Laab Gai Spicy Thai Chicken Salad

Name: Laab Gai Spicy Thai Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 300 g (11 oz) ground chicken, preferably not lean (if you have the choice, go with dark meat); 300 g (11 oz) ground chicken, preferably not lean (if you have the choice, go with dark meat); 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water or unsalted chicken stock (don't buy stock for this, use stock only if you already have some); 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water or unsalted chicken stock (don't buy stock for this, use stock only if you already have some); 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) fish sauce; 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) fish sauce; 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, about 1/4 cup; 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, about 1/4 cup; 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice; 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice; 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) roasted chili flakes or whatever spicy chili powder you have, to taste; 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) roasted chili flakes or whatever spicy chili powder you have, to taste; 2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) toasted rice powder (recipe follows); 2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) toasted rice powder (recipe follows); 6-8 sprigs cilantro; 6-8 sprigs cilantro; 2-3 leaves sawtooth coriander (optional, or sub a little more cilantro); 2-3 leaves sawtooth coriander (optional, or sub a little more cilantro); 1 green onion, chopped; 1 green onion, chopped; ⅓ cup mint leaves, roughly torn if large; ⅓ cup mint leaves, roughly torn if large; Sticky rice for serving, here's my favourite way to make sticky rice.; Sticky rice for serving, here's my favourite way to make sticky rice.; Fresh veggies for serving, this can be cabbage, long beans, cucumber, romaine lettuce, carrots, or whatever crunchy veg you enjoy eating raw.; Fresh veggies for serving, this can be cabbage, long beans, cucumber, romaine lettuce, carrots, or whatever crunchy veg you enjoy eating raw.; Crispy chicken skin for garnish (optional, see recipe here); Crispy chicken skin for garnish (optional, see recipe here); 3 Tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice; 3 Tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice

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Laab gai (larb gai) is a spicy and tart ground chicken salad from northeastern Thailand, seasoned with fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and toasted rice powder. It's one of the easiest and most popular Thai dishes to make at home.

Laab Gai (larb gai) Spicy Thai Chicken Salad

Total

30 min

Servings

2

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Hot-thai-kitchen · by Pailin Chongchitnant

32 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a dry saute pan, add the rice and the kaffir lime leaf and toast, stirring constantly, over high heat until the rice has a deep brown colour. Remove from heat immediately and transfer into a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
2
Grind until fine (yes, grind the lime leaf too), but if using a coffee grinder, be careful not to over-grind—you don't want it to look like flour, you still want a bit of grittiness to it.
3
In a wide pot or saute pan, add the water or stock and bring to a simmer. Add ground chicken and 1 tsp of the fish sauce, then cook, stirring constantly to break up any big lumps, just until it is done.
4
Remove from heat, then, using the pot as your salad bowl, add the shallots and stir to wilt slightly and to make sure all the shallot layers are separated.
5
Then add fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and 2 Tbsp of the toasted rice powder; stir to mix well. Then add green onions and sawtooth coriander and/or cilantro and stir to mix. Tip: If you're not serving right away, hold the toasted rice powder and stir it in just before serving, otherwise the toasted rice powder will absorb all the dressing and make the salad seem dry, and the toasted rice powder will become slightly mushy.
6
Taste and adjust seasoning, if the acidity is a bit too intense you can add ½-1 tsp sugar or a little more rice powder to help balance the acidity.
7
Plate and sprinkle the mint on top. Garnish with a couple of dried chilies if you want, and sprinkle with some crispy chicken skin, if using (here's my crispy chicken skin in minutes recipe!).
8
Serve warm or room temp with sticky rice and fresh, crunchy vegetables such as iceberg lettuce, cucumber, long beans, Belgian endive.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Toast the rice and kaffir lime leaf over high heat until deep brown, then transfer immediately to avoid over-toasting; grind to a fine but slightly gritty texture, not powder.
Keep shallots thinly sliced and separate all layers by stirring into the hot chicken right after cooking; they will soften slightly from residual heat.
Hold back the toasted rice powder until just before serving; if stirred in early, it absorbs the dressing and makes the salad dry and the rice powder loses its texture.
Taste and balance acidity with a pinch of sugar or extra rice powder if lime juice feels too intense; this is key to the final flavor profile.

Substitutions

Thai sticky rice or jasmine rice → any short-grain rice for toasted rice powder (note: jasmine provides a floral note similar to the original)
Fish sauce → soy sauce or tamari (note: loses umami depth and authentic Thai flavor)
Fresh lime juice → rice vinegar or white vinegar (note: change acidity profile; use slightly less)
Makrut lime leaf → omit (note: optional, but adds subtle citrus fragrance to toasted rice powder)

Storage & make-ahead

Store cooked chicken and dressing components separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; add toasted rice powder and fresh herbs just before serving and eat within a few hours.

Equipment

mortar and pestle or coffee grinder (for grinding toasted rice)

Common Questions

What is toasted rice powder and can I skip it?

Toasted rice powder is uncooked Thai sticky or jasmine rice that's toasted until deep brown, then ground to a fine but slightly gritty texture. It adds nutty flavor and texture; skipping it changes the dish noticeably, but you can reduce it if unavailable and use extra rice powder to absorb dressing.

Can I make laab gai ahead of time?

Yes, but add the toasted rice powder just before serving; if mixed in early, it absorbs the dressing and makes the salad dry. Store cooked chicken and other components separately in the fridge and assemble when ready to eat.

What's the difference between dark and light meat chicken for this recipe?

The recipe specifies non-lean ground chicken, preferably dark meat, because it stays more moist and flavorful during cooking. Lean white meat can dry out and result in a less tender salad.

Can I use store-bought roasted chili flakes instead of making my own?

Yes, the recipe calls for 'roasted chili flakes or whatever spicy chili powder you have, to taste,' so any roasted chili product works; adjust the amount to your heat preference.