some special bonding time with your baby. Connecting with other second-time parents might help too if you are feeling a bit alone or isolated.

If you are looking for more pregnancy wellness ideas, our Read more