Thai Chicken Larb Salad (Larb Gai)

Looking for a hearty salad that won’t leave you feeling hungry? This Thai Chicken Larb Salad is packed with a bold Thai flavor and has the perfect combination of freshness and spice. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and is Paleo, Whole30, and Keto!

There was a little Thai restaurant close to the office where I used to work in London that made the most incredible pork larb salad. I would get it at least 3 times a week for lunch because I just couldn’t get enough of the combination of spice, umami flavor, and lots of fresh herbs. So, if you’re looking for a super flavorful dish to bring Thai cuisine into your go-to dinners to make in a pinch or to present to your dinner guests, this is sure to impress. The chicken is cooked with bright and bold flavors and put on a bed of crisp lettuce leaves to make this Thai salad not only delicious, but nutritious and incredibly filling, and best yet, it is ready in 30 minutes. This one ticks all the boxes if you’re eating Low Carb, Whole30, Keto, or Paleo, and it is Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal. 

Why You Will Love This Thai Chicken Larb Salad

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• This recipe is quick and easy. It has delicious, savory flavors and fresh ingredients and can be made from start to finish in 30 minutes. 
• The combination of spicy, sour, and fresh flavors is incredible! I find the bold flavors of this salad highly addictive! The rich, spicy chicken is really lightened up with the addition of fresh cilantro and mint, plus the quick pickled red onions, which give a nice acidic hit of flavor to this traditional dish. 
• The ground meat options make it super versatile, and you can add extra veggies to the salad at the end to make it even more filling. 
• It’s healthy! This recipe is Low Carb, Whole30, Paleo, Keto and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal.
• It’s a great meal prep option because you can pickle the onions and make the meat mixture a day or two in advance. 

 

What Is Chicken Larb

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Chicken Larb or Thai Larb Gai is the national dish of Laos and is also a traditional food in Northern Thailand. It is a salad made with minced meat, tons of fresh herbs, and a tangy lime sauce. It is known for it’s bold and well-blended flavors of spice, saltiness, and more. Although not in my recipe, this popular dish is made with toasted rice powder to give it a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. It is typically served at room temperature or slightly chilled. 

 

 

Ingredients You Need To Make This Thai Chicken Larb

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• Red onion and Shallots: The red onion is pickled for a delicious, kick-assisted topping, and the shallots are sauteed with garlic and chili flakes. If you don’t have shallots on hand, you could substitute them with yellow onion. 
• Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a mild and fruity flavor to the kick that red onions offer. For a similar acidity, you could substitute white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar. 
• Green Onions/Scallions: You could use the green onions in two places. First, you will cook them with the chicken, lime juice, and fish sauce, and then second, you will use them as a garnish at the end. 
• Red Chili/flakes: This is a key ingredient and is where you’ll get your Thai characteristics spice. If you have an aversion to spicy food, you can cut back on these. A teaspoon of red chili will also work well as a substitute. 
• Ground Chicken: Ground chicken is a very traditional meat to use for this recipe, but you can also use ground pork, ground lamb, or ground beef.  
• Fish Sauce: This is where you’ll get your salty, umami flavor. I love Red Boat fish sauce because it doesn’t have sugar or gluten. You can also buy a vegan fish sauce if you don’t like fish. 
• Herbs: Mint and Cilantro are the classic herbs used in a Thai chicken larb recipe. Thai basil is often used, too, if you can find some!
• Lettuce: Romaine lettuce is a perfect first choice here because it is so light and crispy, but butter lettuce would also be delicious, especially if you want to make chicken Thai lettuce wraps. 
• Nuts: Cashews are a first choice if you are Paleo because they have a delicious mild flavor, but peanuts are also a great option and are also a traditional Thai ingredient. 

 

How To Make This Thai Chicken Larb 

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1. First, pickle your red onions by submerging them in the red wine vinegar and setting them aside while you make the chicken. 
2. In a large skillet, add the minced garlic, sliced shallots, and chili flakes (or diced chili) to the sesame oil and cook until the shallots begin to soften.
3. Using a wooden spoon, break up the ground chicken into crumbly small pieces. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, and chopped scallions, and cook for another 3 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Stir in your fresh herbs and remove the pan from the heat.
4. Arrange the lettuce in two bowls. Divide the chicken mixture between the two bowls and then top each with the pickled onion, sliced cucumber, chopped nuts, mint, scallions, and fresh limes on the side for a splash of fresh lime juice. Enjoy!

 

Make Your Own Ground Chicken

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It’s fairly easy to find ground chicken these days; it’s often in the freezer section, but if you can’t find it, it’s fairly simple to make yourself. To make ground chicken in minutes, cut chicken breast or thigh into cubes and then place them in a food processor, and pulse for 10 seconds until it forms a minced consistency. For this recipe, 1.5 lbs of ground chicken will equate to approximately 4 medium-sized chicken breasts.

Ways To Modify This Thai Larb Salad Recipe

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• Switch up the meat: Swap the ground chicken for ground turkey, ground pork or even beef
• Salad or lettuce cup: I prefer eating this salad on a big bed of lettuce, but alternatively, it can all be spooned into lettuce cups and eaten with your hands.
• Swap out the chopped cashews: The cashews can be replaced with chopped toasted peanuts or almonds, or left out completely for those with a nut allergy. 
• Bulk it up: This salad is really filling, but if you want to bulk it up even more, cook 2 cups of cauliflower rice in a pan on high heat until it becomes golden brown and slightly crispy. You could also add jasmine rice or any type of white rice if you don’t have diet restrictions. 
• Want more fresh vegetables? Cook chopped mushrooms with the ground chicken mixture or add raw green beans to the salad. 
• Love spice? Kick up the spice by adding more chili flakes, or alternatively, use a chopped red chili. For those not on SCD, you could also add 1 tbsp of red chili paste. 

 

Can I Make This Chicken Thai Larb Salad In Advance

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Yes! You can make both the pickled onions and the chicken mixture a day in advance. Simply make the onions and store them in a glass jar or container. After making the chicken mixture, bring it to room temperature and then store it in an airtight container. Before serving, chop up the cucumbers and lettuce and warm up the chicken on medium heat. 

What About Leftovers

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• The pickled onions will store for a long time. You can keep them in an airtight jar for 1 to 2 months. Be sure that they are fully submerged in the vinegar so they stay crisp and flavorful for the next time!
• Although this is best fresh, you can store the chicken leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat the leftovers, simply heat them on the stove on medium heat until heated through.
• If you have a lot of leftovers, you could store this in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Just be aware that it may have different results in texture after thawing. 

 

 

Here are a few more Asian inspired recipes that use ground chicken or pork:

• Asian Pork Meatballs
• Pork & Eggplant Stir Fry
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Pork Fried Rice
• Szechuan Pork & Green Bean Stir Fry

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If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

This post was originally published on May 19, 2020 and was updated with new copy on August 7, 2024.