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Looking for a quick, high-protein lunch or dinner idea? This cottage cheese chicken salad is the ultimate easy meal prep solution, and I’m so excited to share it with you! We used shredded rotisserie chicken to keep things super simple, and instead of mayo, we swapped in whipped cottage cheese. It gives this chicken salad a creamy texture and adds a boost of protein to keep you satisfied. Whether you serve it in lettuce cups, on toast, or straight from the bowl, this no-mayo chicken salad is a healthy go-to you’ll want to make on repeat.
For more high-protein salads, try our cottage cheese tuna salad, salmon salad, healthy tuna salad, and cottage cheese egg salad!
Why You Will Love This High-Protein Chicken Salad
- Easy: Our easy recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients and rotisserie chicken.
- Quick: This chicken salad is effortless to make! It comes together in about 10 minutes.
- Protein Packed: It’s packed with protein from the chicken and cottage cheese. Plus, if you don’t love the texture of cottage cheese, don’t worry, it’s blended so it’s smooth and creamy and you don’t even taste it!
- Meal Prep: This cottage cheese chicken salad is great for meal prep! It’s the perfect easy lunch to enjoy throughout the week.
- Healthy: There is no mayonnaise in this recipe! Whipped cottage cheese replaces mayo in this chicken salad.
- Customizable: You can customize this chicken salad with your favorite add-ins. For another delicious flavor variation, try our cottage cheese buffalo chicken salad next!
“I just made this cottage cheese chicken salad today and it was absolutely incredible! I couldn’t taste the cottage cheese, it was just super creamy. I love that this chicken salad is packed with protein, thanks for the awesome recipe!”
– sophia
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken: We used rotisserie chicken to keep this recipe simple. Any fully cooked chicken will work for this chicken salad.
- Celery: Chopped celery adds a crunchy texture and flavor.
- Green Onions: Sliced green onions add flavor to the chicken salad.
- Cottage Cheese: Whipped cottage cheese is the base of the creamy sauce.
- Mustard: Add stone-ground mustard or Dijon mustard for flavor.
- Seasonings: Season the sauce with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Cottage Cheese To Use: You can use fat-free, low-fat, or full-fat cottage cheese.
- Chicken To Use: If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, any fully cooked chicken will work. Some other options are chopped grilled chicken, drained canned chicken breast, or our slow cooker shredded chicken recipe.
- Green Onions Substitution: You can replace the green onions with 2-3 tablespoons of diced white onion or red onion if preferred. For another option, use 1 tablespoon of chopped chives.
- Cottage Cheese Substitution: If you don’t have cottage cheese, you can substitute it with non-fat Greek yogurt or your plain Greek yogurt of choice. Or try one of our chicken salad recipes made with Greek yogurt, such as our chicken salad with grapes and tarragon, Waldorf chicken salad, or buffalo chicken salad.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad
Step 1: To whip the cottage cheese, blend it in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Or, use an immersion blender to blend it directly in the container. For tips on all of these methods, check out our post on whipped cottage cheese.
Step 2: Shred or chop the fully cooked rotisserie chicken breast, or use your fully cooked chicken of choice. Also, chop the celery and slice the green onions.
Step 3: Add the shredded cooked chicken, celery, and green onions to a large bowl.
Next, lightly toss these ingredients in the bowl.
Step 4: Add the whipped cottage cheese, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a separate small bowl. Thoroughly mix to combine the sauce.
Step 5: Pour the sauce into the bowl with the chicken salad.
After that, thoroughly toss the chicken salad in the bowl until it’s evenly coated in the sauce. Then, serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this cottage cheese chicken salad in a variety of delicious ways! Serve it right out of the bowl, make lettuce wraps, pile it on your favorite bread for a satisfying chicken salad sandwich, or scoop it up with your favorite crackers. We love to serve it with our easy homemade lavash crackers for a healthy and tasty combo.
Expert Tips
- Whipped Cottage Cheese: For this recipe, make sure to blend the cottage cheese for a creamy sauce. You can do this by blending the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Or, use an immersion blender to blend the cottage cheese directly in its container.
- Thoroughly Mix: Thoroughly toss the chicken salad in the sauce to ensure it’s evenly coated.
- Customize: We made a classic chicken salad flavor combination, but you can always customize this chicken salad! Some optional additions include chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts, chopped apples, roughly chopped dried cranberries, or sliced red grapes.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers of this cottage cheese chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Use Cottage Cheese Instead Of Mayonnaise In Chicken Salad?
Yes, swapping mayonnaise for whipped cottage cheese in your chicken salad is a great creamy, high-protein alternative.
Do I Have To Blend The Cottage Cheese?
Yes, make sure to blend the cottage cheese to create a smooth and creamy sauce for the chicken salad.
Can I Freeze Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad?
