Chicken Cucumber Salad
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Great as a side or a light main course, this super easy Chicken Cucumber Salad is a refreshing dish that comes together in just 10 minutes. It’s my go-to when I don’t feel like cooking but want something easy and healthy!
A delicious, comforting meal that requires zero cooking? Sign me up! Just grab your leftover chicken, toss everything together and serve! Yes, this cucumber salad is THAT easy.
It’s bursting with tangy and refreshing flavors that are perfect as a main course, side dish, or even a quick and satisfying lunch. Eat it all on its own, or serve it over top of some toasted sourdough.
If you can’t get enough unique chicken salad recipes, let me point you to my Strawberry Caprese Chicken Salad or this Chicken Salad with Pineapple! All of these recipes are ideal when you need to bring a side dish to a potluck or picnic, or just for a quick meal any time.
Why This Recipe Works
- No cooking: With a fairly short ingredient list and only a few steps, this recipe is comes together without any cooking!
- Fresh ingredients: Featuring fresh herbs, lemon juice, and juicy cucumbers, this dish is packed with delicious flavors.
- Great for any occasion: Whether you need a quick dinner or lunch, a dish for a potluck or BBQ, or a hearty side, this recipe can do it all! One of my favorite ways to serve it is as an open faced sandwich on some crusty bread.
- Use those leftovers: If you hate waste like me, this recipe is a perfect use of leftover chicken!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Cucumber: I like english cucumbers because of their size and crispness, they’re also sweeter than most cucumbers.
- Feta cheese: Provides a salty and cheesy flavor that adds some balance.
- Pickled red onions: I always have a jar of my easy pickled onions in the fridge!
- Chicken: The chicken in this dish is already cooked, so all you need to do is toss it in!
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
Substitutions/Additions
- Cheese: If you don’t have feta, you could also use goat cheese, halloumi (would be delicious grilled or pan seared), or even something like cotija or queso fresco.
- Dried Dill: Fresh herbs make a huge difference in this recipe, but if you can’t get your hands on them just be sure to use a little bit less as dried herbs tend to have a deeper, spicier flavor.
- Pickled Radish: Use instead of or along with the red onion.
- Vegetables: Add other veggies like shaved asparagus or broccoli florets if you’ve got some waiting to be used!
How to Make Chicken Cucumber Salad
Step 1. Gather ingredients. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
Step 2. Toss and serve. Use two spoons to toss together all of the ingredients until everything is well combined.
Recipe FAQs
You don’t have to do this, but soaking cucumbers in salt water can help pull out excess moisture and will make the cucumbers more crisp. It also adds a nice salty flavor.
Keep your chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. You can eat the leftovers cold or let them come up closer to room temperature if you prefer.
Cucumbers that are grown for pickling are typically a bit smaller and have a firmer texture, so you’ll want to go for traditional cucumbers.
More Super easy Salad Recipes
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Chicken Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- mandolin
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup pickled red onions
- 1.5 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
- 4 slices toasted sourdough optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Trader Joe's black garlic optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cucumber, olive oil, feta cheese, pickled onion, shredded chicken, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fresh dill.1 large cucumber, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup feta cheese, 1/4 cup pickled red onions, 1.5 cups chicken, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 cup fresh dill
- Serve over toasted sourdough or divide into bowls, sprinkle with Trader Joe's black garlic if using, and enjoy!4 slices toasted sourdough, 1/4 teaspoon Trader Joe's black garlic
Notes
- For extra veggies, add some shaved asparagus and/or radishes.
- If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, you can buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it with two forks.
- Another option is to quickly bake a couple of chicken breasts.
- If you’re using the black garlic seasoning, sprinkle it on top just before serving. If you store it in the fridge, the color from the black garlic will bleed onto the other ingredients.
