Shredded Chicken with Cucumber Salad: Cool, Quick, and Classic

My mom is a master of cooking, every one of her dishes is the best, but shredded chicken with cucumber salad has always been one of my favourites growing up. Whenever I came home after school on a hot summer day, she would have this waiting—perfectly chilled and amazingly refreshing. It will forever hold a special place in my heart, reminding me of all those summer nights when the air cooled down and the cicadas quieted their irritating chirping. Now that I live away from home, I make it whenever I need a quick, satisfying meal that brings back memories of my mom’s kitchen.

it's impossible to pick ONE favourite when everything's just perfect

This simple 15-minute recipe is perfect for busy days, especially when you’re craving something light yet packed with flavour. Let’s get started!

Ingredients You’ll Need (Serves 2)

• 1 chicken thigh (or substitute with chicken breast)

• 1/2 cucumber

• cooking wine (can be substituted with ginger)

• chili powder

• sugar

• sesame oil

• soy sauce

🥄 Since it’s a starter, I don’t usually make a lot—the final result here will be a small bowl’s worth. But you can always adjust the ingredients proportionally to serve more people :P

🛒 All ingredients can be found at a regular supermarket or an Asian grocery store.

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

1. Make a few deep cuts into the chicken thigh and place it in a pot. Add cold water and about three capful of cooking wine (to remove any bloody smell—if you don’t have cooking wine, you can substitute with ginger slices), then boil until fully cooked.

   

   
   

2. Rinse off the blood foam with warm water, let the meat cool, then shred it into thin strips (with hands v.s. with forks: getting burnt v.s. suffering from the scratching sound, your choice! spoil alert, I chose the latter).

   

   
   

3. While the chicken is cooking, thinly slice the cucumber into strips.

   

   
   

4. Take a small bowl and add three tablespoons of chili powder and one tablespoon of sugar (What I’m demonstrating here is the simplest version of the dressing sauce. To enhance the flavour, you can add white sesame seeds, fresh chili slices, minced garlic, and coriander too!).

5. In a clean, dry pan (make sure it’s completely dry or else it can be very dangerous!), heat a small amount of sesame oil until you can feel noticeable heat when holding your hand 2-3 centimeters above the pan. Then, carefully pour the hot oil over the chili powder to release its aroma.

   

   
   

6. Add soy sauce into the dressing.

   

   
   

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, cucumber, and the dressing, toss everything together until evenly coated.

8. Serve immediately, or, if you’re not in a rush, let it chill in the fridge for 10 minutes for extra freshness. Get ready for the most perfect summer starter ever!

   

   
   

Final Thoughts

What fascinates me most about this seemingly simple dish is how many hidden dangers it holds. When I first started cooking on my own after leaving home—probably the third time in my life I’d picked up a kitchen knife (and definitely the first time without my mom supervising)—I lost half a fingernail while preparing the cucumber strips. The chicken thighs never seemed to cool down fast enough, and I’d often burn myself, hopping around the kitchen in pain until, months later, I discovered the genius method of shredding the meat with forks. And don’t even get me started on the countless times hot oil met water droplets in a freshly washed pan—I think the ceiling of my year-one apartment kitchen still bears the scars of those chaotic disasters. Thankfully, the landlord didn’t deduct much from the deposit.

All of this has made me even more convinced that my mom, the woman who can magically whip up this dish from nothing to perfection in a heartbeat, is actually a superhero. Even now, when I’m capable of preparing an entire New Year’s Eve feast on my own, she still hovers over me whenever I cook at home, watching like a hawk to make sure I don’t accidentally chop off a finger or ruin her ceiling. She never stops worrying about me, and I’m more than happy to let her keep worrying. I love her.

Writing this has made me decide to call her and say something so mushy she cringes. So, till next time!