No, I don’t recommend freezing this chicken salad, as it can change the texture of the cottage cheese sauce.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes!
- Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
- Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip
- High-Protein Cottage Cheese Bagels
- Cottage Cheese Quiche
- Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Don’t miss our collection of cottage cheese recipes here on Healthy Foodie Girl.
If you try this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating ★★★★★ letting us know how it turns out for you.
COTTAGE CHEESE CHICKEN SALAD
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fully cooked rotisserie chicken breast, shredded or chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese, whipped
- 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard or Dijon
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- To whip the cottage cheese, blend it in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Or, use an immersion blender to blend it directly in the container.
- Shred or chop the fully cooked rotisserie chicken breast, or use your fully cooked chicken of choice. Also, chop the celery and slice the green onions.
- Add the shredded cooked chicken, celery, and green onions to a large bowl. Next, lightly toss these ingredients in the bowl.
- Add the whipped cottage cheese, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a separate small bowl. Thoroughly mix to combine the sauce.
- Pour the sauce into the bowl with the chicken salad. After that, thoroughly toss the chicken salad in the bowl until it’s evenly coated in the sauce. Then, serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cottage Cheese: You can use fat-free, low-fat, or full-fat cottage cheese.
- Chicken: If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, any fully cooked chicken will work. Some other options are chopped grilled chicken, drained canned chicken breast, or our slow cooker shredded chicken recipe.
- Storage: Store leftovers of this cottage cheese chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking for a quick, high-protein lunch or dinner? This cottage cheese chicken salad is the ultimate meal prep solution! We use shredded rotisserie chicken for simplicity and swap mayo for whipped cottage cheese, giving it a creamy texture and a boost of protein. Whether served in lettuce cups, on toast, or straight from the bowl, this no-mayo chicken salad is a healthy, satisfying go-to you’ll want to make on repeat!
I just made this cottage cheese chicken salad today and it was absolutely incredible! I couldn’t taste the cottage cheese, it was just super creamy. I love that this chicken salad is packed with protein, thanks for the awesome recipe!
Hi Sophia, I’m so happy to hear that you loved the cottage cheese chicken salad!
Used full fat cottage cheese but still only one point. Very creamy. Served on lettuce and today I will use it in a tortilla for lunch. Love these recipes
Hi Nora, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the cottage cheese chicken salad and our recipes! Using full-fat cottage cheese for extra creaminess sounds perfect! I love how you served this chicken salad on lettuce one day and in a tortilla the next! That sounds delicious! I’m glad the points stayed low, too. Thank you for your kind words, it means a lot!
We had grilled chicken leftover from yesterday . We always make extra to have make yummy meals with the leftovers . I was feeling wild and crazy , so I added to a cut da carb flat bread ,rolled it up like a burrito and warmed it in a skillet and browned both sides . Served warm . It tasted so rich and decadent .
Hi Robin, that sounds absolutely delicious and so creative! I love that you repurposed your grilled chicken into this cottage cheese chicken salad! Rolling it up in a Cut Da Carb flatbread and crisping it up in the skillet sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing how you enjoyed this chicken salad!
I’m a cottage cheese lover so I enjoy a lot of your recipes. This was sooo delicious!! It was a big hit. I did use full fat cottage cheese. Even if you’re not a big cottage cheese person blending the cottage cheese made a big difference than just adding it in from the container. Loved it!!
Hi Donna, thank you so much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our cottage cheese recipes and that you loved this cottage cheese chicken salad! 🙂 Using full-fat cottage cheese and blending it really does make it so creamy and delicious. I really appreciate you sharing your experience, it’s super helpful for others thinking about trying it too!
Made it with cottage cheese and pineapple. A little too much garlic for me, personal preference. Very good chicken salad.
Hi Sheryl, thanks so much for trying the cottage cheese chicken salad and for leaving a review! I’m glad you enjoyed it overall. If the garlic was a bit much, you can definitely adjust it next time to suit your taste. I really appreciate your feedback!
As all the healthy foodie girl recipes this one is delicious, tons a flavor, easy to make. Keep the recipes coming, thank you do the work for us, and making healthy eating fun, tasty and easy.
Hi Mary, thank you so much for the kind words! We’re so glad you’re loving the recipes and enjoyed the cottage cheese chicken salad. It means the world to hear that our recipes make healthy eating feel fun, tasty, and easy!
Always delicious recipes. WW friendly too
Hi Diann, thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cottage cheese chicken salad, and I’m glad you love that our recipes are WW-friendly too. Your support truly means a lot!
I just made this cottage cheese chicken salad and loved it! It was so creamy and delicious! I couldn’t even taste the cottage cheese.
Hi Michelle, I’m so happy to hear that you loved the cottage cheese chicken salad! I’m glad it was creamy and delicious, and that you couldn’t even taste the cottage cheese. Thank you for sharing!