Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The Food Network Magazine has this awesome section in every issue where they share a "secret" recipe. So far it has always been a dish from a restaurant I love. In the June 2010 issue, it was a knock-off recipe for PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps! The best part is that the recipe come pretty close to the real thing, and it is simple to make!

I apologize for the pictures. It was late and I was hungry.

Almost-Famous Chicken Lettuce Wraps

For the Chicken:

    * 1 large egg white
    * 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    * 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
    * 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
    *

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:

    * 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
    * 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
    * 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
    * 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
    * 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    * 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    *

For the Noodles:

    * 2 bundles cellophane noodles
    * Peanut oil, for frying
    *

For the Stir-Fry:

    * 4 tablespoons peanut oil
    * 3 cloves garlic, minced
    * 1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
    * 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
    * 4 scallions; 2 minced, 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
    * Kosher salt
    * 1/4 teaspoon sugar
    * 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms,stemmed and diced
    * 3/4 cup diced water chestnuts
    * Small lettuce leaves, for serving
    * Soy sauce, chili paste and/or hot mustard, for serving

Prepare the chicken: Whisk the egg white, cornstarch and rice wine in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Make the stir-fry sauce: Whisk 1/3 cup water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces, the rice wine and sesame oil in a bowl, then whisk in the cornstarch until dissolved.

Fry the noodles: Pull the noodles apart into sections. Heat 3/4 inch peanut oil in a medium saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees F. Working in batches, press the noodles into the oil with a spatula until they puff, 5 to 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

Make the stir-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the skillet; when almost smoking, stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and minced scallions, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and scallion pieces and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and chicken and cook 1 minute.

Make a bed of noodles on a platter and top with the chicken mixture. Serve the noodles and stir-fry with lettuce leaves and soy sauce for dipping.