Save to Pinterest One Tuesday I grabbed a deli container from the fridge at work and realized I'd forgotten to pack lunch. My coworker set down her lunch box—a mason jar layered with chicken, vegetables, and this golden dressing—shook it up right at her desk, and suddenly my forgotten lunch seemed less important than figuring out what she was eating. She laughed and said it was her solution to the 3 p.m. energy crash: protein-packed, no wilting lettuce, and somehow better after sitting in the fridge overnight. That's when I realized a shaker salad wasn't just convenient—it was actually delicious.
I made this for my friend Sarah after she mentioned being tired of sad desk lunches, and watching her shake that jar and actually get excited about eating made me realize this isn't just efficient—it's kind of a small act of rebellion against the cardboard salad industry. She made four containers the next day and texted me photos of her coworkers asking for the recipe, which felt like the highest compliment possible.
Ingredients
- Cooked chicken breast, 2 cups diced or shredded: Use leftover rotisserie chicken and your prep time drops to nothing, but freshly cooked breast stays tender if you let it cool completely before assembling.
- Large cucumber, thinly sliced: The watery vegetables are what make this salad stay crisp in the container—don't skip them or use a mealy grocery store tomato.
- Scallions, 2 thinly sliced: The white and light green parts give bite; the dark green adds color and a gentler onion flavor that doesn't get sharper as it sits.
- Small carrot, julienned (optional): This adds sweetness that balances the salty dressing and gives you something to chew besides just chicken.
- Toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons: Don't use raw sesame seeds—toasted ones have this nutty depth that transforms the whole salad from bland to interesting.
- Soy sauce, 3 tablespoons (low sodium preferred): Low sodium lets you actually taste the other flavors instead of everything just tasting like salt water.
- Rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon: The mild acidity keeps everything bright without the harshness of distilled vinegar.
- Toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon: This is the ingredient that makes people ask if you went to cooking school; a little goes a long way, so don't substitute it.
- Honey or maple syrup, 1 teaspoon: Just enough sweetness to round out the salty-sour flavors and make the dressing actually sing.
- Fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon grated: Grate it fresh right into the dressing bowl—dried ginger powder tastes like nothing compared to this.
- Garlic clove, 1 small minced: One clove is enough to wake up the dressing without making your breath a problem at 3 p.m.
- Chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon (optional): Add these if you like a background warmth that builds with each bite, or skip them if you're eating this at a client meeting.
- Lime juice, from 1/2 lime: Fresh lime is non-negotiable here—bottled juice turns the dressing muddy and flat.
Instructions
- Mix the dressing first, taste it alone:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and lime juice together. Taste it on your finger—it should make you want more, a little sharp and a little sweet at the same time.
- Layer everything into your container:
- Use a deli container or mason jar with a tight lid and start with chicken on the bottom, then cucumber, scallions, carrot, and sesame seeds on top so the delicate ingredients don't get crushed. The dressing goes in last.
- Pour and seal:
- Pour that dressing right over everything, then screw the lid on tight enough that nothing's escaping.
- Shake it like you mean it:
- Hold it with both hands and shake hard for about 30 seconds—you want to hear the chicken moving around in there, feel the vegetables starting to wilt slightly. This is meditation and workout combined.
- Eat now or wait:
- You can eat it immediately while everything's still crisp, or refrigerate it and shake again before eating tomorrow when the flavors have gotten to know each other and the chicken has soaked up that sesame goodness. Both ways are right.
Save to Pinterest My favorite moment with this salad came on a Wednesday when I brought extra to my mom's office and her entire department suddenly wanted the recipe. She texted me a photo of four people eating from containers at the conference table and wrote 'You've disrupted our lunch culture,' which I'm choosing to take as the highest compliment.
Why This Works as Meal Prep
Most salads get soggy and sad by day two, but this one actually gets better because the soy-sesame dressing is aggressive enough to keep the vegetables from getting mushy and flavorful enough that yesterday's chicken tastes like today's victory. The key is that the dressing is meant to coat everything—it's not a drizzle, it's a full embrace. And because you're shaking it instead of tossing it, the dressing redistributes every time you shake, so the boring bottom layer gets just as much flavor as the top.
Customizing Without Losing the Plot
I've tried adding shredded cabbage instead of cucumber (crunchier, lasts longer), bell peppers (sweeter, gets slightly softer by day two), and even shredded carrots instead of julienned (faster to prep, same flavor). The rule is: keep it crunchy, keep it raw, and don't add anything that's going to turn into mush or get soggy. Cooked vegetables are the enemy of this salad. My friend Tom added some leftover roasted broccoli once and it turned into an unidentifiable mush by lunchtime the next day, which was valuable information.
The Protein Math and Why It Matters
At 36 grams of protein per serving, this salad actually keeps you full through the afternoon slump instead of having you raiding the vending machine by 4 p.m. The combination of chicken and that salty-savory dressing makes your brain register it as substantial, not like you're eating a sad pile of leaves. If you want to lean harder into the protein, you can add a handful of edamame or swap some of the cucumber for cubed tofu if you're going vegetarian.
- Make it in the morning or the night before so the chicken has time to cool completely.
- Don't skip the sesame oil—it's expensive but a tablespoon lasts through several containers.
- Shake before eating even if you're eating it fresh, because the dressing settles and everything needs that final coat.
Save to Pinterest This salad has become my argument for why eating lunch at your desk doesn't have to mean punishment. It's proof that a little planning and bold flavors can turn a meal into something you actually crave.
Recipe FAQs
- → What container is ideal for mixing the salad?
A large deli container or a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid works best for mixing by shaking to coat all ingredients evenly.
- → Can I substitute the chicken with another protein?
Yes, cubed tofu can be used for a vegetarian alternative, or rotisserie chicken can be used for convenience.
- → How long can the salad be stored after mixing?
It can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Shake well before serving to redistribute the dressing.
- → What optional vegetables can add extra crunch?
Thinly sliced bell peppers or shredded cabbage can be added for additional texture and freshness.
- → Is this dish suitable for a dairy-free diet?
Yes, all ingredients are dairy-free, making it suitable for those avoiding dairy.