Mouthwatering High Protein Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese

If you ask me, chicken salad gets a bad rap for being boring.

This high protein version swaps out half the mayo for cottage cheese, giving you a lighter option that doesn’t skimp on flavor or creaminess. Juicy grapes add sweetness while crunchy celery keeps things interesting in every bite.

The chicken gets seasoned with a simple spice blend before cooking, then gets tossed with a tangy dressing made with lemon juice and herbs. A hit of cayenne pepper gives it just enough kick to keep things lively.

It’s a lunch-ready dish that’s packed with protein, perfect for meal prep or feeding the family on a busy weeknight.

What Kind of Cottage Cheese Should I Use?

For this chicken salad, you’ll want to grab a good quality cottage cheese that fits your texture preference. Small curd cottage cheese will blend more seamlessly into the salad and create a creamier consistency, while large curd adds a bit more texture if that’s what you’re after. Full-fat cottage cheese will give you the richest flavor and creamiest result, but low-fat or even fat-free versions work perfectly fine if you’re watching calories. Just give it a good stir before measuring it out, as the liquid and curds can separate in the container, and you want a nice even mix throughout your salad.

Options for Substitutions

This protein-packed salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Chicken breasts: You can use rotisserie chicken to save time, or swap in turkey breast or canned chicken if that’s what you have. Just make sure it’s cooked and shredded before mixing.
• Cottage cheese: Greek yogurt works great as a substitute and keeps the protein content high. Use the same amount and stick with full-fat or 2% for the best texture.
• Mayonnaise: If you want to cut calories, you can use all cottage cheese or Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Or try half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a lighter version that still has that creamy taste.
• Grapes: Dried cranberries, chopped apples, or diced pears all add that sweet crunch. If using dried fruit, cut the amount in half since the flavor is more concentrated.
• Celery: Diced bell peppers, cucumbers, or even chopped water chestnuts give you that satisfying crunch if celery isn’t your thing.
• Lemon juice: Lime juice or white wine vinegar work just fine for adding that bright, tangy note to the salad.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chicken salad is adding your cottage cheese mixture while the chicken is still warm, which can cause the mayo to separate and create a watery, unappetizing texture – always let your cooked chicken cool completely before mixing.

Overcooking your chicken breasts is another common issue that leads to dry, stringy meat, so pull them off the heat once they reach 155°F internally and let them rest for 5 minutes to reach a safe 165°F while staying juicy.

When blending the cottage cheese and mayo, make sure to blend until completely smooth with no lumps remaining, otherwise you’ll end up with an inconsistent texture throughout your salad.

Finally, don’t skip the resting time after mixing everything together – letting the salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to blend and gives you a much better tasting result than serving it right away.

What to Serve With Chicken Salad?

This chicken salad is perfect stuffed into a croissant or piled high on toasted sourdough bread for a classic sandwich. If you’re watching carbs, try scooping it onto butter lettuce leaves or serving it over a bed of mixed greens for a lighter meal. I also love eating it with crackers as an easy lunch or snack, and it’s great alongside some fresh fruit like apple slices or more grapes. For a heartier meal, serve it with a cup of soup or some crispy sweet potato fries on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cottage cheese and mayo keep everything nice and creamy, so it tastes great even a few days later. I like to make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week for quick lunches.

Serve: This salad is best served cold, straight from the fridge. Give it a quick stir before serving since the ingredients might settle a bit. Enjoy it on its own, with crackers, in a wrap, or stuffed into a pita pocket for an easy meal.

Make Ahead: You can prep the chicken ahead of time and store it separately from the other ingredients for up to 3 days. Then just mix everything together when you’re ready to eat, so the grapes and celery stay extra crisp and fresh.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-900
• Protein: 105-120 g
• Fat: 32-38 g
• Carbohydrates: 18-24 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1.5 lb chicken breast (cut into 1/2-inch cubes after cooking)
• 2 tsp chicken seasoning
• 2.5 stalks celery (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces for crunch)
• 1/2 cup grapes (sliced lengthwise into halves)
• salt
• black pepper

For the dressing:

• 1 cup cottage cheese (I use Good Culture for a thicker consistency)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the best flavor)
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brightness)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 2.5 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1/2 cup grapes, sliced lengthwise
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

While the chicken cooks, prepare all your ingredients so assembly is quick and seamless.

Finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces—this small size ensures it stays crisp and distributes evenly throughout the salad.

Slice the grapes lengthwise into halves so they don’t overwhelm each bite.

Measure out all the dry seasonings (oregano, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper) and combine them in a small bowl.

I like to do this spice blending ahead because it distributes the seasonings more evenly than adding them one at a time.

Step 2: Cook and Cube the Chicken

• 1.5 lb chicken breast
• 2 tsp chicken seasoning
• salt

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the chicken breasts with the 2 tsp chicken seasoning.

Simmer for 15-18 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and is cooked through.

Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes so it’s easier to handle.

Cut the cooled chicken into 1/2-inch cubes—this size provides good texture and protein distribution throughout the salad.

Step 3: Create the Creamy Base

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese and mayonnaise until smooth and well combined.

The thickness will depend on your cottage cheese brand—I prefer Good Culture because it creates a creamier texture without being runny.

Add the 1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir to incorporate.

This acidic brightness is essential to prevent the salad from tasting heavy or one-dimensional.

Step 4: Assemble and Season the Salad

• cooked, cubed chicken from Step 2
• creamy base from Step 3
• diced celery from Step 1
• sliced grapes from Step 1
• spice blend from Step 1
• salt
• black pepper

Add the cubed chicken from Step 2 to the creamy base from Step 3 and fold gently to coat.

Add the diced celery and sliced grapes, folding to distribute evenly.

Pour in the spice blend from Step 1 and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and evenly seasoned.

Taste the salad and adjust with salt and pepper to your preference.

I like to be conservative with salt initially since the mayo and chicken seasoning already provide saltiness—you can always add more but can’t take it out.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to set.

This also gives the salad a pleasant cool temperature.

Serve immediately on lettuce, crackers, or bread as desired.

Mouthwatering High Protein Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese

Delicious Mouthwatering High Protein Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 850 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken::

• 1.5 lb chicken breast (cut into 1/2-inch cubes after cooking)
• 2 tsp chicken seasoning
• 2.5 stalks celery (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces for crunch)
• 1/2 cup grapes (sliced lengthwise into halves)
• salt
• black pepper

For the dressing::

• 1 cup cottage cheese (I use Good Culture for a thicker consistency)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the best flavor)
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brightness)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

 

• While the chicken cooks, prepare all your ingredients so assembly is quick and seamless. Finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces—this small size ensures it stays crisp and distributes evenly throughout the salad. Slice the grapes lengthwise into halves so they don't overwhelm each bite. Measure out all the dry seasonings (oregano, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper) and combine them in a small bowl. I like to do this spice blending ahead because it distributes the seasonings more evenly than adding them one at a time.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the chicken breasts with the 2 tsp chicken seasoning. Simmer for 15-18 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and is cooked through. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes so it's easier to handle. Cut the cooled chicken into 1/2-inch cubes—this size provides good texture and protein distribution throughout the salad.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese and mayonnaise until smooth and well combined. The thickness will depend on your cottage cheese brand—I prefer Good Culture because it creates a creamier texture without being runny. Add the 1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir to incorporate. This acidic brightness is essential to prevent the salad from tasting heavy or one-dimensional.
• Add the cubed chicken from Step 2 to the creamy base from Step 3 and fold gently to coat. Add the diced celery and sliced grapes, folding to distribute evenly. Pour in the spice blend from Step 1 and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and evenly seasoned. Taste the salad and adjust with salt and pepper to your preference. I like to be conservative with salt initially since the mayo and chicken seasoning already provide saltiness—you can always add more but can't take it out.
• Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to set. This also gives the salad a pleasant cool temperature. Serve immediately on lettuce, crackers, or bread as desired.