Deli Container Shaker Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken and crisp cucumber mixed with soy-sesame dressing for a fresh, protein-packed meal option.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, so meal prep actually rewards patience instead of punishing it.
  • The soy-sesame dressing is bold enough that boring chicken becomes genuinely crave-worthy.
  • You can eat it straight from the container with a fork, no bowl required—true lunch freedom.
02 -
  • The container needs to seal completely or you'll have dressing all over your bag—a deli container is honestly better than mason jars for this, even though jars look prettier.
  • If you cook the chicken hot and put it in the container warm, the condensation will turn everything soggy by tomorrow, so always let it cool to room temperature first.
03 -
  • Buy pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and just tear it apart—this cuts your prep time in half and honestly tastes better than chicken breast some days.
  • Make the dressing in a small jar and keep it separate from the salad components until morning, then pour and shake—this way you can prep the salad ingredients Sunday and make fresh containers all week without the vegetables getting weird and soft.
Go Back