Chicken Larb

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An incredibly tasty Chicken Larb made from chicken mince, fresh herbs, zesty lime juice, and savoury fish sauce. Serve with rice and herbs.

A plate of rice with ground meat, vegetables, lime wedges, and herbs next to a skillet of cooked meat, a small bowl of peanuts, and a green cloth on a dark surface.

This Southeast Asian-inspired Chicken Larb is packed with fresh herbs, zesty lime juice, and savoury fish sauce for a meal that's full of flavour without being complicated. Inspired by traditional larb from Laos/Northern Thailand, this simplified version uses easy-to-find supermarket ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes. Serve it with fluffy rice, crunchy slaw, and a sprinkle of peanuts for a fresh and satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ingredient notes:

Ingredients for a Thai dish, including chicken mince, fish sauce, lime, herbs, brown sugar, chili flakes, ginger, garlic, spring onions, and red onion, arranged on a countertop.

Fish sauce: Provides the signature salty, savoury flavour that gives this dish its south East Asian -inspired taste. A little goes a long way in adding depth and balance to the sauce.
Chicken mince: Affordable, quick to cook and absorbs all the delicious flavours of the sauce and herbs. It also keeps the dish light and fresh.
Mint and Coriander: These herbs are essential for creating the fresh, vibrant flavour that makes this dish so delicious. The mint adds brightness while the coriander brings a classic flavour.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Start by cooking the rice according to the packet instructions, as the mince mixture comes together quite quickly. While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables.

Chopped red onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger on a wooden cutting board with a measuring spoon and soy sauce nearby.

Chopped raw chicken and diced onions are being cooked in a cast iron skillet, stirred with a wooden spoon. Steam rises from the pan.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the red onion for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly golden. Increase the heat and add the chicken mince. Breaking it up with a wooden spoon, stir until cooked through and lightly browned.

Ground meat cooks in a cast iron skillet with chopped green onions and herbs being stirred in with a wooden spoon.

A blue bowl with a metal spoon contains a brown liquid sauce mixed with chili flakes, placed on a light speckled countertop.

Add in the garlic and ginger and stir through for 1 more minute. In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, chilli flakes (optional), water and cornflour.

A hand pours sauce from a small bowl into a skillet filled with cooked ground meat and chopped green herbs; a wooden spoon rests inside the skillet.

Cooked ground chicken with chopped vegetables and herbs in a skillet, mixed with a brown sauce.

Add the spring onions, coriander and mint to the pan. Pour in the sauce and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened and coating the chicken nicely. Serve over rice with slaw and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.

A plate of white rice topped with minced meat, chopped herbs, and peanuts, served with sliced lime, shredded cabbage, and carrot, with a fork on the side. A skillet is in the background.

Recipe FAQs:

What can I use instead of fish sauce?

Fish sauce adds the classic savoury flavour, but you can substitute it with some soy sauce if needed. Not as much or it will be far too salty! The flavour will also be different. I recommend giving the fish sauce a go, or just reduce the quantity if you like. I'm not a big seafood fan and don't really like the smell or flavour of fish sauce on its own but it works so well with the other ingredients in this recipe, the lime juice helps to balance it out.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes, the cooked chicken mixture freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating

Why doesn't this recipe use toasted rice powder like traditional larb?

Traditional Thai and Lao larb often includes toasted rice powder, which adds a nutty flavour and subtle texture to the dish. For this simplified version, I've left it out to keep things simple and chosen to serve it with rice on the side. If you'd like a more authentic flavour/texture, you can toast 2-3 Tbsp of uncooked rice in a dry frying pan until golden, then grind it into a coarse powder using a pestle and mortar or appliance and stir it through before adding the sauce into the mince.

Is larb sometimes served in lettuce cups?

Yes! Some people like to serve larb in fresh lettuce cups, which is a great low-carb option or starter. If you're planning to serve it this way, I would reduce the sauce slightly as the flavours can be quite intense without rice to balance them out. Personally, I think it's at its best served with a portion of fluffy rice, which soaks up the delicious flavour and creates a more balanced meal.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a frying pan until piping hot.

Top tips:

Be mindful not to cook off too much liquid after adding the sauce to the mince, it's a fairly dry dish with not a lot of sauce but if served with rice it's nice to have a little.
A Larb is quite a dry dish packed full of flavour, it's not very saucy but a little goes a long way when mixed in with rice. To make it go further and add in some more veggies, I like to serve with a fresh slaw or you could do some stir fried veggies too.
For a milder version, reduce or omit the chilli flakes.
Swap the chicken mince for pork mince or beef mince if preferred.
For extra freshness, serve with additional lime wedges and fresh herbs.

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Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A Lao/Thai -inspired chicken larb made from chicken mince, fresh herbs, zesty lime juice, and savoury fish sauce. Serve with rice and herbs.

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Ingredients

Chicken Larb

2 Tbsp oil
1 red onion, finely diced
400g chicken mince
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 spring onions, chopped
⅓ cup fresh coriander, chopped
⅓ cup fresh mint, chopped

Sauce

3 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp lime juice
¼ tsp chilli flakes
4 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp cornflour

To serve

Cooked Rice
Coleslaw
Chopped peanuts

Instructions

Start by cooking the rice according to the packet instructions, as the mince mixture comes together quite quickly.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the red onion for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly golden.
Increase the heat and add the chicken mince. Breaking it up with a wooden spoon, stir until cooked through and lightly browned. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir through for 1 more minute.
In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, chilli flakes (optional), water and cornflour.
Add the spring onions, coriander and mint to the pan. Pour in the sauce and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened and coating the chicken nicely.
Serve over rice with slaw and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.

Notes

Be mindful not to cook off too much liquid after adding the sauce to the mince, it’s a fairly dry dish with not a lot of sauce but if served with rice it’s nice to have a little.
Some people like to serve larb in fresh lettuce cups, which is a great low-carb option or starter. If you’re planning to serve it this way, I would reduce the sauce slightly as the flavours can be quite intense without rice to balance them out. Personally, I think it’s at its best served with a portion of fluffy rice, which soaks up the delicious flavour and creates a more balanced meal.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 1112mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 27g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya