Deli Shaker Chicken Salad (Printer View)

Tender chicken and crisp cucumbers combined in a savory soy-sesame blend, ready in minutes.

# Components:

→ Salad

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
05 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

→ Soy-Sesame Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
07 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
13 - Juice of 1/2 lime

# Method:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, chili flakes if using, and lime juice in a small bowl until well combined.
02 - Layer chicken, cucumber, scallions, carrot if using, and sesame seeds in a large deli container or mason jar.
03 - Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
04 - Close container tightly and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to coat evenly.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Shake before serving to redistribute dressing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can literally shake it in a container and forget about it until lunchtime, no fancy equipment required.
  • The dressing tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in the time it takes to chop a cucumber.
  • High protein keeps you satisfied, and the flavors actually get better as it sits in your fridge overnight.
02 -
  • Thin-slice that cucumber or it'll stay watery and separate from the dressing—thickness matters more than you'd think.
  • Toast your sesame seeds if they're not already toasted, otherwise you're just eating what tastes like straw.
  • The dressing tastes too salty when you first make it, but it settles once it coats the chicken and vegetables, so trust it.
03 -
  • Prep your dressing in a mason jar and shake it every time you make a new salad instead of whisking it fresh—saves time and the flavors blend better.
  • Cut your chicken into small cubes instead of shredding it; the pieces hold the dressing better and feel more substantial.
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