Name: Chicken Larb (Thai Salad)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons rice; 6 1/2 ounces ground chicken; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon lemongrass (finely diced ); 3 tablespoons water; 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 onion ( finely sliced); 1 tablespoon chopped scallions; 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander); 1 tablespoon chopped mint; 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts; 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes; 12 Belgian endive leaves

This Thai salad is known as Chicken Larb or Laab Gai. It is cooked ground chicken with fresh herbs, peanuts, and a bit of chili pepper flakes for heat. It can be served as an appetizer or be part of the main meal.

The fresh ingredients of mint, lemongrass, and cilantro are some of the flavors that bring the Thai traditional flavors to the dish. It is light and fresh, yet has a deep flavor. Mixing the fresh herbs into the warm cooked chicken helps to intensify the flavors.

Traditionally, this dish is cooked in a wok. It can also easily be cooked in a skillet, frying pan, or pot, making it a versatile dish perfect for the outdoors. If you don’t have Belgian endive leaves, you can serve it in other lettuce leaves, alongside fresh green beans, or even with rice.

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Fingers holding a single Belgian endive leaf filled with chicken larb.

Chicken larb is a perfect bite of food that can easily be lifted in its endive cup.

Multiple endive leaves filled with chicken larb ready to be served as a finger food.

The warm chicken salad is served in an endive leaf which makes it easy to pick up and served as a finger food.

A completed chicken larb is sitting in the wok waiting to be divided among the endive leaves.

Once the chicken is cooked the salad is taken off the heat. The remaining ingredients can then be added and are warmed from the residual heat.

A row of three Belgian endive leaves fill with chicken larb sit on a black camping plate.

Fresh flavors of mint, cilantro, and lemongrass are mixed with cooked ground chicken.

A row of endive leaves filled with Thai chicken salad.

Mint is the prominent flavor in this fragrant and healthy finger food that also contains lemongrass and cilantro.

Chicken Larb (Thai Salad) Recipe

Saffron Hodgson

reviews

This Thai Salad is known as Chicken Larb (or Laab Gai) and is a ground chicken with Asian seasonings.

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Preparation 10

Cook 15

Ready in 25

Servings Servings

CourseAppetizer

InfluenceAsian

DifficultySeasoned

MethodStir Fry

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons rice
6 1/2 ounces ground chicken
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lemongrass finely diced
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 onion finely sliced
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro coriander
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
12 Belgian endive leaves

Equipment

wok or skillet
grinder

Directions

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add the rice and dry fry while stirring until golden brown. Remove, cool, and grind.
Add to the wok the chicken, fish sauce, lemongrass, and water. Cook while stirring to make sure the chicken breaks up and becomes crumbly. Remove as soon as cooked through but still moist, about 5 minutes.
Stir the lemon juice, onions, scallions, cilantro, mint, peanuts, chili flakes, and ground rice through the chicken. Toss well to combine; the residual heat will make the added ingredients fragrant without cooking them.
Lay out the endive leaves, then divide the chicken salad amongst them. Arrange on a plate ready to serve; eat while still warm.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 12gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 392mgPotassium: 706mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 197IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 1mg