Thai · main

Chicken Larb (Thai Herb Salad)

Chicken Larb (Thai Herb Salad) reads funk & ferment 6.2, umami 6.0 and salinity 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 19 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 0.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 1.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Funk & Ferment 6.2 · Umami 6.0 · Salinity 5.6 · Sourness 5.4 · Citrus 5.4 · Marine & Briny 5.0 · Herbaceous 4.8 · Allium 3.4 · Sweetness 2.5 · Heat 1.9 · Floral 1.5 · Richness 1.5 · Fruity 0.6 · Earthy 0.6

What's in it (12)

• steamed jasmine rice — 44 g
• chicken — 680 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 118 g
• lime juice — 44 g
• fish sauce — 44 g
• light-brown sugar — 13 g
• red chili flakes — 5 g
• shallots — 160 g
• scallions — 300 g
• mint — 30 g
• cilantro leaves — 30 g
• cos lettuce — 100 g

Time & effort: about 19 min (14 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 83.7 kcal, 8.6 g protein, 3.7 g fat, 4.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Toast the rice in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until deeply golden brown and fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Cool, then grind to a coarse, sandy powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle; set aside.
2. Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
3. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon, and cook, stirring often, until no longer pink and cooked through to 165°F with most of the liquid evaporated, 6-8 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and immediately stir in the red pepper flakes, then the lime-fish sauce dressing — the residual heat is what makes the dressing bloom into the meat instead of just pooling under it.
6. Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes; it should be warm, not hot, so the fresh herbs don't wilt when you add them.
7. Fold in the shallots and scallions.
8. Just before serving, fold in the mint and cilantro so they stay bright.
9. Sprinkle the larb with the toasted rice powder.
10. Pile the larb into the lettuce leaves and serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Larb with Mint and Lime — Thai
• Larb Moo (Pork Larb) — Thai
• Ulam dengan Budu (Raw Herb Platter with Fermented Anchovy Sauce) — Malaysian
• Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli Bowls (Bun Ga Nuong) — Vietnamese
• Crispy Chile-Garlic Chicken Wings — Thai

Keep reading: what funk & ferment, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.