Asian Sesame Chicken Couscous Salad (Printable Version)

Chewy pearl couscous with chicken, crisp cucumber, and savory sesame-soy dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Couscous Salad

01 - 1 cup pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
02 - 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
03 - 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
04 - 1 large cucumber, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
05 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

→ Sesame-Soy Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon Sriracha or chili sauce (optional)
15 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or sunflower)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring water or chicken broth to a boil. Stir in the pearl couscous, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes until tender. Drain excess liquid and spread couscous on a baking sheet to cool quickly.
02 - While couscous cools, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, chili sauce if using, and neutral oil in a small bowl until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled couscous, shredded chicken, cucumber, scallions, and cilantro. Drizzle with the sesame-soy dressing and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the salad and toss once more.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature or chill for 30 minutes for a colder salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a burden and start feeling like a treat.
  • It somehow tastes more complicated than it actually is, making you look like a kitchen genius without the fuss.
  • Tastes just as good the next day cold from the fridge, so meal prep becomes your secret weapon.
02 -
  • Spreading warm couscous on a baking sheet matters more than it sounds—it prevents the grains from steaming themselves into mush and clumping together.
  • The dressing should be made while the couscous cools, not ahead of time, because the flavors taste fresher and more vibrant when they meet the warm grains.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds yourself in a dry skillet for two minutes if you haven't already—the difference between toasted and untoasted is the difference between ordinary and remarkable.
  • Keep extra dressing on the side when serving because some people like more richness, and it's easier to add than take away.
Go Back