Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese
Next time you’re craving a quick high protein recipe, try this healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese. Enjoy with crackers, fresh crudité or on a sandwich. No matter how you scoop it, it’s going to be a favorite with 31g of protein and 199 calories per serving.
This spicy chicken salad recipe checks all the boxes. Make for meal prep throughout the week or enjoy as a lite and healthy dinner.
Looking for more recipes then try my Southwest Shredded Chicken Salad, Cottage Cheese Taco Dip, One Pan Spicy Buffalo Chicken or my Buffalo Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip.
Substitutions and Ingredients Needed
- Chicken – This recipe calls for one pound of shredded chicken. You can use tenderloins or breasts.
- Cottage Cheese – This recipe calls for cottage cheese. I like using 2%, but you can use whatever you enjoy most.
- Greek Yogurt – You’ll need 0% Greek yogurt for this recipe.
- Buffalo Sauce – I use Frank’s Red Hot buffalo sauce, but you can use whatever buffalo sauce you enjoy most.
- Lemon Juice – This recipe calls for fresh squeezed lemon juice. It adds a brightness to this recipe. Handy citrus juicer.
- Ranch Seasoning Mix – This recipe calls for ranch seasoning mix. I used Hidden Valley brand. However, you can use whatever brand you enjoy most.
- Vegetables – This recipe calls for finely diced celery and finely diced sweet onion.
- Cheese – Freshly grated mild cheddar cheese takes this recipe to the next level. Try this handy box grater.
Recipe Variations
- For a fun twist on buffalo chicken pizza, try adding a few scoops of the buffalo chicken salad to a low sugar, high protein tortilla. Spread it out thin and pop it in the air fryer until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown. Roughly 5 minutes at 375.
- Tuck this chicken salad inside of a wrap or a lettuce cup for an easy on the go option. Or scoop this chicken salad over a bed of your favorite greens for a light and healthy lunch.
- Stuff this chicken salad into mini bell peppers and enjoy. Option to air fry the mini peppers until the chicken salad is warm for a tasty play on stuffed mini peppers.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese
Boil and Shred the Chicken
Add water and chicken broth to a 3qt pot. A 50/50 ratio of water and broth is fine. Add the chicken tenderloins and bring to a boil. Boil the chicken for roughly 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain off the water/broth and allow the chicken to cool before shredding. Option to use two forks to shred the chicken.
Try this handy clip-on colander for draining the water.
Make the Chicken Salad
Combine 2% cottage cheese, 0% Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning and fresh squeezed lemon juice to a mixing bowl. Mix well.
Next, add the cool shredded chicken, finely diced celery, finely diced onion and freshly grated mild cheddar cheese. Using a spatula, fold everything together until well combined. Serve and enjoy.
How to Store Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Serve chilled with crudité or crackers. Or you can heat this chicken salad and serve it warm. Either way, it’s delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! That should work fine. Just make sure it is well shredded.
Boiled chicken is super tender and absorbs a lot of flavor from the chicken broth when boiling. Just make sure it is cool before shredding.
Yes! This recipe is perfect as a healthy snack, lunch or light dinner throughout the week.
I would suggest tasting the recipe once it is finished before adding any extra kosher salt. The buffalo sauce, cottage cheese and ranch seasoning all have salt, so extra kosher salt might not be needed.
Other Recipes to Consider Trying
- Southwest Shredded Chicken Salad
- Cottage Cheese Taco Dip
- One Pan Spicy Buffalo Chicken
- Buffalo Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip
Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese
Equipment
- 1 3qt pot with colander
- 1 spatula
- 1 box grater for cheese
- 1 citrus juicer
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins, boiled and shredded
- ½ cup 2% cottage cheese
- ¼ cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 3 tablespoons buffalo sauce, of choice, Frank's Red Hot Buffalo
- 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning, Hidden Valley
- ¼ cup sweet onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup mild cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese
Boil and Shred the Chicken
- Add water and chicken broth to a 3qt pot. A 50/50 ratio of water and broth is fine. Add the chicken tenderloins and bring to a boil. Boil the chicken for roughly 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain off the water/broth and allow the chicken to cool before shredding. Option to use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Try this handy clip-on colander for draining the water.
Make the Chicken Salad
- Combine 2% cottage cheese, 0% Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning and fresh squeezed lemon juice to a mixing bowl. Mix well.
- Next, add the cool shredded chicken, finely diced celery, finely diced onion and freshly grated mild cheddar cheese. Fold everything together until well combined. Serve and enjoy.
12 Comments on “Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese”
Did you make the air fried tortilla “pizza” with the mission carb balance soft taco tortilla?
I honestly don’t remember. I often but whats on sale… so I am cannot confirm for sure.
Could I substitute actual ranch dressing for the dry ranch seasoning packet?
I haven’t tested it, but I feel like it would be too runny. LMK if you give it a try!
This is fantastic and has such great flavor. I was addicted after the first bite. Dipped with celery stalks, pretzel thins and pita. So good – thank you!
thank you for the review, Mary! I am so glad you enjoyed it!!
This recipe turned out so well!! It’s delicious and everyone loved it.
thank you for the feedback, Diane! I am so glad you all enjoyed!
I love chicken salad and I love buffalo chicken so this was a match made in heaven! But usually, these types of recipes are filled with mayonnaise and blue cheese and ranch and all of those things that are so high and fat and calories. This one is so tasty and delicious with none of the guilt! I don’t usually like cottage cheese but this recipe is fabulous! The combination of the cottage cheese with the Greek yogurt and the ranch seasoning is just perfection! I will be making this on repeat! Thanks for another great recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it!! Thank you for the review!
Is there any substitute for the cottage cheese? I’m no dairy.
Thank you
There is mild cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and greek yogurt in this recipe. Probably best to skip this one!