Packed with bold and delicious flavors and super easy to make- this Thai chicken larb salad recipe is a must-try if you’re trying to eat healthily.
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What is Thai Chicken Larb Salad?
Authentic Thai chicken larb salad is made using minced chicken and has the powerful flavors of lime, mint, and fish sauce. You might come across several variations to the recipe, but in general, it is a salad packed with so many contrasting textures and flavors, that it doesn’t feel like a salad at all.
If you like this salad, you may also appreciate a simple crunchy Thai chicken salad recipe for your menu too. It's another great way to make something delicious but a bit healthier.
Ingredients For the Thai Chicken Larb Salad
You’ll need a few simple salad ingredients to make this salad.
For the pickled onions
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- ¼ cup onion
For the chicken
- 1 cup onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 4 tablespoosn lemongrass
- 1 tablespoon red chili
- ½ cup ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
- 2 cups cucumber
- ½ cup scallions
- 1 tablespoon red chili
- ½ cup cilantro
- ½ cup mint
- ½ cup basil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Kitchen Tools Needed
How to Make Thai Chicken Larb Salad
In a small bowl, combine the onions, hot water, and vinegar. Stir then cover and refrigerate.
In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add in the onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Next, add in the garlic, lemongrass, and chili flakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant.
Add the ground chicken and stir to mix well.
Season with salt, black pepper, and brown sugar, then continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, stir together the cucumber, scallions, red chili, cilantro, mint, basil, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
Once the chicken is done cooking, stir together with the salad and pickled onions.
Serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping or over rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can also make this with ground turkey, ground pork, or ground beef if you prefer. It could also be made with small shrimp, veggie crumbles, or even tofu if you desired.
You can also make your own ground chicken by pulsing chicken breasts or chicken thighs in a food processor.
Yes! That’s actually one of the best things about this dish. You can get the pickled onions and the chicken mixture ready in advance, and refrigerate it. Then, when you want to enjoy this salad, all you need to do is get the fresh ingredients ready and put it all together. While the salad tastes best when it is warm, it can also be served as a cold salad.
You can store the leftovers for up to 4 days in your refrigerator. Just make sure you transfer them into an airtight container.
Tips to Make the Thai Chicken Larb Salad
Can’t wait to get started on this salad recipe? Here are a few tips and tricks you need to keep in mind to make sure you get all the flavors right!
- Want to increase the health factor of this salad? Throw in some blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, and stir-fried mushrooms. You can also throw in some carrot sticks. They can add a nice pop of color and crunchiness to the salad.
- The minced red chilies can really add a lot of spicy kick to the salad, but if you’d like to turn it down a bit, skip the chilies.
- Don’t have brown sugar? Substitute with honey or palm sugar- two natural sweeteners that taste great in Thai cuisine.
- To make the salad more colorful and healthy, you can also throw in some sliced bell peppers (all the colors) or radish.
- Purple cabbage and cauliflower rice are two other great additions you can consider adding to the salad if you want to bulk it up.
- Authentic Thai chicken larb salad also needs you to add in crispy toasted rice, which is then roughly ground up. If you have the time, add it in to take the salad up a notch.
- You can also sprinkle some roughly chopped-up toasted peanuts on the top, right before you serve.
- Love the tangy flavor lime juice adds to this salad? You can make the flavors bolder by chopping up some kaffir lime leaves and adding them into the mix. And of course, if you don’t have it, some lemon zest can do the trick.
- Make sure you don’t skimp out on adding the herbs- they can readily bump up the flavor of the salad.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
There are several ways to serve this incredibly versatile Thai chicken lamb salad. Here are a few ideas to get you going.
- If you’re health-conscious and trying to get more fiber into your meals, serve the salad in lettuce cups.
- Want to make it more filling? You can team it up with some sticky rice or even some coconut rice for added flavor.
- Looking for a healthier alternative to rice? Some quinoa should do the trick.
- Want to serve it as a part of a whole Thai spread you’re whipping up for the family or for some guests coming over? This salad can work nicely with some drunken noodles and pineapple fried rice.
Thai Chicken Larb Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients for the pickled onions
- ½ cup Hot water
- 2 tsp Vinegar
- ¼ cup Onion sliced
Ingredients for the chicken
- 1 cup Onion diced
- 1 tsp Minced garlic
- 4 tsp Lemongrass minced
- 1 tsp Red Chili minced
- ½ cup Ground chicken
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
Ingredients for the salad
- 2 cups Cucumber diced
- ½ cup Scallions chopped
- 1 tsp Red chili minced
- ½ cup Cilantro chopped
- ½ cup Mint chopped
- ½ cup Basil chopped
- 2 tsp Fish sauce
- 4 tsp Lime juice
- 1 tsp Brown sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the onions, hot water, and vinegar. Stir then cover and refrigerate.
- In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add in the onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Next, add in the garlic, lemongrass, and chili flakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant.
- Add the ground chicken and stir to mix well.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and brown sugar, then continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, stir together the cucumber, scallions, red chili, cilantro, mint, basil, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, stir together with the salad and pickled onions.
- Serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping or over rice.
Notes
- If you are using lamb, make sure to strain the fat properly if you intend to chill it. Otherwise, it will harden when chilled.
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