Protein Cucumber Salad (Printable Version)

Light salad with grilled chicken, spiralized cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a sesame dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10.5 ounces total)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

05 - 2 large cucumbers, spiralized
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - ¼ cup shredded carrots
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

→ Sesame Dressing

09 - 2 tablespoons tahini or toasted sesame paste
10 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
13 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
15 - 2 tablespoons water, to thin dressing as needed

→ Garnish

16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, then season with sea salt and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
04 - While chicken cooks, spiralize cucumbers and combine with halved cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, and chopped scallions in a large bowl.
05 - Whisk together tahini, soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, and water until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional water if necessary.
06 - Drizzle sesame dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to evenly coat.
07 - Place dressed cucumber mixture on plates and top evenly with sliced grilled chicken.
08 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro over the salad before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes deceptively light while keeping you genuinely full, thanks to lean protein paired with fresh vegetables.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, making it a weeknight lifesaver when you're tired of planning dinner.
  • That sesame dressing is so good you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything for days afterward.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken—those 5 minutes let the juices redistribute so you get tender, juicy slices instead of dry pieces.
  • If your sesame dressing breaks or looks grainy, it means the tahini seized up, probably from temperature shock or not whisking smoothly enough as you added liquids.
  • Spiralized cucumber releases water as it sits, so don't dress the salad more than 10 minutes before eating if you want that crisp texture to hold.
03 -
  • Buy pre-spiralized cucumber if you don't own a spiralizer—it's worth the small convenience charge and still tastes entirely different from chopped salad.
  • Room-temperature chicken on cold vegetables is the perfect balance of temperatures, so don't wait for the chicken to cool completely before assembling.
Go Back