Thai Chicken Larb

Ingredients

• For the larb:
• 24 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, plus extra as desired
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 to 6 tablespoons fresh juice from about 6 limes, plus extra as desired
• 5 to 6 tablespoons fish sauce, plus extra as desired
• 3/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, plus extra as desired
• 6 small shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
• 1 1/4 cups fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted glutinous rice powder
• With the larb:
• 4 to 6 cups cooked rice, preferably glutinous
• Extra fish sauce, lime wedges, chili flakes, sugar on the side
• 1 large heat iceberg lettuce or green leaf

Directions

1. Cut away any visible fat from the chicken, then slice it into 1-inch cubes. Spread the pieces on a tray in one layer and chill in the freezer until they are firm around the edges but not solid, about 30 minutes. In 2 or 3 batches, use a food processor to pulse the chicken into a coarse mince, aiming for bits about the size of small peas. Set the ground chicken aside.
2. In a large 12-inch skillet (or wok), warm the chicken stock over medium-high heat along with the oil, sugar, and salt. Add the ground chicken and garlic. Cook, stirring often and pressing the meat apart as it cooks, until the chicken has just lost its raw look, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the lime juice into the pan, followed by the fish sauce and chili flakes. Fold in the shallots, mint, and cilantro. Add the ground toasted rice and stir again. Adjust the seasoning to your taste with more sugar, additional lime juice, extra fish sauce, or additional chili flakes. Bring the larb to the table warm, or at room temperature, with rice and lettuce.