Chicken Larb (Laab Gai) with Toasted Rice and Mint
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking.
A lighter take on the classic beef larb, made with gently steamed minced chicken and red onion in place of shallot, finished with mint, coriander and toasted rice powder.
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Method
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Why it's healthy
24.6 g protein for 245 kcal = 10 g per 100 kcal. Our High Protein label needs at least 10 g per 100 kcal. How we decide
Equipment
- small dry frying pan
- mortar and pestle or spice grinder
- large frying pan or wok
- instant-read thermometer
- large bowl
- slotted spoon
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 245 kcal |
| Protein | 24.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 14.9 g |
| of which sugars | 3.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 10.5 g |
| of which saturates | 3 g |
| Fibre | 2.6 g |
| Salt | 1.56 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
10 g meets the High Protein rule (≥ 10 g)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Toasted rice
- 3 tbsp raw jasmine or sticky rice, for toasted rice powder
Chicken
- 500 g minced chicken (thigh or mixed)
- 2 tbsp water
Dressing
- 60 g red onion, thinly sliced
- 1½ tbsp fish sauce
- 4 tbsp lime juice (2-3 limes)
- 2 g sugar about ½ tsp
- 1 tsp Thai chilli flakes (or ordinary chilli flakes)
Herbs
- 15 g coriander, leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 15 g mint leaves, torn
- 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
To serve
- 1 soft lettuce, leaves separated
- 200 g cucumber, cut into spears
- 100 g long beans or green beans, raw, cut into lengths optional
- 1
Toast the rice. Toast the raw rice in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring often, for 6-10 minutes until it's deep golden and smells nutty. Cool it fully, then grind to a coarse powder. This larb follows the same method as the classic beef version, but with minced chicken steamed gently to 74°C instead of beef, and red onion in place of the shallot for a lighter, brighter dressing.
- 2
Mix the dressing. Stir the red onion, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chilli flakes together in a large bowl, cutting back on the chilli flakes if you want a milder result. Set this aside while the chicken cooks. Red onion gives a crisper bite and a milder flavour than shallot, which suits the lighter character of chicken larb.
- 3
Steam the chicken. Heat the large pan over medium-high until hot, add the water, then the chicken, and stir constantly, breaking up any lumps, for 3-5 minutes. Cook until no raw-looking bits remain and the chicken reaches 74°C in the centre; the splash of water steams it gently from within so it stays soft rather than drying out. Transfer it to the dressing while it's still warm, so it drinks up the lime and fish sauce.
- 4
Add the herbs. Stir in most of the coriander, mint and spring onion along with two-thirds of the toasted rice powder. Taste and adjust - it should come across as tangy, salty and lightly hot - adding more rice powder for extra crunch if you like. The warmth of the chicken helps the herbs release their fragrance into the dressing.
- 5
Serve. Top with the remaining herbs and serve with lettuce leaves, cucumber spears and beans for wrapping and scooping. Choose fewer chilli flakes in the dressing if you'd like a gentler, less fiery version. This larb is nicest eaten shortly after mixing, while the herbs are still fresh and fragrant.
Storage
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently until piping hot throughout (74°C) before eating, or serve cold from the fridge; the herbs are best added fresh if making ahead. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
