Chicken Larb Bowls - The Most Popular Recipe From My 2nd Book (2024)

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.

Chicken Larb Bowls - The Most Popular Recipe From My 2nd Book (1)

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!!

Chicken Larb Bowls - The Most Popular Recipe From My 2nd Book (2)

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
Chicken Larb Bowls - The Most Popular Recipe From My 2nd Book (3)

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 - The Most Popular Recipe From My 2nd Book (4)

Chicken Larb Bowls

Author: Gaby Dalkin

5 from 65 votes

Chicken Larb over coconut lime rice is truly a match made in heaven. I promise your family will be obsessed!!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai, Laotian

Servings 4 people

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

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.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 693kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 1086mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3749IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 5mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @WhatsGabyCookin or tag #whatsgabycooking!

Photo byMatt Armendariz/ Food Styling byAdam Pearson

Chicken Larb Bowls - The Most Popular Recipe From My 2nd Book (2024)

FAQs

Where did chicken Larb come from? ›

While typically perceived as Thai, larb actually originated in Laos — where it is largely considered the national dish! Over time, the dish migrated and became popular in Thailand. Today, the dish is regional to both Laos and Isan, the northeastern region of Thailand.

What to eat with Larb? ›

Larb should be served warm or at room temperature with a mixture of crunchy fresh vegetables (lettuce leaves, cucumber sticks, raw beans or cabbage) and steamed sticky rice.

How many calories are in Larb? ›

Nutrition summary

There are 555 calories in 1 serving of Thai Chicken Larb Salad.

What is lao Larb? ›

Laotian Larb is technically a salad (a meal with small pieces), but made mostly with meat! It gets its wonderful flavor from fresh herbs, shallots, fish sauce, lime juice, a few spices and most importantly, the unique ingredient of toasted rice.

What does larb mean in Thai? ›

The name derived from the full word of "จิ๊นลาบ", the word "จิ๊น" means animal meat while "ลาบ" means to chop into smaller pieces or mince in Lanna script (closely linked to Tai Tham). Laab was enjoyed in both raw or cooked forms depends on the likings.

Why is larb so good? ›

larb Isan is known for its robust spiciness. Minced meat is usually seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, chilli powder, grounded roasted rice, shallots, and spring onions. Some recipes also include coriander and mint leaves.

What is the difference between chicken laab and larb? ›

While most people, and many Thai restaurants, call this dish larb, the correct pronunciation and the way it should be written is laab. The R is not pronounced.

What is the flavor of larb? ›

Larb is typically intensely seasoned -spicy, tangy, salty, all the flavors, so to help “mellow” this out, I like to serve it with rice and cool crunchy veggies – cucumber, radish, jicama, lettuce, etc.

How to eat chicken laab? ›

Serve the larb with rice, Bibb or butter lettuce leaves, lime wedges, quick-pickled onions, more sambal oelek, and torn herbs like cilantro, basil, and mint.

Does Yum Yum sauce have calories? ›

Terry Ho's The Original Yum Yum Sauce (2 tbsp) contains 5g total carbs, 5g net carbs, 17g fat, 0g protein, and 170 calories.

How many calories are in tom yum soup? ›

From the rich coconut Laksa Noodle Soup to Vietnamese Beef Pho, and Japanese Ramen, there's a vast variety and Thailand's Tom Yum Soup is right up there with the best of them. And the bonus? Tom Yum Soup is good for you, with just 156 calories per serving and very low fat.

How many calories in a Thai meal? ›

Thai Food Calories List
Healthiest Thai Food (calories)Approximate Calories per Serving
Goong Pad Pak (Stir-Fried Shrimp with Vegetables)150-250 calories
Khao Man Gai (Thai Chicken and Rice)250-350 calories
Yum Hed (Mushroom Salad)80-120 calories
Guay Tiew Tom Yum (Spicy Thai Noodle Soup)250-350 calories
16 more rows

Why does larb smell? ›

Why? Authentic larb gai is made with padaek which is a fermented fish made into a thick fish sauce. Fermented fish is what makes larb smell. If you can't get over the smell, this is one of the ingredients that can be omitted from the recipe without any substitutions.

What is Vietnamese larb? ›

Larb, which means "chopped up" in Thai, is a minced meat salad made from virtually any protein — pork, chicken, beef, duck, or fish.

What makes larb sour? ›

A ground beef dish that originated from Northern Thailand. The larb is sweet from the natural taste of beef and the sugar, yet slightly tart from the lime and fish sauce.

What is the national dish of Laos? ›

Larb or laap is widely considered as Laos' national dish – this meat-based salad is flavoured with mint leaves, chilli, fish sauce, and lime juice, giving it a zesty flavour. Most restaurants use pork or chicken to make larb, but you can also enjoy it with minced beef, duck, or fish.

What is the history of laap? ›

Laap, minced meat mixed with roasted rice, lime juice, fresh herbs and fresh chili, has its origins in northeast Thailand and Laos, and is a dish known well outside the region. Laap as it's served in northern Thailand is an entirely dish altogether and is virtually unknown outside of the region.

Where did chicken pad thai come from? ›

Pad Thai was created during the dictatorship of Plaek Pibulsonggram, known as Phibun, who ruled Thailand for two periods: 1938-1944 and 1948-1957. This ruler made the request to create a dish that would be an emblem for the country and that would make Thai cuisine stand out in the world.

What type of cuisine is larb? ›

Larb, for anyone who hasn't had it, is a minced meat dish popular in Thailand and Laos. In its simplest form, it's comprised of cooked ground meat (or sometimes just veg) that is mixed with zippy chiles, ground toasted rice, fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh mint.

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