Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 400 g chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 250 g soba noodles, dry
- 150 g cucumber, julienned
- 100 g carrot, peeled and julienned
- 30 g spring onions, thinly sliced
Creamy Sesame Dressing
- 60 g tahini, well-stirred
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 30 ml rice vinegar, unseasoned
- 30 ml water, warm
- 15 ml sesame oil, toasted
- 10 g ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 garlic, minced
- 5 ml chili oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 399 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 758 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 64 mg
- Potassium
- 529 mg
- Calcium
- 106 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 64 mg
- Phosphorus
- 343 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 239 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.28 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 11.3 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 147 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and poach until the internal temperature reaches 74C/165F. This will take approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the cooked chicken and set aside on a cutting board to cool. In the same pot of boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain in a colander and immediately rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess starch and halt the cooking process.
Once the chicken is cool enough to safely handle, use two forks or your clean hands to tear the meat into bite-sized shreds following the natural grain of the muscle.
In a mixing bowl, combine the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, warm water, toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and chili oil if using. Whisk vigorously until the mixture emulsifies into a smooth, creamy dressing.
Place the chilled noodles, shredded chicken, julienned cucumber, julienned carrot, and sliced spring onions into a large serving bowl.
Pour the prepared sesame dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss thoroughly until all the noodles, chicken, and vegetables are evenly coated in the dressing. Serve immediately at room temperature or chill for an hour before eating.
Chef's Notes
- Rinsing cooked noodles under cold water is a non-negotiable step for cold pasta salads. It halts the cooking process to prevent mushiness and removes surface starch, stopping the noodles from turning into a sticky mass.
- For the most tender chicken, poach it gently at a bare simmer rather than a rolling boil. If you have extra time, letting the chicken cool completely in its poaching liquid yields incredibly juicy meat.
- Tahini is a fantastic nut-free ingredient for creating creamy, emulsified dressings without dairy. Ensure you are using high-quality, runny tahini rather than the dry, hardened paste often found at the bottom of older jars.
- To save time, use a mandoline to uniformly julienne the carrots and cucumbers. Consistent vegetable cuts ensure a balanced texture in every bite.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The noodles may absorb dressing over time; refresh with a splash of water or rice vinegar before serving.
Troubleshooting
The dressing is too thick or seized up into a paste.
Cause: Tahini naturally varies in viscosity, and mixing it with cold liquids can sometimes cause the emulsion to tighten.
Fix: Whisk in additional warm water, 15ml at a time, until the dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
Prevention: Ensure your tahini is well-stirred in its jar before measuring, and use warm water when making the dressing.
Noodles are clumped together into a solid block.
Cause: Noodles were not rinsed thoroughly enough after boiling, leaving surface starches intact.
Fix: Rinse the clumped noodles under warm water to loosen them, then immediately hit them with cold water again and drain well before adding to the salad.
Prevention: Rinse noodles aggressively under cold running water immediately after draining, agitating them with your hands.
Cultural Context
Cold sesame noodle dishes have deep historical roots in Chinese cuisine, specifically originating from Sichuan and Taiwanese culinary traditions. This recipe adapts those classic flavor profiles into a protein-rich, vegetable-heavy salad designed for modern, health-conscious summer dining, utilizing tahini as a nut-free alternative to traditional peanut or sesame pastes.
