This Larb Gai recipe will have you hooked on its spicy, zesty flavor. These Thai lettuce wraps come together quickly & easily for a healthy dish that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
Table of Contents
Do you ever find yourself with a craving for a certain type of food? For me, when I’ve got a craving, it’s generally one of two things – pasta or Thai food. Pasta is a natural for me. I grew up next door to my Italian Nana and Nanu who were to of the most amazing cooks. We had pasta with Sunday Gravy every week… Thai food came later for me.
I’ve been building my collection of Thai recipes that are easy to make at home and taste great. Some of my favorites are this Thai Beef Salad, Thai Curry Meatballs and Thai Beef Stir Fry.
And, along the way, I’ve found a few key ingredients that tend to make their way into Thai dishes – citrus, mint, chiles and fish sauce.
Fish sauce can tend to scare people off.
It’s not hard to find. You’ll locate it right in your normal supermarket, near the Asian foods section. But then, you’ll get home, open the bottle, smell it and… honestly, it kind of reeks.
But, I promise, once it gets combined with the other ingredients, it just takes on a nice, salty, mellow taste that can’t be replicated by anything else. I’ve even found myself adding more at the end of my recipes just to kick up that salty, nutty flavor that it gives just teeny bit more. Give it a go – I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Mingling along with the saltiness of the fish sauce in this dish comes the bright, citrus flavor. And, we’re not just talking a tiny bit of citrus… We’re hitting this recipe with lime juice, lemon juice and lemongrass. Lots and lots of great flavor and acidity that plays really well with those sweet and salty flavors going on in these Thai larb lettuce wraps.
This Thai-inspired meal is healthy, quick to make, and totally tasty. And while it may not be truly authentic, it’s on regular repeat for weekday cooking at our house, and the leftovers make a great lunch the next day too.
Ingredients needed
- Ground Chicken – You can also use ground turkey, ground pork or ground beef. Or, see my suggestions below for a vegetarian larb.
- Fish Sauce – Look for fish sauce in the asian foods aisle.
- Honey – You can also use brown or white sugar.
- Fresh Lemon & Lime Juice
- Olive Oil
- Red Onion & Shallots
- Lemongrass – Lemongrass can be a bit difficult to find, but I have found it at many grocery stores packaged alongside the fresh herbs. And, while there’s no true substitute for the distinct flavor of lemongrass, you could try swapping in some lemon zest in its place, to taste.
- Serrano Pepper – Or, swap in some jalapenos. They’ll have a bit less heat.
- Fresh Mint Leaves – You can also use fresh cilantro, thai basil or green onions.
- Salt & Pepper
- Lettuce Leaves – For serving. You can use butter lettuce, romaine lettuce, or iceberg lettuce. Cabbage leaves are also delicious.
How to make it
Step 1
Make the sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce and honey. Set aside.
Step 2
Saute the aromatics
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion, shallots, lemongrass, chilies, and salt, to taste.
- Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 3
Add chicken
- Add the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through.
Step 4
Add the sauce
- Add the dressing to the pan and cook for a couple minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Step 5
Season + serve
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint. Season with additional fish sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spoon the meat salad onto the lettuce leaves.
- Serve with rice and lime wedges, if desired.
Variations
- Beef Larb Recipe: Swap in ground beef for the ground chicken.
- Pork Larb Recipe (Larb Moo): Swap in ground pork for the chicken.
- Vegetarian Larb: Swap in diced tofu or tempeh and soy sauce or vegan fish sauce.
- Want to add a bit of crunch to your recipe? Try sprinkling on some toasted rice powder (khao khua).
FAQs
Larb translates to “salad” in Thai. Larb gai is a dish of browned ground chicken, mint, basil and red onions dressed with lime juice and ground red chiles that’s popular in Laos and Isan, neighboring rural sections of Thailand. (The dish is sometimes spelled laab, lob or lop.) – NY Times Cooking
Most often, larb gai is served warm. However, it can also be served cold or at room temperature.
If you have leftovers, you can definitely freeze Thai larb. It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
What to serve with larb gai lettuce wraps
- Rice or Sticky Rice
- MORE → 35+ Sides for Lettuce Wraps
Erin’s wine pairings
- Try a dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer a try with this this dish – Both great go-to wines with spicy dishes.
More Thai food recipes
Can’t get enough lettuce wrap recipes? Be sure to try my Taco Lettuce Wraps with Turkey & Quinoa and PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps Recipe too!
Did you try this Larb Gai recipe?
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More → 30+ Ground Chicken Recipes to try for dinner this week!
Full Recipe
Larb Gai (Thai Lettuce Wraps)
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 red onion (minced)
- 3 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (tough outer leaves removed and minced, about 1/4 cup)
- 1 serrano chile (thinly sliced)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
- 1/2 cup mint leaves (chopped)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 head butter lettuce (leaves separated)
- Cooked rice (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce and honey. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, lemongrass, chile, and salt, to taste. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add the dressing to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint. Season with additional fish sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spoon the chicken mixture onto the lettuce leaves.
- Serve with rice.
Notes
- Beef Larb Recipe: Swap in ground beef for the ground chicken.
- Pork Larb Recipe (Larb Moo): Swap in ground pork for the chicken.
- Vegetarian Larb: Swap in diced tofu or tempeh and soy sauce or vegan fish sauce.
- Want to add a bit of crunch to your recipe? Try sprinkling on some toasted rice powder (khao khua).
Nutrition
This chicken larb recipe was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2021 to update the pictures, and again in 2025 to update the content. The larb gai recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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