Deli Container Shaker Chicken Salad (Printable Copy)

Tender chicken, crisp cucumbers, and a savory soy-sesame dressing combine for a fresh, protein-rich dish.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (approximately 280 grams)
02 - 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced (about 300 grams)
03 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 20 grams)
04 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional, about 50 grams)
05 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (approximately 18 grams)

→ Soy-Sesame Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (45 ml)
07 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (15 ml)
08 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (15 ml)
09 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (5 ml)
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (about 2 grams)
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced (about 3 grams)
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional, about 1 gram)
13 - Juice of 1/2 lime (approximately 15 ml)

# How to Make:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, chili flakes if using, and lime juice in a small bowl or jar until fully combined.
02 - Place the diced chicken, thinly sliced cucumber, scallions, julienned carrot if using, and toasted sesame seeds into a large deli container or mason jar.
03 - Pour the prepared soy-sesame dressing evenly over the layered ingredients in the container.
04 - Seal the container tightly and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to ensure all components are thoroughly coated with the dressing.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Shake again before serving to redistribute the dressing evenly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything goes in one container, you shake it, and lunch is done without dirtying a single bowl.
  • The dressing clings to every piece instead of pooling at the bottom like it does when you toss salad the normal way.
  • It actually keeps in the fridge without getting watery or sad, which means you can make it the night before and not hate yourself at noon.
02 -
  • If you add the dressing more than a day ahead, the cucumbers will start to weep and make everything watery, so wait until the night before if you're meal prepping.
  • Shaking really does work better than stirring, it forces the dressing into every crevice and coats the chicken in a way a spoon never will.
03 -
  • Use a container that's taller than it is wide so the ingredients tumble when you shake instead of just sloshing around.
  • If you're using rotisserie chicken, pull it while it's still warm and the skin peels off easier, then chop it into bite-sized pieces so every forkful has protein.
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