Chinese Smashed Cucumber Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large English cucumbers or other thin skinned cucumbers, such as Persian or Japanese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound shredded cooked chicken, cold from the fridge
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, to serve
• Cilantro leaves, to serve
• Dried red chili flakes, to serve
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, then dry them off. Lay a cucumber on your board and press down along its length with the flat side of a large knife or cleaver, smashing it in several spots until it breaks open into long, uneven strips.
2. Pull the cucumber apart with your hands into bite-sized pieces. Put the pieces in a colander set inside a large bowl, sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon salt, and gently toss so the salt gets distributed all over.
3. Move the cucumbers to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. While they rest, the salt will pull out liquid, which will drip down into the bowl underneath.
4. Whisk the rice vinegar, soy, honey, ginger, minced garlic, and cilantro together to make the dressing. Keep it cold in the fridge while the cucumbers finish draining.
5. Put the drained cucumbers into a serving bowl. Add the shredded chicken and the dressing, then toss until everything is coated. Taste, and if it needs a little more brightness or saltiness, add an extra splash of vinegar or soy sauce.
6. Spoon the salad onto serving plates and finish with sesame seeds, dried chili, and more cilantro. Serve it right away. Leftovers do not keep well.