Deli Container Shaker Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken and crisp cucumbers layered with a savory soy-sesame dressing in a convenient container.

# What You 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 grated ginger
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
13 - Juice of 1/2 lime

# How To Make It:

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 combined.
02 - Layer diced chicken, thinly sliced cucumber, scallions, julienned carrot if using, 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 ingredients.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Shake again before serving to redistribute the dressing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything mixes in one container, so theres no sad desk salad with dry lettuce on top and all the dressing pooled at the bottom.
  • It tastes better after a few hours in the fridge because the chicken soaks up that salty, tangy sesame flavor.
  • You can shake it right before eating and feel like youre doing something fun instead of just opening another sad tupperware.
02 -
  • If you add the dressing more than 24 hours ahead, the cucumbers will start weeping and the salad turns watery and sad.
  • Toasting sesame seeds takes two minutes in a dry pan over medium heat, and skipping this step means you lose half the flavor.
03 -
  • Use a deli container with a really tight lid, not one of those flimsy takeout containers that pop open if you breathe on them wrong.
  • If you want the salad to feel more like a meal, add a handful of cooked soba noodles or rice noodles before shaking.
Return