Chicken Larb is a light and refreshing dinner perfect for any night of the week! Larb is a Thai dish that’s usually made with ground pork, but this 20-minute version uses ground chicken as a lighter alternative. You can serve chicken larb warm or lightly chilled, in bowl form with steamed rice, cucumbers, lettuce cups, and loads of fresh herbs.
Table of contents
What Is Chicken Larb, You Ask?
If you know me, you know how much I love Thai food, and this chicken larb is a great option for make-at-home Thai. It’s essentially a refreshing meat salad with a tangy dressing that’s low carb, low-calorie, and full of lean protein.
When it’s the middle of summer and it’s too hot to think, the constant refrain is “what are we making for dinner?” Ground chicken larb bowls are my go-to easy but satisfying dinner! This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients and about 10 minutes to prep, what could be easier than that? Once you have the chicken cooked, it’s as easy as adding the sauce and dishing everything up!
I don’t claim for this recipe to be authentic, but the flavor and spirit of the dish is meant to highlight Thai and Laos cuisine in a delicious way!
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The Main Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Ground Chicken. Opt for a dark meat ground chicken here because you need some fat to keep the chicken from drying out. You can also substitute ground pork, turkey, or beef. To make this dish plant based, try sautéing finely diced mushrooms and eggplant.
- Aromatics. Green onion, shallot, ginger, garlic, and Thai chilies are the backbone in terms of flavor.
- Fish sauce. Fish sauce is a common ingredient in Thai, Laotian, and Vietnamese cooking. It adds a ton of savory umami flavor and I urge you to give it a try if you haven’t already! Purchase a high-quality fish sauce for best results (Red Boat is great!).
- Soy sauce. Adding a bit of soy sauce to the chicken larb boosts the savory flavors.
- Lime juice. Lime juice adds brightness and acidity, which makes the larb taste super fresh.
- Brown sugar. Brown sugar adds a little sweetness and balance to a very savory dish.
- Fresh herbs. Fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil really take this dish to the next level.
- Veggies. I love serving this alongside lettuce cups and sliced cucumber.
- Toasted peanuts. Toasted peanuts add a little bit of crunch to chicken larb.
- Rice. I almost always make chicken larb bowls, but you can also serve the ground chicken mixture in lettuce cups or over cauliflower rice.
How to Make Chicken Larb Bowls in 5 Easy Steps
- Make the sauce. Whisk together soy lime dressing before cooking the meat, because once the chicken hits the hot skillet this recipe moves quickly!
- Sauté the chicken. We’re using dark meat ground chicken here, but it’s still very lean so you need to oil the pan before cooking the meat to prevent it from drying out.
- Add the aromatics. Add the shallot, green onion, minced garlic, ginger, and Thai chilies. The aromatics only need to cook for a minute or two to wake up their flavors.
- Finish with the sauce. Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Serve. Divide the chicken larb into bowls with steamed jasmine rice, sliced cucumbers, lettuce cups, fresh herbs, and top with peanuts and lime wedges.
Meal Prep Instructions
We’re often so busy during the week that I love a good dinner recipe that I can turn into lunches and leftovers for the week!
Chicken larb. Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. All you have to do is just pop the chicken in the microwave to warm it through or you can enjoy it chilled.
Rice. I like serving the rice warm, so I often store it separately from the chicken in its own airtight container.
Herbs and veggies. Slice and chop everything up, then store in separate containers. You can either divide them by ingredient or measure out all of the toppings into smaller containers to grab and go during the week.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Chicken and Rice Bowl Recipes
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Harissa Chicken Bowls
- Tandoori Chicken Bowls
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Chicken Larb Bowls
Ingredients
Larb Dressing
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Larb Gai
- 1 lb ground dark meat chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2-3 Thai chilies, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
For Serving
- 4 cups steamed jasmine rice
- 1 butter leaf lettuce head, separated into leaves
- 3 baby cucumbers, sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground chicken and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
- Add the sliced shallot, green onion, minced garlic, ginger, and Thai chilies to the skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed.
- Divide the chicken larb into bowls and serve alongside steamed jasmine rice, lettuce cups, sliced cucumber, fresh herbs, and chopped peanuts. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
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