If you’re looking for a light, yet flavorful meal, a Hoisin Glazed Chicken and Cucumber Salad is the perfect option. This dish combines tender, savory chicken with a sweet and savory hoisin glaze, paired with the crisp, refreshing crunch of cucumbers and other fresh vegetables. The result is a vibrant salad that’s both satisfying and full of flavor, making it an excellent choice for a healthy lunch or dinner.
The chicken is marinated and coated in hoisin sauce, a rich and slightly sweet Chinese condiment made from soybeans, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. The glaze gives the chicken a shiny, flavorful coating as it’s grilled or pan-seared, locking in the juices and creating a tender, juicy bite. Once cooked, the chicken is sliced thin, allowing the hoisin glaze to shine and blend perfectly with the salad.
Cucumbers are the star vegetable in this salad, providing a cool, crisp texture that contrasts beautifully with the savory, slightly sweet chicken. Sliced thinly, they add a refreshing crunch and lightness to the dish. To complement the cucumbers, you can add thinly sliced carrots, bell peppers, and fresh herbs like cilantro or mint. These vegetables enhance the overall freshness of the salad while adding a burst of color.
The dressing is simple yet flavorful, made from a combination of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a touch of honey or sugar to balance the tanginess. This dressing brings together all the elements, complementing the sweetness of the hoisin glazed chicken and the freshness of the vegetables. It ties the salad together, giving each bite a savory, umami-rich flavor.
For an added touch, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top, which provide a subtle nuttiness that enhances the flavors of the salad. You can also add a few chili flakes or a drizzle of sriracha for a bit of heat if you prefer.
This Hoisin Glazed Chicken and Cucumber Salad is a delightful, balanced meal. The combination of tender chicken, refreshing cucumbers, and a savory dressing makes for a satisfying, light dish that’s perfect for warm weather. It’s also a great option if you’re looking to enjoy a meal that’s both healthy and bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Green onions sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brush with the hoisin glaze.
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the cucumber salad. In a bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, green onions, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Slice the chicken and serve with the cucumber salad.
- Enjoy!
Chicken + cucumbers. Yum! Easy to make and fast. Also, love that it’s healthy.
Made it for dinner tonight and everyone went back for seconds. The glaze smelled amazing while baking.
Easy to make and full of flavor! Even my picky kid liked it. Thumbs up from me!
Just okay, needs something. Might add some chili flakes for kick next time. 😒
Adding chili flakes sounds like a great idea! I think it will really elevate the flavors. 😃
Hoisin glaze? I thought that was something you put on a car! 😂 Anyway, chicken was okay.
Super easy to make! My kids loved it, but I used less sugar in the salad because I’m watching my diet.
That’s great to hear! I always try to reduce sugar in my dishes too. Did you enjoy the hoisin glaze?
Less sugar? How can it be sweet then? I thought the honey was the only sugar. Sounds kinda weird, but whatever works!
This was kinda bland for me. I think I under-salted the salad and my hoisin was less flavorful. Next time I’ll taste and adjust as I go.
I replaced cucumbers with lettuce. Is that okay? Taste didn’t change much, I think.
Eh, not for me. I think the chicken was a bit dry… maybe bake it for less time next time?
5 stars easy. I followed it exactly and the chicken was juicy. I let it rest longer than “a few minutes” and it helped.
Hoisin? Never heard of it. Is it like ketchup or what? 🤔
kinda good ngl 😅 i used lime instead of rice vinegar because i didnt have it, taste was slightly diffrent but still good
Too complicated for me. Where do I get hoisin sauce?
This dish was amazing! The hoisin glaze added such a unique flavor. I’m making it again next week!
I totally agree! That hoisin glaze is the bomb! Can’t wait to try it again myself.
Are you sure this is the best? I mean, hoisin sauce ain’t for everyone. What if someone doesn’t like sweet flavors?
This recipe was awesome! The chicken came out juicy and the flavors were just perfect. Definitely making this again!
Easy peasy! I’ll make this again for sure.
Not bad, but 400°F for 18-20 min seems too short for chicken breasts. Mine were still pink in the middle until I cooked longer. Otherwise the taste is solid.
Totally agree—400°F for only 18-20 min is risky for thicker breasts. I usually go more like 25-30 and check temp. Taste is really good though!
Mine came out fine at 18-20, so maybe it depends on thickness. Did you weigh yours or pound them thinner?
Was the honey supposed to be in the glaze? I forgot and it was still good! 🤷♂️
Pretty good, but I felt like the baking time was slightly off for my oven. Mine took closer to 25 minutes to be fully cooked. Salad was great though—crisp and tangy.
Good to hear! I’ve also noticed baking times vary a lot with ovens and chicken thickness—25 minutes makes sense. Did you bake at the same 400°F and use fresh or thawed breasts?
Mine usually takes way longer too… like 30-35. I just go by internal temp—165°F—because the “18-20” always seems optimistic. The salad part was the best though, not gonna lie.
Okay, I’m confused: it says 1/4 cup rice vinegar and also 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Are those both for the glaze and the salad? I winged it and it was… kinda sour.
Yeah—those are for different parts. The 1/4 cup rice vinegar is for the cucumber salad, and the 1 tbsp rice vinegar is for the hoisin glaze. Your “kinda sour” makes me think you may have used the extra vinegar in the salad or glaze both.
Wow. Just wow. This was the best chicken I ever had. Friends asked for the recipe!
This needs more spices. Bland overall. 😕
Not a fan of hoisin sauce. It tasted sweet but not in a good way. Probably won’t make again.
5 stars just for how easy it is! Even a beginner can do it. Thanks for sharing!
Honestly, I messed it up because I accidentally used regular vinegar instead of rice vinegar. The salad turned sharp and weird, but I guess that’s on me 😅
Pretty good! I like how it’s not too complicated. Next time I’ll cut the honey just a bit because my glaze tasted a little sweet for me. Also, I used regular vinegar instead of rice vinegar and it still worked.
Nice! Cutting back the honey is a great call—mine got a little sweet too until I dialed it in. Also good to know regular vinegar still worked; I might try that next time.
Kinda confused though—your ingredients list says 1 tbsp rice vinegar for the glaze AND then 1/4 cup rice vinegar for the salad… so which is it? I used apple cider vinegar once and it was way too tangy for me 😅
Took longer than 20 minutes to cook… Maybe my oven runs cool? But still tasty!
Wow, my kids actually ate the cucumbers! This recipe is a win! 🙂
That’s awesome! Getting kids to eat veggies is a real victory! 😄
Not gonna make this. I dont like cucumbers… but chicken sounds good! 🍗
The cilantro made it smell kinda funky to me (sorry). I used parsley instead and it was still good.
No worries! That “funky” cilantro smell is real for some people—genetics, right? Parsley is a solid swap. Glad you still liked it 😊