Deli Shaker Chicken Salad (Print View)

Tender chicken and crisp cucumber with a savory soy-sesame dressing, ideal for light meals.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 low sodium soy sauce
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, toasted sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, optional chili flakes, and lime juice in a small bowl or jar until fully blended.
02 - Layer chicken, cucumber, scallions, optional carrot, and toasted sesame seeds in a large deli container or mason jar.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the layered ingredients in the container.
04 - Seal the container tightly and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to evenly coat all components.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Shake again before serving to redistribute dressing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes and tastes better the next day when the flavors have gotten cozy with each other.
  • The shaking trick coats everything evenly without needing to massage and toss like a restaurant kitchen.
  • High protein, dairy-free, and portable enough to eat straight from the container at your desk.
02 -
  • Slice your cucumber thin enough to let the dressing reach all the way through, because thick coins stay stubborn and watery.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds first if you have them raw, otherwise you're just adding texture without flavor.
03 -
  • Keep your dressing ingredients separate until assembly time if you're prepping for the week, then mix fresh so the ginger and garlic stay bright.
  • If you're taking this to work, pack the sesame seeds separately and sprinkle them right before eating so they don't absorb dressing and turn mushy.
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