Chicken Larb Bowls from cookbook #2 is happening today. GET PUMPED. This was hands down the most popular recipe from that cookbook! The first time I had Chicken Larb (Larb Gai) I was at Night + Market in West Hollywood. The moment I tried this amazing dish I knew that I had to try and make it at home.
Table of Contents
If you haven't snagged a copy of my 2nd cookbook yet, you're totally missing out! It's packed to the brim of California inspired recipes that are easy to make and even easier to eat. It's been so fun watching everyone make their favorite recipes over the last 4ish years and 1 recipe that keeps popping up again and again on social media is the larb bowl!!
What is Chicken Larb?
It's incredibly flavorful, kids of all ages will love it, adults will devour it and it's easy. I make it at least once a week for Thomas and I and neither of us can get enough.
If you've never heard of Larb before - it's a meat dish and is a staple dish of both Laos and Thailand. The Laotian version of Larb uses fish sauce and the Thai version omits the fish sauce and relies more on spices. The version below is by no means super traditional - but it's incredibly flavorful and after seeing you guys make it for years on end, I know we're all obsessed.
Where does Chicken Larb come from?
Chicken larb (also spelled laab or laap) is a popular dish in the cuisine of Laos and northeastern Thailand.
Larb is believed to have originated in Laos, and it has since become a popular dish throughout the region, particularly in the northeastern provinces of Thailand, where it is known as "larb gai" (chicken larb). It is often served with sticky rice and fresh vegetables, and can be found in local markets, street food stalls, and restaurants.
Larb has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in North America, Europe, and Australia, where it is often featured on Thai restaurant menus.
And if you love a chicken-rice bowl situation, I hope you have already made the ginger scallion chicken bowls, and if not, that is a great one to have on rotation as well!
Ingredients
Traditional Chicken Larb is a type of salad made with minced chicken, lime juice, fish sauce, chili peppers, roasted rice powder, and fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, and scallions.
My iteration of this recipe calls for the following ingredients
For the quick pickles
- Persian Cucumbers
- Red Onion
- Rice Vinegar
For the chicken
- Vegetable Oil
- Kale
- Ground Chicken
- Garlic
- Scallions
- Soy Sauce
- Sambal Oelek
- Brown Sugar
For the rice
- Water
- Coconut Milk
- Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Jasmine Rice
- Lime
To garnish:
- Mint leaves
- Basil leaves
- Cilantro leaves
Other Great Recipes:
- Ginger Scallion Chicken Bowls
- Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake
- Grilled Lemonade Chicken
- Lebanese Chicken Meatballs
- Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Schnitzel
- Homemade Orange Chicken
Stuck in a dinner rut? Looking for new delicious dinner ideas? Check out my roundup of 50+ easy dinner ideas here.
Chicken Larb Bowls
Ingredients
For the quick pickles:
- 2 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
For the chicken:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 5 ounces kale deveined and chopped
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 6 scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sambal oelek
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the rice:
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- zest and juice of 1 lime
To garnish:
- fresh mint leaves
- fresh basil leaves
- fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
To make the quick pickles:
- In a small bowl, toss the cucumbers, red onion, and vinegar. Set aside to marinate while you cook the chicken.
To make the chicken:
- In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the kale and cook until wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and carefully transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add the ground chicken to the same skillet and cook, breaking it apart with the back of a wooden spoon and stirring frequently until no pink remains, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and scallions and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, sambal oelek, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Return the cooked kale to the skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and reduce the heat to low until ready to serve.
To make the rice:
- Combine the water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to simmer. Add the rice and bring back to a low simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice steam for another 5 to 10 minutes, until fully cooked and soft. Uncover, fluff, and toss in the lime zest and juice.
To assemble:
- Divide the rice among 4 bowls, followed by the chicken and kale, pickles, and plenty of fresh mint, basil, and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson
Excited to try! Is it possible to try your rice method via instant pot?
How can i replace the sambal? I do not eat spicy food, but i would love to make this recipe! Thanks.
just omit!!
This looks amazing! I am trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals in to my life, what cooking method of tofu would you suggest? I also like the idea of lentils. Thank you.
Do you think substituting ground pork for the ground chicken would work?
yes!
Love your recipes and cookbooks, with the added twist that we are vegetarian. What sort of fake meat would you recommend here? I am thinking some form of seitan, but wondering what you think!
I would do lentils!
Probably one of the best things I’ve ever made! It’s become a weekly staple at our house and everyone I’ve made it for asks for the recipe. I end up shoveling the coconut rice into my mouth right out of the pot, it is out of this world. How is something so simple so amazing?? That’s the best thing about Gaby’s recipes.. amazing food that doesn’t need to be overly complicated.
We adore this recipe and eat it frequently with either cauliflower rice or the coconut jasmine, which is so delicious. Before I ordered the recommended hot sauce, I used sriracha sauce; maybe because we grew accustomed to it we prefer it.
So so good. We've made the beef larb a few times but this one is amazing, too. Our 2YO was obsessed and ate so many pickled cucumbers. Thanks!
omg LOVE THAT
SO good. I substituted the sambal for gochujang (because that is what I had in the pantry) and it was AMAZING and super super easy for a weeknight (I actually made the rice in the morning and just heated it up at dinner time to make things even easier). My husband asked if we could have it again for dinner tonight ha! I think gochujang is probably a good substitute as well if you have eaters who are a bit more spice averse but are still looking for flavor.
Delicious! This meal is so satisfying. My little one loves it and so does my husband. One of my faves!
Made this using brown rice, cooked in a rice cooker; turned out great.
Followed the remaining instructions but went heavier on soy sauce. Next time will sprinkle w/ unsalted, roasted & chopped peanuts. SO, SO good!
yum!
amazing!! I added chopped zucchini, spinach and riced cauliflower for added veggies! Delish! My teenage boys and husband LOVED it. This will be on repeat!!
Staple in my house! The balance of flavors makes it one of my very favorite Gaby recipes!
Don't hate me, but I subbed the rice for cauliflower rice (cooked and measured slightly differently) and it was INSANELY GOOD! I also made the real rice for my son and husband. The chicken and kale were other worldly. My toddler chowed down although I might go lighter on the sambal oelek next time bc he def. got a hot bite at one point and was none too pleased with the chef. I will be making this again and again.
So quick and easy!! I love that you can make subs, like I did tonight with arugula instead of kale and it was amazing!! Thank you!