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Chicken Larb

Easy Thai Chicken Larb is made with ground chicken, garlic, ginger, lime, and plenty of fresh herbs. Served over coconut lime rice or in lettuce wraps, this meal is nutritious and easy to make. This salty, spicy, and sweet dish can be ready in about 30 minutes or less and will be a hit with the whole family!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Thai
Keyword chicken larb, larb gai
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 230kcal
Cost $6.37

Ingredients

Chicken Larb

  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil (can use olive oil)
  • 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (~2 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger (~1 inch piece)
  • 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts) (~4-6 onions)
  • 1 pound ground chicken (darker meat will be more tender and flavorful)

Quick Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons regular (all purpose, not light) soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 teaspoon zest zest (~1 large lime)
  • 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (ground chili paste) (See Note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, not packed
  • Fine sea salt and pepper

Toppings

  • 1/4 cup EACH: chopped mint, chopped cilantro, chopped basil (See Note 2)
  • 3 Persian cucumbers (or 1 English cucumber)
  • 1 tablespoon EACH: rice vinegar, olive oil, lime juice

Coconut Lime Rice (optional)

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 and 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 large lime (~1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
  • For serving (optional): Lettuce leaves, additional lime wedges

Instructions

  • COCONUT BASMATI RICE: Get the rice started first (if making). Combine 1 cup basmati rice, 1 and 1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste). Stir and place over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the rice. Allow to simmer for 13-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand for 10-15 minutes; don't rush or it will be sticky! Fluff the rice with a fork and then add in the zest and juice of one lime. Stir and evenly divide onto plates.
  • SAUCE: In a small bowl, whip together the sauce ingredients: add the 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (See Note 1), 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste; it will depend on the saltiness of the soy sauce, but note that ground chicken does need a good amount of seasoning). Stir to combine.
  • TOPPINGS: Prep the toppings next: thinly slice the Persian cucumbers and place in a medium sized bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the cucumbers. Stir and give the mixture a few more stirs while cooking the ground chicken. Give the herbs a quick coarse chop and place in a bowl (See Note 2).
  • LARB MEAT: Finally, prepare the meat portion. Add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil to a large cast iron skillet and melt over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add in the 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 1 cup of thinly sliced green onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and tender. Add in the ground chicken. Make sure to really break up the ground chicken with a wooden spoon so there are no large clumps. Sauté for 7-9 minutes (breaking up/stirring almost constantly) or until mostly cooked through and white all over. Drain off any accumulated liquid and return skillet to medium high heat. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked (no pink remains) and sauce is coating everything. Remove from heat.
  • SERVE: Serve appetizer style with lettuce leaves, larb meat, coconut lime rice, a bowl with the herbs, and the cucumbers. Either layer everything in a bowl or on a plate (coconut lime rice, larb meat, chopped herbs, cucumbers) or fill up lettuce wraps. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

Note 1: The Sambal Oelek adds a lot of flavor and is fairly spicy. If you're sensitive to heat, start with 1 teaspoon of the sauce and increase from there. You can also try Sriracha sauce in place of the chili sauce. (Note that a lot of the flavor in this dish does come from the Sambal Oelek.)
Note 2: The herbs add so much to this dish, but if you prefer, use a combination of two of the herbs instead. I like serving the herbs on the side so everyone can add as much as they want.
Note 3: Recipe adapted from "Cooking without Recipes" from BonAppetit. 

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.3g | Protein: 27.3g | Fat: 8.2g | Cholesterol: 82.7mg | Sodium: 355.2mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 6.5g