Cucumber and Chicken Clean Shaker (Print)

Light, protein-packed salad with cucumber, chicken, fresh herbs, and a zesty vinegar dressing.

# Ingredients:

→ Protein

01 - 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 8.8 oz each)
02 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon 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 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

→ Dressing

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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Season chicken breasts with sea salt and black pepper. Poach chicken for 12–15 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from water and allow to cool, then dice or shred.
02 - Dice cucumber and red bell pepper, halve cherry tomatoes, and finely chop red onion. Combine all vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until combined.
04 - Add diced chicken and chopped fresh herbs to the vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over and toss vigorously until evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 15 minutes to enhance crispness and chill.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can have lunch ready before you've even finished your coffee.
  • The vinegar-based dressing keeps everything light and crisp, never heavy or greasy, so you actually feel energized after eating.
  • Fresh herbs transform ordinary chicken and cucumber into something that tastes restaurant-quality but costs way less.
02 -
  • Overcooked chicken ruins everything—keep the water at a bare simmer, not a boil, and check for doneness at 12 minutes. Dry chicken in a vinegar salad is genuinely sad.
  • The dressing is more important than the fillings here. A weak dressing makes this taste boring and flat, so don't skimp on the acid or underestimate how much the mustard and herbs contribute.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're nervous about the chicken—165°F (74°C) is perfectly cooked, and pulling it at that exact moment keeps it from drying out.
  • Double the dressing recipe and pour what you don't use over the salad just before serving rather than mixing it all in at once. This keeps the vegetables crisper and gives you control over how dressed you want each bite.
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