This Soba Noodle Teriyaki Chicken Salad is light, refreshing, and perfect for warm-weather meals. The soba noodles are served cool alongside crisp salad greens, while the teriyaki chicken can be enjoyed warm or chilled — I prefer the whole dish chilled for a bright, clean bite. For a quick lunch or easy weeknight dinner, use prewashed spring mix and shredded carrots. Cook chicken with your favorite teriyaki sauce, toss the noodles and salad with an Asian-style dressing, and finish with a few simple garnishes for a satisfying, balanced meal.
What are Soba Noodles?
Soba is a traditional Japanese noodle enjoyed across the country in simple, elegant preparations. These thin noodles are typically made from buckwheat flour, giving them a light, nutty flavor and a delicate texture. Pure buckwheat soba is naturally gluten free, though many commercial varieties include a portion of wheat flour to improve texture and prevent crumbling. Compared to whole wheat pasta, soba feels lighter on the palate and pairs beautifully with cool salads, dipping sauces, and broths. If you can find pickled ginger, it makes a lovely, tangy garnish for this salad, though the dish is delicious without it as well.
Store-bought brands vary in quality; I often choose minimally processed organic soba for the best flavor and texture. When cooking, follow package directions closely — most soba varieties cook in just a few minutes and then cool quickly when rinsed under cold water. Cooling the noodles in running water stops the cooking process, firms the texture, and readies them to be tossed with salad and dressing.
How to Make this Salad
A little meal prep makes this salad especially easy. I usually cook a couple of chicken breasts on a Sunday and keep them ready for salads and bowls during the week. For this version, cook the chicken with teriyaki sauce until fully done, then slice thinly. If you’re short on time, rotisserie chicken or thin-cut pre-marinated chicken can also work well.
Assemble the salad by dividing spring mix into bowls, adding thinly sliced cucumber and shredded or ribboned carrots, then topping with cooled soba noodles and the sliced teriyaki chicken. Finish with a ginger- or sesame-style dressing to tie the flavors together. I like a generous portion of greens and noodles with a bit less chicken, but adjust the ratios to suit your preferences. This salad adapts easily to other proteins — grilled shrimp, teriyaki salmon, seared ahi tuna, or even steak all make excellent variations.
If you enjoy noodle bowls, try other simple preparations such as creamy sesame rice noodles for variety. For this salad, a quick homemade sesame dressing or a store-bought ginger dressing both work nicely — pick one that you enjoy and that complements the teriyaki chicken.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and share your rating; feedback helps other readers and I appreciate hearing how you made it your own.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Soba Noodle Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Equipment
- 1 pot (about 2 quart)
- 2 bowls for serving
Ingredients
- 8 oz chicken breast, cooked with teriyaki sauce and sliced
- 3 oz dry soba noodles, cooked to package directions
- 4 cups spring mix
- 1 cup cucumber, English, thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrot, shredded or ribbons
- 2 tbsp pickled ginger (optional for garnish)
- 1/2 cup ginger or sesame-type dressing
Instructions
- Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, drain, and set aside to cool completely.
- Slice the cooked teriyaki chicken into thin strips and keep warm or refrigerate if serving chilled.
- Divide the spring mix between two bowls.
- Add the sliced cucumber and shredded carrot evenly to each bowl.
- Portion the cooled soba noodles between the bowls and top each with sliced chicken.
- Drizzle with your preferred ginger or sesame dressing. Garnish with pickled ginger if desired and serve.
Notes
Calories will vary depending on the type and amount of dressing used. To save time, use prewashed greens and pre-shredded carrots. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a day or two; store dressing separately if possible to keep the greens crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 salad | Calories: approximately 597 kcal
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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