Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Wasabi Lime Dressing

PF Chang's may be a chain restaurant and yes they may serve up a very Americanized Chinese menu, but these guys know what they're doing when it comes to lettuce wraps.  If you've eaten there and somehow neglected to order them, you are seriously missing out.  Obviously, I have a slight love affair with these little lettuce cups of perfection, so you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that there isn't a single location in NYC.  Alas, I decided to develop my own version to satisfy my craving.  And after several renditions, this Japanese-inspired version has become my favorite.  The slight crunch of the edamame, paired with a no-nonsense punch of wasabi takes these lunch-worthy lettuce wraps to a whole new level. 

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced white onion  
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1 cup diced water chestnuts
1/3 cup edamame, shelled
3-4 tbsp. soyaki marinade (I like Trader Joes' Island Soyaki)
1 head lettuce of any variety you choose, I like red leaf lettuce or butter lettuce best (better nutritionally than traditional iceberg)
1 sliced green onion for garnish 

Dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar (I like the light version which is slightly sweet)
1/4 tsp. wasabi paste  (more to taste if you like)
juice of 1/2-1 full lime, depending on size
a pinch of salt  

Heat vegetable oil in large sautee pan.  Add minced garlic and sautee lightly to flavor oil.  Sear chicken breasts in pan on medium heat and reduce to low to finish.  Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Sautee onions, carrots, mushrooms and water chestnuts in chicken drippings, adding additional oil if needed.  Dice cooled chicken into bite-size pieces and add back into the pan along with edamame.  Reduce heat to low and finish with soyaki marinade.  Rinse and dry lettuce leaves and fill with chicken mixture.  Top with sliced green onion and wasabi lime dressing to taste.  

Brown bag your lettuce, filling and dressing and prepare to wow 'em!  

Makes one lunch + leftovers.