Buffalo Chicken Salad Cottage (Print)

A zesty chicken salad featuring creamy cottage cheese, buffalo sauce, and fresh crunchy vegetables.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb chicken tenderloins
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
04 - Kosher salt to taste

→ Dressing

05 - ½ cup 2% cottage cheese
06 - ¼ cup 0% Greek yogurt
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 3 tablespoons buffalo sauce
09 - 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning

→ Salad Mix-ins

10 - ⅓ cup sweet onion, finely diced
11 - ⅓ cup celery, finely diced
12 - ⅓ cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
13 - Cracked black pepper to taste
14 - Kosher salt to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a 3-quart pot, combine 2 cups water and 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth with a pinch of kosher salt. Add chicken tenderloins and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Drain and cool completely. Shred using two forks or your fingers.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and fresh lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and well incorporated.
03 - Add shredded chicken, diced celery, diced sweet onion, and grated cheddar cheese to the bowl with dressing. Fold everything together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with cracked black pepper and kosher salt as needed.
04 - Serve chilled with crackers, fresh vegetable crudités, or as a sandwich filling. Alternatively, gently heat and serve warm if preferred.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • It's protein-packed enough to keep you full through afternoon meetings without that heavy feeling afterward.
  • The cottage cheese trick makes it creamy without derailing your nutrition goals, and honestly, once you taste it this way, you won't go back.
  • It comes together in less time than it takes to scroll through your phone, yet tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the chicken before shredding it if you're using hot broth—it'll wilt the cheese and make the dressing break. Trust me, I learned this the hard way and ended up with something that looked separated and wrong.
  • Cottage cheese curds matter more than you'd think; if yours looks particularly chunky, you can blend it briefly with the yogurt before adding other ingredients and the whole thing becomes silkier.
  • The buffalo sauce you choose actually changes the game—some brands are way thicker and spicier than others, so start with less and add more rather than the reverse.
03 -
  • If you want it spicier, add a small pinch of cayenne to the dressing rather than just more buffalo sauce—cayenne gives you heat without extra moisture.
  • Swap the cheddar for crumbled blue cheese if you want to lean into the classic buffalo wing flavor, and it's honestly worth trying even once.
  • Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store saves you 20 minutes and tastes just as good, so don't feel obligated to boil your own chicken if time is tight.
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