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. 😃
5 stars! I used chicken thighs and it came out amazing. Also, I think the oven temp should be 425°F not 400°F? Either way, my glaze browned more.
I’m not sure about upping it to 425—400°C/400°F confusion is real 😅 Mine cooked through but the glaze got dark fast, and I had to cover it with foil. Still tasty though!
So glad it worked for you! I’ve also found the glaze browns nicer when the oven runs a bit hotter—425°F might be spot on, especially with thicker cuts. Thanks for sharing the chicken thighs tip!
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.
I followed the recipe but my hoisin glaze turned out kinda thick and sticky. Next time I’ll whisk it longer or maybe add a splash more vinegar. Flavor was still good!
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 😅
Hoisin + cucumber sounds weird to me… but wow. It’s actually pretty balanced. I added extra green onions and it was even better.
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 😊
Pretty tasty, but I think 18-20 minutes might be a little short for thick chicken breasts. Mine came out borderline, so I had to bake a few more minutes. Flavor was solid though.
Totally agree—mine were on the thick side too. I ended up doing closer to 23 minutes at 400°F and they were perfect. Flavor’s really good though, like sweet-salty hoisin vibes.
Huh, I followed it exactly (18-20) and mine was a little dry?? maybe my breasts were thinner. Also I thought the recipe said 1/4 cup rice vinegar for the salad, but it’s kinda confusing with the 1 tbsp earlier—either way tasted okay.
I don’t know about the sourness in the cucumber salad… should it really have that much vinegar? Seemed off.
Made this tonight—so flavorful. The hoisin-honey glaze caramelized nicely and the cucumber salad tasted super fresh. I did add a little extra cilantro at the end (because why not).
That sounds amazing—hoisin + honey is such a good combo. I love when the glaze actually caramelizes like that. 😄 Also “because why not” to extra cilantro is always the right move!
Nice! I’m curious though—my hoisin always gets a little too sweet, so I usually cut the honey or add more vinegar. Did you find the glaze balanced or more on the sticky-sweet side?
Very easy recipe! My kids loved it too. Plus, it looks fancy even though it’s simple. Winner in my book!
This was surprisingly tasty—sweet, salty, and the cucumber salad actually cuts the richness. I did add a little extra lime on top (because why not) and it worked great. Definitely making again.
Really tasty, but I think 18-20 minutes might be a bit short depending on the thickness. Mine needed closer to 24. Next time I’ll check with a thermometer.
Totally agree—time can vary a lot with thickness. I’d trust a thermometer more than a timer too.
Too much vinegar in the salad for my taste. Could use less next time.
I don’t like cilantro, can I leave it out? Will it still taste good? 🤷
I was skeptical about the 1/4 cup of rice vinegar showing up twice (it’s in ingredients), but it ended up fine. I just used the amounts as written—no problems.
Hmm I dunno… 1/4 cup vinegar twice sounds like it could be too sour. I’d probably cut it in half for the salad or add more honey. Still sounds tasty though!
Same! I noticed the rice vinegar in both the glaze and the salad and figured it might be a typo, but your comment makes me feel better. Glad it turned out fine—def doing this exactly next time.
Delicious! I added some chili flakes to spice it up, great results!
I’m skeptical about 18-20 minutes for 4 chicken breasts at 400°F. Mine was undercooked in the middle, so I had to keep baking. Flavor was nice though—just watch the timing and thickness.
Totally get the timing skepticism. 18-20 min can be wildly different depending on thickness—mine ran more like 25-30 before the middle was safe. Flavor was still great though!
I tried this and it came out a bit dry (even though it looked done on the outside). Maybe my breasts were thinner? Still tasty glaze, just don’t blindly trust the minutes.
Cucumbers + rice vinegar + sesame oil is such a good combo. I added a tiny pinch of chili flakes and it kicked the whole thing up.
Yes!! That cucumber + rice vinegar tang with sesame oil is addictive. I love how a pinch of chili flakes adds a little kick without messing up the balance.
I tried it but I think my cucumbers got too sour? Like I maybe used regular vinegar instead of rice vinegar by accident… Oops. Either way, the flavor was good though, and the sesame oil helped a lot.
Hoisin sauce? Isn’t that for stir fry? I was confused but it actually worked. Not gonna lie.
Super easy and quick! My kids loved it. The salad was a nice touch! A+ recipe from me!
Not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure about hoisin + cucumber, but it surprised me. I’d make this again, especially for meal prep. Good textures.
I was skeptical too, but I think I’d swap the cucumber for something less watery? Mine would get soggy quick. Also, is that 1/4 cup rice vinegar in addition to the 1 tbsp—seems like a lot lol.
Okay this combo actually sounds way better than I expected—hoisin + cucumber is like sweet/salty + fresh crunch. Love that it’s meal-prep friendly!
Hoisin sauce? What even is that? Didn’t have any so I swapped it with BBQ sauce. Still tasted fine, lol.
This was surprisingly good—sweet, salty, and tangy all in one bite. The cucumber salad really balances the richness. I’ll definitely make it again.
Meh… it tasted okay, but I expected more “wow.” The sauce felt a little salty even after salting the chicken lightly. Next time I’ll cut soy sauce.
Hmm I kinda liked it tbh. But yeah, soy sauce can overpower. I usually do 1 tbsp soy instead of 2 and it’s better. Also did you use regular hoisin or low sodium? Those can change everything.
Totally get what you mean—hoisin + soy can get salty fast. Next time try reducing the soy sauce (or swap a bit for low-sodium), and I’d also rinse/rebalance the cucumber salad saltwise since vinegar/sugar can make flavors pop in a weird way.
My chicken came out a little dry even though I baked it 18-20 minutes… maybe my breasts were thick? Flavor was great though, especially with the sesame oil.
I tried it but my chicken was dry. I think I overcooked it. Also, resting is not optional—mine didn’t rest long enough.
Absolutely divine! I just added a pinch of chili flakes and it was perfect. 🥢🥢
Tried this recipe but the chicken didn’t turn out great. I think I overcooked it… had to drown it in sauce to save it.
This is a nice idea, but I’m skeptical about hoisin + honey + vinegar on chicken breast… still, it works. The flavor is complex.
I was skeptical too, but the sweet-salty tang really clicks. The vinegar helps cut through the hoisin sweetness, and the cucumber salad cools it off.
400°F for 18–20 minutes? That feels short for chicken breasts. Mine came out a little dry at that timing, so I’d check internal temp and probably go longer. Flavor was good though.
I followed the recipe exactly but the chicken turned out dry. Maybe my oven is too hot?
This was not what I expected. The cooking time was way off, and my chicken was dry. I’m not impressed.
I don’t like chicken, I used tofu instead and it was super good!