Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps (A 30-Minute Meal) - Dr. Axe

Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

(124)
Moo shu chicken recipe - Dr. Axe

When you get that craving for comfort food, how often do you consider ordering takeout Chinese? Yep — it can be a guilty pleasure on those nights you really don’t feel like cooking. But I promise you, my moo shu chicken recipe is very easy to prepare, taking about the same amount of time you’d be waiting for your food to be ready at a restaurant, and it’s a much, much healthier option.

For this recipe, I use an array of veggies, anti-inflammatory foods like garlic and ginger and organic chicken. Plus, like my fish taco recipe, I use lettuce wraps instead of turning to flour tortillas that are typically used to make moo shu chicken. Not only is my moo shu chicken recipe gluten-free, it’s also Paleo- and keto-friendly. No guilt here!

What Is Moo Shu Chicken?

Moo shu chicken originated in Northern China, where it was prepared as a stir-fry dish made with chopped chicken (or pork) and Chinese cabbage. There are a number of variations out there, but moo shu chicken is also commonly made with scallions, mushrooms and scrambled eggs, too.

Traditionally, moo shu chicken would be served with rice, but in America, it’s often served on wraps made with flour that are called “moo shu (or mandarin) pancakes,” and then it’s eaten like a taco.

Moo shu chicken recipe - Dr. Axe

For my moo shu chicken recipe, I use a combination of veggies, including red cabbage, green cabbage, green onions and mushrooms. I also include garlic and ginger for flavor, plus carrots and sprouts for garnishing. These veggies give you that perfect crunch when you bite into the moo shu chicken wrap. And in an effort to keep this recipe gluten-free and keto diet-friendly, which is how I prefer to eat, I use butter lettuce as wraps.

Ad

One of the staple ingredients in moo shu chicken is cabbage. Do you know that red cabbage is loaded with antioxidants, and it contains more vitamin C than oranges? Mushrooms are also commonly used in moo shu chicken recipes, and I love using mushrooms in my cooking because they help to reduce inflammation.

And for my moo shu chicken recipe, I avoid using vegetable oil and soy sauce. Instead, I use avocado oil for cooking and a combination of sesame oil and coconut aminos to add flavor.

Recipe Nutrition Facts

One serving of moo shu chicken made using this recipe contains roughly the following: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Moo shu chicken ingredients - Dr. Axe
  • 178 calories
  • 18.7 grams protein
  • 9.4 grams fat
  • 4 grams carbohydrates
  • 1 gram fiber
  • 1.8 grams sugar
  • 2,149 IUs vitamin A (92 percent DV)
  • 8 milligrams vitamin B3 (57 percent DV)
  • 0.7 milligrams vitamin B6 (55 percent DV)
  • 19 micrograms selenium (36 percent DV)
  • 202 milligrams phosphorus (29 percent DV)
  • 25 micrograms vitamin K (28 percent DV)
  • 0.17 milligrams copper (19 percent DV)
  • 0.19 milligrams vitamin B2 (18 percent DV)
  • 221 milligrams sodium (15 percent DV)
  • 38 milligrams magnesium (12 percent DV)
  • 0.12 milligrams vitamin B1 (11 percent DV)
  • 403 milligrams potassium (9 percent DV)
  • 6 milligrams vitamin C (8 percent DV)
  • 1.15 milligrams vitamin E (8 percent DV)
  • 26 micrograms folate (7 percent DV)
  • 0.17 micrograms vitamin B12 (7 percent DV)
  • 1.06 milligrams iron (6 percent DV)
  • 47 milligrams calcium (5 percent DV)

How to Make Moo Shu Chicken

Moo shu chicken step 1 - Dr. Axe

Before I start prepping my veggies, I marinate 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are thinly sliced in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.

Moo shu chicken step 2 - Dr. Axe

Just combine these ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.

Moo shu chicken step 3 - Dr. Axe

Next, it’s time to start chopping. You’ll need to slice one-fourth of a green cabbage …

Moo shu chicken step 4 - Dr. Axe

and one-fourth of a red cabbage.

Moo shu chicken step 5 - Dr. Axe

Then chop ½ cup of mushrooms and slice ¼ cup of green onions.

Moo shu chicken step 6 - Dr. Axe

Next, take out a large pan and over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, your chopped green onions and your chopped mushrooms. Sauté these veggies for about 5 minutes until they become soft.

Moo shu chicken step 7 - Dr. Axe

Then add in your chicken that’s been marinating. You’re going to let it brown in the sauce pan, which should take about 8 minutes.

Moo shu chicken step 8 - Dr. Axe

Once your chicken has browned, add in your sliced cabbage and reduce the heat to low. Cover your pan and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes, until the cabbage becomes soft. Just stir the ingredients occasionally so everything is cooked evenly.

Moo shu chicken recipe - Dr. Axe

That took no time at all, right? Your moo shu chicken is done. Now just divide it up into your butter lettuce wraps …

Moo shu chicken recipe - Dr. Axe

and top each wrap with shredded carrots, sprouts and sesame seeds.

Moo shu chicken recipe - Dr. Axe

You can eat your moo shu chicken like a taco, or use a fork or chop sticks to eat it in the way it was traditionally served in China. Either way — it’s super healthy and delicious! Enjoy.

Moo shu chicken recipe - Dr. Axe
Ad

Prep Time

30 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Serves

6–8

Diet Type

,
,

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • ¼ green cabbage, thinly sliced
  • ¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup green onions, sliced
  • ½ cup mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Carrots, shredded for garnishing
  • Sprouts, for garnishing
  • Sesame seeds for topping
  • Butter lettuce for wraps

Directions:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, add sesame oil, balsamic, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper and chicken. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
  2. Chop the vegetables accordingly.
  3. In a large pan over medium heat, combine avocado oil, onions and mushrooms. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
  4. Add chicken to brown, about 8 minutes.
  5. Add cabbage and reduce to low. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until cabbage is soft. Stir occasionally.
  6. Serve with lettuce wraps and top with carrots, sprouts and sesame seeds.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 124

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Comments

Please keep comments under 200 characters.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 Comments

  1. Jude deLaubenfels on

    I just bought Eat Dirt and am reading it while in shock. Geez! Anyway, I have a question…which probiotic should a 75 year-old-woman who eats very well (Paleo), but is overweight (too much wine, I imagine) and wants to feel better? Thanks!

    Reply

More Recipes

Ad