A Simple and Fresh Thai Salad made with ground chicken, toasted rice powder, and fresh herbs.
Larb Gai is with chicken, but it can be made with any type of ground meat ( pork, beef, or turkey). This dish is quick and easy to make with very few ingredients. The only one that may be difficult to find is the toasted rice powder, which gives Larb it’s unique flavor and texture. You can find pre-made toasted rice powder in Asian stores or here on Amazon, but it’s also easy to make your own. This post has a video that shows you how to make toasted rice powder.
How to Make Toasted Rice Powder:
Add about 2 tablespoons of sweet sticky rice grains to a pan over medium heat. Toast until the grains have some color to them and become fragrant.
Then add to a spice grinder and grind. If you don’t have a spice grinder you can use a blender and then pour the rice through a strainer to remove any large pieces that may not have gotten blended. You want to end up with a fine powder.
How to Make Larb Gai:
Cook the ground chicken in a non-stick skillet with no oil. Cook thoroughly and keep the juices in the pan. You can also add some water to make it juicer. Since I used chicken breast I added 1/4 cup of water.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and stir in sliced red onions. The residual heat will wilt the onions. Then add the toasted rice powder, lime juice, fish sauce, and Thai chili flakes. Taste it and add more lime, fish sauce, or chili if needed.
A majority of Thai cooking is based on personal taste, if you prefer saltier, sour, or spice, it’s customizable to your taste buds. Finish by adding whole mint leaves and cilantro leaves. Serve with lettuce leaves, cucumbers, and a side of sticky rice.
Video-
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This post was originally published on 6/22/16 and has been updated with new pics and a video. The recipe has remained the same!
Larb Gai
A Simple and Fresh Thai Salad made with ground chicken and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken Breast, thigh, or combination
- 1/4 Cup Water If using lean chicken breast
- 1/2 Cup Red Onion Thinly Sliced
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Rice Powder
- 1-2 Tbsp Fish Sauce Taste first before adding more
- 2-3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice Taste first as well
- 1 Tbsp Thai Chili Flakes Use less for Mild
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro leaves Chopped and packed
- 1/4 Cup Mint Leaves Whole leaves
Instructions
- To make the toasted rice, add about 2 tablespoons of sweet sticky rice grains to a pan over medium heat. Toast until the grains have some color to them and become fragrant. Then add to a spice grinder and grind. If you don't have a spice grinder you can use a blender and then pour the rice through a strainer to remove any large pieces that may not have gotten blended. You want to end up with a fine powder.
- Cook the ground chicken in a non-stick skillet with no oil. Cook thoroughly and keep the juices in the pan. If using Chicken breast add about 1/4 cup of water to make it juicer.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and stir in sliced red onions. The residual heat will wilt the onions.
- Then add the toasted rice powder, lime juice, fish sauce, and Thai chili flakes. Taste it and add more lime, fish sauce, or chili if needed.
- Finish by adding whole mint leaves and cilantro leaves. Serve with lettuce leaves, cucumbers, and or a side of rice.
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I love larb! Wonder if this would taste good with tofu?
Hi Marci! I’m not sure how the texture would be with Tofu. Can you eat fish? I’ve made Larb with canned Tuna and Salmon. Turns out delicious and my go to when I’m in a rush.
Actually I now have seen a Larb recipe with hard pressed tofu, so yes, definitely give it a try 🙂
This recipe was delicious! I lam actually from Thailand, and have always loved this dish. I didn’t realize how easy it was to make! This recipe is the kind that I like, there are so many variations of it, but this was nearly perfect! Often times, I’ve had larb that is too dry or too herb-y tasting. As with Thai food, you will have to adjust the fish sauce, pepper and lime to your taste. Thank you!
That’s so great to hear, I’m glad you enjoyed the Larb! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