I love making refreshing dishes that are light yet satisfying, and this Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken is one of my go-to meals. It’s quick, balanced, and perfect for days when I want something delicious without feeling heavy.
My Favorite Lean & Mean Soba Noodle Salad
This one-pot Soba Noodle Salad with chicken is honestly one of my all-time favorites. I love how quick and easy it is to make – perfect for busy days when I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen or wash a pile of dishes afterward.
The best part, of course, is how delicious it tastes: refreshing noodles, tender chicken, and a tangy dressing that makes every bite so satisfying. It’s light yet filling, and I find myself craving it again and again.
When it comes to grating vegetables, I always reach for a grater. It saves me so much time, and the shreds come out more even compared to using a knife.
I personally like using the smallest blade setting because it gives me fine, delicate strips that mix beautifully into the salad.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 100–120g 100% buckwheat soba noodles
- 150g chicken breast (1 piece, skinless, membrane removed; thaw if frozen and pat dry)
Vegetables
- 100g cucumber (½ piece, grated with skin for crunch)
- 50g carrot (¼ piece, grated; optional: blanch for 10s to reduce raw taste while keeping crunch)
- 20g cilantro (1 small bunch; stems chopped into 0.5cm pieces, leaves cut into 1cm segments; substitute with scallions if preferred)
- 20g lemon (¼ piece; cut into thin slices, then diced; use both juice and pulp for freshness)
- 5g chili (1 piece, deseeded and sliced into rings; skip if not spicy, or use 2 for more heat)
- 10g garlic (2 cloves, finely minced — do not skip)
Seasonings
For cooking chicken breast:
- 5g ginger (2 slices)
- 5ml cooking wine (1 tsp; substitute beer or water if needed)
For the all-purpose dressing:
- 5g salt (1 tsp)
- 15ml light soy sauce (3 tsp)
- 10ml oyster sauce (2 tsp; substitute with 5ml soy sauce + 1g sugar if unavailable)
- 5ml vinegar (1 tsp; use black vinegar or rice vinegar; reduce to 0.5 tsp if you prefer less sourness; apple cider vinegar adds fruitiness)
- 5g fine sugar (1 tsp; or replace with 5g erythritol for no calories)
- 3ml sesame oil (1 small tsp; use sparingly)
- 5ml chili oil (1 tsp; replace with peppercorn oil for a numbing aroma, or skip if avoiding spicy)
Instructions
Prep ingredients
Wash cucumber, carrot, cilantro, lemon, chili, and garlic. Prepare grater and chopping board.
Cook the chicken breast
Place chicken breast in a pot with 500ml water, ginger slices, and cooking wine. Start from cold water.
Bring to boil, skim off scum, then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes (18 minutes for a 150g piece).
Check doneness: pierce the thickest part; if no pink juice flows, it’s cooked. If not, cook 3–5 minutes more.
Remove, pat dry, rest 5 minutes, then shred along the grain into 0.5cm strips.
Prepare vegetables
Grate cucumber into shreds.
Grate carrot, blanch for 10s if desired, then rinse with cold water and drain.
Chop cilantro stems and leaves, dice lemon slices, slice chili, and mince garlic. Place into a bowl for the dressing.
Make the dressing
Into the bowl with garlic, chili, cilantro stems, and lemon, add salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chili oil.
Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Taste and adjust: add sugar if too sour, dilute with water if too salty, or add soy sauce for more depth. Let sit 10 minutes for flavors to meld.
Cook soba noodles
Boil 1000ml water, add noodles, and stir gently.
Cook 6–8 minutes for dry soba or 3–5 minutes for frozen fresh soba, until tender with no white core.
Drain and rinse in cold water immediately to keep chewy and prevent sticking. Drain well.
Assemble the salad
Place soba noodles in a bowl.
Top with shredded chicken, cucumber, and carrot.
Pour over the dressing and toss gently from bottom to top until evenly coated.
Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! You can cook the chicken and noodles ahead, keep them separate, and mix with the dressing right before serving.
Q: What if I don‘t like cilantro?
Scallions make a great substitute. You’ll still get a fresh, aromatic touch.
Q: Can I make it spicier?
Absolutely! Add more chili oil or use two small chilies for extra kick.
Q: Can I replace chicken with something else?
Yes, you can use shrimp, tofu, or even shredded turkey breast.
Easy Chicken Soba Salad with Tangy Dressing
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 100 –120g 100% buckwheat soba noodles
- 150 g chicken breast 1 piece, skinless, membrane removed; thaw if frozen and pat dry
Vegetables
- 100 g cucumber ½ piece, grated with skin for crunch
- 50 g carrot ¼ piece, grated; optional: blanch for 10s to reduce raw taste while keeping crunch
- 20 g cilantro 1 small bunch; stems chopped into 0.5cm pieces, leaves cut into 1cm segments; substitute with scallions if preferred
- 20 g lemon ¼ piece; cut into thin slices, then diced; use both juice and pulp for freshness
- 5 g chili 1 piece, deseeded and sliced into rings; skip if not spicy, or use 2 for more heat
- 10 g garlic 2 cloves, finely minced — do not skip
Seasonings
For cooking chicken breast:
- 5 g ginger 2 slices
- 5 ml cooking wine 1 tsp; substitute beer or water if needed
For the all-purpose dressing:
- 5 g salt 1 tsp
- 15 ml light soy sauce 3 tsp
- 10 ml oyster sauce 2 tsp; substitute with 5ml soy sauce + 1g sugar if unavailable
- 5 ml vinegar 1 tsp; use black vinegar or rice vinegar; reduce to 0.5 tsp if you prefer less sourness; apple cider vinegar adds fruitiness
- 5 g fine sugar 1 tsp; or replace with 5g erythritol for no calories
- 3 ml sesame oil 1 small tsp; use sparingly
- 5 ml chili oil 1 tsp; replace with peppercorn oil for a numbing aroma, or skip if avoiding spicy
Instructions
Prep ingredients
- Wash cucumber, carrot, cilantro, lemon, chili, and garlic. Prepare grater and chopping board.
Cook the chicken breast
- Place chicken breast in a pot with 500ml water, ginger slices, and cooking wine. Start from cold water.
- Bring to boil, skim off scum, then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes (18 minutes for a 150g piece).
- Check doneness: pierce the thickest part; if no pink juice flows, it's cooked. If not, cook 3–5 minutes more.
- Remove, pat dry, rest 5 minutes, then shred along the grain into 0.5cm strips.
Prepare vegetables
- Grate cucumber into shreds.
- Grate carrot, blanch for 10s if desired, then rinse with cold water and drain.
- Chop cilantro stems and leaves, dice lemon slices, slice chili, and mince garlic. Place into a bowl for the dressing.
Make the dressing
- Into the bowl with garlic, chili, cilantro stems, and lemon, add salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chili oil.
- Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Taste and adjust: add sugar if too sour, dilute with water if too salty, or add soy sauce for more depth. Let sit 10 minutes for flavors to meld.
Cook soba noodles
- Boil 1000ml water, add noodles, and stir gently.
- Cook 6–8 minutes for dry soba or 3–5 minutes for frozen fresh soba, until tender with no white core.
- Drain and rinse in cold water immediately to keep chewy and prevent sticking. Drain well.
Assemble the salad
- Place soba noodles in a bowl.
- Top with shredded chicken, cucumber, and carrot.
- Pour over the dressing and toss gently from bottom to top until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.
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