Larb Gai is a Thai minced chicken salad from the Isaan region — cooked meat tossed warm with lime, fish sauce, chili, toasted rice powder, and fresh herbs. It comes together in 15 minutes and costs almost nothing to make, which is the honest reason it earns a regular spot in the weeknight rotation.
Smart swaps
- Culantro: This serrated herb (also called sawtooth coriander) is common in Asian grocery stores but easy to miss. Regular cilantro works fine — use about three times as much by volume since culantro is more pungent.
- Thai shallots: Small red Thai shallots are sweeter and milder than standard shallots. If you can only find regular red onion, use half the quantity and soak the slices in cold water for five minutes to take the edge off.
- Palm sugar: Light brown sugar or even a small pinch of white sugar is a perfectly workable substitute. The difference in the final dish is minimal.
- Thai mint (Bai Salanee): Standard spearmint or regular fresh mint from the supermarket does the job. Avoid dried mint — it won’t give you the same freshness.
- Fish sauce: There is no great substitute for fish sauce here; it is the backbone of the dressing. If you are cooking for someone avoiding fish, a small amount of soy sauce plus a drop of rice vinegar gets you closer than leaving it out entirely.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this recipe work. First, cooking the minced chicken in stock rather than oil and then reducing that liquid keeps the meat moist while concentrating flavor directly into it — dry-frying ground chicken tends to turn it chalky fast. Second, the toasted rice powder (Khao Krua) does more than add texture: it absorbs the dressing so the salad stays cohesive rather than pooling liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Both steps are quick, and skipping either one noticeably changes the result.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not reducing the stock enough: If you add the other ingredients while there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, the dressing gets diluted and the salad turns watery. Let the stock reduce until it is just a few tablespoons before moving on.
- Adding lime juice over heat: Lime juice turns bitter when it cooks. Take the pan off the heat before you add it, or squeeze it in just before serving.
- Under-toasting the rice: Pale, barely-toasted rice powder tastes like raw starch. Toast the raw rice in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is a deep golden-brown and smells nutty — this takes 8 to 10 minutes and is worth the patience.
- Serving it cold: The fat in the chicken firms up when chilled and the dressing loses its brightness. This dish is meant to be served lukewarm or at room temperature. If it has been in the fridge, let it sit out for 10 minutes before eating rather than microwaving it.
- Skipping the food safety check: Ground chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Because the meat is cooked in liquid and broken up fine, it cooks through quickly — but confirm it is fully opaque with no pink before pulling it off the heat.
Keeping and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. The herbs will wilt and the lime flavor will fade, so if you are planning ahead, keep the mint and a squeeze of fresh lime separate and add them when you serve. Freezing is not recommended — the herbs turn to mush and the texture of the chicken becomes grainy after thawing. To reheat, a quick 60 seconds in the microwave on medium power is enough; do not overheat it or the chicken dries out. A splash of extra lime juice stirred in after reheating brings the brightness back. Skip the garnish of extra herb sprigs on reheated portions — not worth the extra dish.
Larb Gai (Thai Chicken Salad) – 15-Minute Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
¾ pound chicken breast - minced, about 340g
¾ cup chicken stock - chicken broth or chicken bouillon, or water, 180ml- 5-6 small red Thai shallots - or red onion, finely sliced
2-3 stalks spring onions - finely chopped- 1-2 leaves culantro - sawtooth coriander, finely sliced — or substitute with a small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
- 2 tablespoons toasted rice powder - Khao Krua — see notes for homemade method
- 1-2 teaspoons roasted dried chilli flakes - Phrik Pon
1-2 teaspoons palm sugar - 4-8g, or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce - 15ml
2 tablespoons lime juice - fresh ; 30ml, about 1½ limes- 1 cup Thai mint leaves - loosely packed, Bai Saranae
- ½ teaspoon MSG flavour enhancer - optional
Instructions
- Finely mince the chicken breast, best with a Chinese cleaver, or have it minced already from your meat shop.¾ pound chicken breast
- Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the minced chicken, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through (74°C / 165°F internal) and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds.¾ pound chicken breast, ¾ cup chicken stock
- Add the toasted rice powder and chilli flakes to the chicken and mix together.2 tablespoons toasted rice powder, 1-2 teaspoons roasted dried chilli flakes
- Remove the wok from the heat. In a small bowl, dissolve the palm sugar in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Add the culantro, sliced shallots, spring onions, and dissolved palm sugar to the chicken and toss well to combine. Season with fish sauce, lime juice, and MSG if using. Taste and adjust — it should be sour first, salty second, with a background heat.1-2 leaves culantro, 5-6 small red Thai shallots, 2-3 stalks spring onions, 1-2 teaspoons palm sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon MSG flavour enhancer
- Fold in the Thai mint leaves just before serving. Serve lukewarm on a plate lined with fresh lettuce or cabbage leaves alongside sticky rice, raw green beans, and cucumber slices.1 cup Thai mint leaves
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use ground chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Yes, and it actually produces a juicier result. Ground thigh meat has more fat than breast, so the finished salad will be slightly richer. The cooking time stays the same — just make sure it reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout.
Where do I find toasted rice powder, or can I make it myself?
You can make it at home with plain uncooked white rice — ideally sticky rice, but long-grain works. Toast it dry in a pan over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden, then grind it coarsely in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Pre-made Khao Krua is also sold in bags at most Asian grocery stores.
How spicy is this dish, and can I control the heat?
The heat level depends entirely on how much roasted chili powder you use — the recipe calls for 1 to 2 teaspoons, so start with one. Thai chili flakes are significantly hotter than standard supermarket chili flakes, so if that’s what you have, use them sparingly and taste as you go.
Can I make this ahead for packed lunches?
Yes, with a small adjustment. Pack the dressed chicken mixture separately from the fresh herbs and any extra lime juice, and combine them just before eating. This keeps the herbs from going soggy and the lime flavor sharp.
What can I serve with this if I don’t have sticky rice?
Plain steamed jasmine rice works well and is the most common substitute. Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves, or raw long beans alongside the salad also work — they add crunch and help balance the chili heat without needing any extra cooking.
Can I use dried herbs if I can’t find fresh mint or culantro?
For mint, dried is a poor substitute here — the dish relies on the fresh, cooling contrast of the herb against the chili and lime. If fresh mint is unavailable, fresh basil (especially Thai basil) is a better stand-in than dried mint. Dried culantro is similarly flat; fresh cilantro is the better swap.
If you liked this one
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- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Quick Lamb Coconut Rendang
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
