I have enjoyed this low-calorie high-protein cottage cheese chicken salad for lunch all summer. This recipe’s high protein content and low calories are perfect when paying attention to your protein and calorie intake.

I previously shared a post about my favorite savory and sweet chicken salad using my go-to one-minute mayo. This recipe is quite similar but has a different nutritional profile!

Let’s break down the Nutrition facts for this cottage cheese chicken salad to get started.

Nutritional facts per serving-

Calories: 200

Fat: 2.1g

Carbs: 11.5g

Protein 30.2g

That’s right only 200 calories and 30 grams of protein per serving, which is equal to about 1 cup of chicken salad!

Where does the protein come from?

Cottage cheese takes the place of mayonnaise in this non-traditional chicken salad to lower the calorie content and increase the grams of protein! About 6 grams of the protein per serving comes from the cottage cheese.

The remaining protein comes from the chicken, at 24 grams per serving.

To keep this chicken salad low-calorie use chicken breast or tenderloins. You can purchase raw chicken and grill it for a delicious charred flavoring or use ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken for full flavor and ease.

High Protein Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad

A refreshing chicken salad made healthy with cottage cheese. This recipe is light and crispy and full of flavor.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

chill 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 140 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb diced chicken cooked breast or tenderloin
• 1 cup cottage cheese 1-2% milkfat for low-fat option
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• ½ tbsp honey
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried celery seed
• ½ cup diced pickles about 1-2 large spears
• ½ cup diced yellow onion

Instructions

 

• Finely dice cooked chicken, onion, pickle and place in bowl
• Add in the cottage cheese, mustard, honey and mix all together
• Add in seasoning and combine. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
• Chill in fridge for about 20 minutes, then enjoy!

Notes

*Optional to blend the cottage cheese first to get a smoother texture. Depends on your preference.

This chicken salad is a healthy low-calorie high-protein side dish. 

Cottage cheese replaces mayonnaise in this recipe to provide lower calories and high protein content. 

Serve on croissant for a tasty sandwich or with iceberg lettuce to create lettuce cups. 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. 

Per Serving-

Calories: 200

Fat: 2.1g

Carbs: 11.5g

Protein: 30.2

This makes about 3.5 Cups total.

Keyword quick

This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare with just a few basic ingredients.

To keep the recipe as time-friendly as possible, I kept the cottage cheese as whole curds, but blending it is an equally fine option depending on the texture you prefer!

I love the crisp and cool texture on a hot summer day. Enjoy it as a side dish at your backyard BBQ or use it as a sandwich filling with a flakey croissant for a traditional twist.

I have enjoyed it with crackers, in lettuce cups, or directly from the bowl!

Once all ingredients are mixed, chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes and then enjoy.

Make this your own recipe by adding your favorite ingredients. I love crunch so these items below would be great!

Option add-ins:

• celery
• green onion
• walnuts
• grapes
• fresh dill

Do you have a favorite high-protein low-calorie recipe? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Want more high-protein recipes? Try this creamy protein smoothie.

If you are looking for more quick recipes try these frozen banana bites for a tasty summer snack or these no-bake chocolate treats.

Finding a quick and delicious recipe that meets your nutritional goals is something to Rejoice About!

Happy Eating!