Deli Container Shaker Chicken Salad (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, cucumbers, and scallions combined with a flavorful soy-sesame dressing for easy 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 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 - Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, chili flakes if using, and lime juice in a bowl or jar and whisk until fully blended.
02 - In a large deli container or mason jar, layer chicken, cucumber, scallions, carrot if using, and toasted sesame seeds.
03 - Pour the prepared soy-sesame dressing over the salad ingredients in the container.
04 - Seal the container tightly and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Shake again before serving to redistribute the dressing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better the next day, so meal prep feels less like a chore and more like setting yourself up for success.
  • You can make it at your desk or in a car because shaking a jar is genuinely fun and requires zero special equipment.
02 -
  • If your cucumber releases too much water, the dressing gets diluted—slice it only a couple hours before eating, or pat the slices dry before layering.
  • The sesame oil can't be cooked or heated; it gets bitter and loses its personality, so mix it cold and never even think about warming it up.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken if you're short on time—it's seasoned enough that it actually enhances the salad instead of disappearing into it.
  • Keep bottled lime juice in your pantry as backup, but fresh lime juice is what transforms this from decent to craveable.
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