Thai-Style Chicken Larb Lettuce Cups with Lime Zest

Larb is a Lao-Thai minced meat salad that punches way above its weight. Toasted rice powder is the secret weapon here: it gives the dish a nutty, slightly gritty texture that no other ingredient can fake. The dressing hits sour from lime, salty from fish sauce, and hot from fresh chillies, all balanced by a shower of fresh herbs. You eat it wrapped in cool lettuce leaves, which makes every bite a little different. This version uses the finely grated zest of a regular lime in place of kaffir lime leaves, delivering a bright, citrusy fragrance that works beautifully with the rest of the dish.

By David M.

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
25 minutes
Cook time
15 minutes
Total time
35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp uncooked jasmine rice (for toasted rice powder)
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce (check label to ensure it is soy-free)
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 4 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
  • 4 limes limes (1 for zesting, about 3 for juice, plus wedges to serve)
  • 1 tsp lime zest, finely grated from 1 lime (use a microplane for the finest results; avoid the white pith)
  • 3 to 5 fresh red bird's eye chillies, thinly sliced (use fewer for medium heat, all five for real fire)
  • 4 medium red shallots, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1-inch piece galangal or fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (galangal is more traditional; ginger works well if that's what you have)
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, larger leaves torn
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, stems and leaves
  • 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional, for extra heat)
  • 1 tsp sugar (just a pinch to balance the dressing)
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as sunflower, canola, or rice bran oil)
  • 2 heads butter lettuce (or iceberg or little gem), leaves separated and kept whole (look for cup-shaped leaves that can hold filling)

Instructions

  1. Toast 3 tbsp uncooked jasmine rice in your dry cast-iron pan over medium heat. Stir it constantly for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the grains turn a deep golden colour and smell nutty, like popcorn heading somewhere good. Tip them straight onto a plate to cool.
  2. While the rice cools, separate the leaves from 2 heads butter lettuce, keeping them whole. Rinse them gently, shake dry, and arrange on a serving platter. Set aside.
  3. Transfer the cooled toasted rice to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind it to a coarse powder, like fine breadcrumbs. Some texture is the whole point, so don't go too fine. Set aside.
  4. Using a microplane or the finest side of a box grater, zest 1 lime to get 1 tsp lime zest. Work just over the green surface and stop before you hit the white pith underneath, which turns bitter. Set the zest aside.
  5. Peel and finely grate 1-inch piece galangal or fresh ginger. Thinly slice 3 to 5 fresh red bird's eye chillies and 4 medium red shallots. Slice 4 spring onions on an angle. Set all of these aside together.
  6. Make the dressing in a small bowl: combine 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp coconut aminos, 4 tbsp fresh lime juice (squeeze your limes now), and 1 tsp sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste it. It should be sharp, salty, and punchy. Adjust with a little more lime or fish sauce as needed.
  7. Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in your cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Once it shimmers, add 1.5 lb ground chicken. Break it apart with a spoon and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining. The surface should start to catch a little colour in spots.
  8. Reduce the heat to low. Add the 1 tsp lime zest and the grated 1-inch piece galangal or ginger directly to the pan. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
  9. Pour the dressing over the chicken in the pan. Stir everything together, then take the pan off the heat. The heat from the chicken is enough to carry things forward from here.
  10. Add the 4 sliced shallots, 3 to 5 sliced chillies, 4 sliced spring onions, 1 cup mint leaves, 1/2 cup cilantro, and half the toasted rice powder to the pan. Toss everything together. If you like extra heat, stir in 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes now.
  11. Spoon the larb into the prepared lettuce cups on your platter. Dust the tops generously with the remaining toasted rice powder. Serve the remaining lime wedges alongside so everyone can squeeze over more at the table.