Cucumber and Chicken Clean Shaker (Printable)

Protein-packed salad with cucumber, chicken, fresh herbs, and a zesty vinegar dressing for a clean, light meal.

# Ingredient list:

→ Protein

01 - 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 8.8 oz)
02 - ½ tsp sea salt
03 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large cucumber, diced
05 - ½ small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
07 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Fresh Herbs

08 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
12 - 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - ½ tsp honey (optional)
15 - ½ tsp salt
16 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

# Cooking steps:

01 - Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Season chicken breasts with sea salt and black pepper, then poach for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Remove from water and allow to cool. Dice or shred the chicken.
02 - While the chicken cooks, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion. Combine all vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
04 - Add diced chicken and chopped fresh herbs to the vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over all ingredients and toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or chill for 15 minutes for a crisper, colder salad.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely satisfying without any oil—the herbs and vinegar do all the heavy lifting, leaving you feeling energized instead of weighed down.
  • You can have it on the table in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you still want something that tastes intentional.
  • The combination of crisp vegetables and tender chicken means there's textural variety in every bite, which keeps eating it interesting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the poaching step in favor of grilling or baking the chicken—the gentle, moist heat is what keeps it tender enough to actually pair well with raw vegetables rather than dominating them.
  • Add the dressing right before serving, not hours ahead, or the cucumber will release water and dilute everything into a sad puddle.
  • Taste as you go with the dressing; vinegar strength varies by brand, so you might need more or less than the recipe suggests to hit that bright, balanced note.
03 -
  • Let the chicken cool completely before dicing it—warm chicken absorbs the dressing differently and can become mushy if you're not careful with your knife.
  • Taste the dressing on its own before tossing it in; salads are forgiving, but getting the acid-to-salt balance right means the entire dish tastes intentional rather than accidental.
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