Thai
Larb Gai (Thai Chicken Salad)
Minced chicken tossed warm with lime, chilli, herbs and toasted rice powder — a zingy, light Thai classic in under 20 minutes.
About this recipe
Larb Gai (Thai Chicken Salad) is a thai lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around chicken and fish, and it takes around 18 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 250g minced chicken
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 stalks spring onion
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 lime buy
- 2 bird's eye chilli buy
- 2 shallot buy
- small handful mint buy
- 1 tbsp toasted rice powder buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Cook the mincedMince.Cut very finely (releases stronger flavour, but burns faster).Glossary → chicken in a pan with a splash of water until cooked, breaking it up, 6 min.
~7 min
- 2
Off the heat, toss with lime, fish sauce, chilli, sugar, shallot and spring onion.
~4 min
- 3
Fold through mint and toastedToast.Heat dry (no oil) until aromatic and lightly browned — spices, nuts, rice.Glossary → rice powder; serve with rice or lettuce.
~3 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Chicken
- pork, prawns, or firm tofu — keep pieces thin so they cook fast.
- Lime
- lemon, or a splash of rice vinegar for the acidity.
- Fish sauce
- light soy sauce with a tiny pinch of salt — less funk, still savoury (also the vegetarian swap).
- Shallots
- half a small red onion — milder, but close.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
Cook's notes
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Deseed the chilli for less heat, and wash your hands (or wear a glove) before touching your eyes. How to prep chilli →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Roll the lime firmly on the bench before juicing — you’ll get noticeably more juice out of it. How to juice a lime →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Frequently asked
How long does Larb Gai (Thai Chicken Salad) take to make? +
Around 18 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Chicken → pork, prawns, or firm tofu — keep pieces thin so they cook fast; Lime → lemon, or a splash of rice vinegar for the acidity; Fish sauce → light soy sauce with a tiny pinch of salt — less funk, still savoury (also the vegetarian swap). See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Larb Gai (Thai Chicken Salad) ahead of time? +
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
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