Indonesian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

FASTER

GLUTEN-FREE

Makes 4 servings

This recipe uses the brine from a jar of sweet-and-sour pickles, which, along with the curry paste, mimics the flavors of Southeast Asian grilling. You’ll even make some quick radish pickles to go in the wraps with the chicken.

1½ cups bread-and-butter pickle brine

12 large radishes, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste

1 tablespoon fish sauce

Four 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 heads Boston or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated and rinsed

1. Combine ½ cup of the brine and the radishes in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate while you make the rest of this recipe.

2. Whisk the remaining 1 cup of the brine with the curry paste and fish sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Add the chicken and toss well to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, tossing a couple more times.

3. Brush the grill grates clean and prepare the grill for high-heat, direct cooking; or heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Drain the chicken and set the meat on the grate over the heat source or in the pan. Grill until cooked through, turning once, about 8 minutes.

4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; slice lengthwise into ½-inch-thick strips. To serve, use the lettuce leaves as wraps, filling them with the sliced chicken and cold pickled radishes drained of their brine. (Cover and save any remaining pickled radishes in the fridge for sandwiches in the next 3 or 4 days.)

Test Kitchen Notes

• Red Thai curry paste is available in most large supermarkets. Some pastes contain only chiles and salt; others have lots of aromatics. Look at the ingredient label to get the latter type. Pastes that list chiles as the first ingredient will be the hottest.

• The amount of brine required is a little less than what’s left over from a 32-ounce jar of bread-and-butter pickles. If you are using smaller, 16-ounce jars, save the brine in a covered container in the freezer until you have enough.

• Not all bottled fish sauce is gluten-free. Again, check the label to be sure.

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Voilà! Did you know that many butchers at large supermarkets, so long as they’re not too busy, will sharpen a knife or two for you while you shop? Make sure you tip that butcher.