Larb Gai, a flavorful Thai minced chicken salad with crunchy vegetables and a light and tasty sauce. It's easy to make, healthy and tastes wonderful.
Larb Gai has always been a favorite meal of mine. It is a delicious Thai salad featuring plenty of crunchy textures and fragrant herbs and it's absolutely delicious!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Larb Gai is easy to make and filled with flavor. It can be made in one skillet in minutes!
- This Thai recipe is low carb, healthy and low in calories.
- It can be served as a side dish, as a salad, or as a main dish.
- This recipe can be made with easily accessible ingredients that can be found in the Asian section of your supermarket.
Ingredient Notes
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Chicken: Although I often poach 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts when I make Larb, you can also use ground chicken, ground pork, or even ground turkey in this recipe.
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger for best flavor.
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic. You could use 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this larb gai recipe as well as in every other recipe on ZagLeft that calls for olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. It is an unrefined oil and the highest-quality olive oil you can buy. Because of the way extra virgin olive oil is made, it retains more true olive taste. It also contains more of the vitamins and minerals found in olives. It's my favorite type of olive oil to use but you may use a lighter olive oil instead.
- Shallot: Use 1 shallot, peeled and sliced. It adds a whole lot of flavor.
- Red Pepper and green onions
- Mint and cilantro: These fresh herbs add a tremendous amount of flavor.
- Fish sauce: A key ingredient in Thai food.
- Lime juice: Fresh or bottled.
- Chili paste and salt: For flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
- In a small pan, I heated the oil and cooked some scallions, diced red peppers and garlic.
- In another bowl, I combined green onions, chopped mint and cilantro.
- In a smaller bowl, I whisked together 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of chili paste. If you like a spicer Larb Gai, add more of the chili paste - a little at a time until you get the flavor you like.
Expert Tips
- Prep, slice, and chop all of the ingredients first because the cooking process is very fast.
- This recipe works with almost any kind of meat; ground chicken, cooked chicken or ground turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Serve Larb Gai?
You can spoon the Larb Gai into lettuce cups or enjoy very simply on a bed of mixed lettuce.
Do You Eat Larb Cold?
It can be eaten warm or cold. Both ways are delicious.
Larb Gai is light, healthy and packed with flavor. It can be made quickly and any leftovers you might have will taste wonderful the next day.
Larb Gai
Larb Gai, a flavorful Thai minced chicken salad with crunchy vegetables and a light and tasty sauce. It's easy to make, healthy and tastes wonderful.
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Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- 2 quart saucepan
- 10-inch skillet
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken breasts , boneless, skinless (or 3 cubed cooked chicken)
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger , peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic , smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot , thinly sliced
- 1 medium red pepper , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup green onions , sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint , chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro , chopped
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
Instructions
- TO POACH THE CHICKEN (if using rotisserie chicken, skip).
- Arrange the chicken, ginger and garlic in a single layer on the bottom of a pot. Scatter the salt over the top.
- Pour in enough cool water to cover the chicken by an inch or so.
- Place the pot of chicken on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chicken simmer. Remove any foam with a spoon that accumulates at the top during the cooking.
- Check the chicken after 10 minutes. It is done when no longer pink and an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat registers 170 degrees F. (I find the chicken typically cooks in 10-12 minutes).
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and place on a cutting board to cool. When cooled, pull the chicken apart with a fork and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized pan on medium-high heat. Add the shallots and red pepper and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the green onions, mint, cilantro and shredded chicken.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice and chili paste. Pour over the chicken mixture and stir.
- Spoon into lettuce cups or on top of a bed of lettuce.
- Serve.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Prep, slice, and chop all of the ingredients first because the cooking process is very fast.
- This recipe works with almost any kind of meat; ground chicken, cooked chicken or ground turkey.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
i have never heard of this salad but I need to try it! It sounds amazing!
Thanks, Meg. It’s one of my family’s favorites.
I was a little hesitant about the name “Larb Gai” but this salad looks so delicious and refreshing!
Beth, you should definitely try it. We had it again last night, my family loves it.
I’ve always wanted to go to a Thai restaurant but never knew what to order. First I’m going to make this and then I’m gonna get brave enough to go to a Thai place. This looks amazing!
Amanda, You should definitely go to one but yes, try this first – at least then you’ll know what to order 😉
I had never heard of this! It looks AMAZING! Can’t wait to give it a try, yum!
Really wishing I would’ve had this for lunch today!
This recipe sounds fantastic!! I love the flavors and freshness!
I have never heard of Larb Gai but it sure looks easy and delicious!
Thanks, Kacey. It’s so good!
I’ve been wanting to make larb for so long! this looks so good!
Larb is definitely one of my favorites, too. I love the fresh, fragrant flavors of Thai cuisine, and this is such a simple preparation. Thank you.
I do too Renee. The flavors are so fresh and this is a really easy recipe.
Garlic, ginger, mint, cilantro, lime, fish sauce, chile–ahhh how I love those flavors. This salad sounds wonderfully bright and flavorful. So pretty too.
Thank you Susan. I always feel like I’m eating healthy when I eat this salad.
My husband and I honeymooned in Tulum, Mexico last year. Strangely there was a fabulous Thai restaurant right on the beach that we ate at multiple times. One of our favorite meals there was Larb Gai! I’ll definitely be making this soon!
Lauren, what a beautiful place for a honeymoon and how funny to find a Thai restaurant there. Larb Gai is most definitely a favorite of ours too.