High Protein Chicken Salad

Chicken breast gets a bad rep — “too dry, too bland, too boring.” But when you treat it right, it’s one of the easiest, leanest ways to load up on protein. This salad is proof: crisp cucumbers, crunchy carrots, a nutty dressing, and perfectly juicy chicken breast that actually tastes good.

This has quickly become one of the most requested recipes on my blog and Instagram — mostly because it delivers on two promises:

1. It’s quick enough for a weeknight.

2. It packs a serious punch of protein (about 85g per serving).

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Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

• 500 g chicken breast fillets

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp red chilli powder

• 1 tsp minced garlic

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp yogurt

Vegetables

• 2 seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced

• 1 carrot, thinly sliced

• 2 spring onions (whites and greens), thinly sliced

Dressing

• 2 tbsp peanut butter

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• ½ tbsp lemon juice

• ½ tbsp honey

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• Dash of water to loosen

Toppings

• 4–5 slivers of fried garlic

• Spring onion greens

• Sesame seeds

Method

1. Marinate the chicken
   Combine salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red chilli powder, minced garlic, yogurt, and lemon juice. Coat the chicken well and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

2. Prep your vegetables
   Use a mandolin (or your sharpest knife) to slice cucumbers, carrot, and spring onions into thin strips. This gives the salad its crunchy, refreshing base.

3. Cook the chicken
   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and sear the chicken on both sides. Don’t overdo it — if you think the chicken looks “done,” you’ve already gone too far. Remove it from the pan while slightly undercooked; the residual heat will finish the job.

4. Slice and cube
   Once rested, slice the chicken into cubes or strips. Juicy, tender, and ready to go.

5. Make the dressing
   In a small jar, shake together peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, sesame oil, and a dash of water until smooth and pourable.

6. Assemble the salad
   In a large bowl, toss together the vegetables, chicken, and dressing. Garnish with fried garlic, sesame seeds, and fresh spring onion greens.

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