Extra High Protein Chicken Salad
This high protein chicken salad is everything you want in a lunch that actually keeps you full. It’s packed with flavor and a creamy cottage cheese that makes it so delicious and extra-packed with protein. Make it for meal prep for the week for an easy protein boost all week long.
A Note from Teri on High Protein Chicken Salad
I am determined to hit my protein goals every day, and I love finding delicious recipes that make it so easy to reach my goal. This extra high protein chicken salad is perfect for that. I’ve always been a chicken salad gal, and it is already high protein, but we took it to the next level in this recipe with one of my favorite protein hacks. By using cottage cheese paired with some of my favorite flavors, we made this recipe high in protein and high in deliciousness.
One of my best secrets for getting incredible texture on your chicken salad is to use my two group method. When breaking down your chicken, divide it into two groups: perfect, moist pieces in one group and dry, not-so-perfect pieces in another. Coarsely chop the perfect, moist pieces and put them in a large bowl. Put the dry, not-so-perfect pieces in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds, then transfer to the bowl with the perfect pieces and mix. It takes a few extra minutes, but it is absolutely worth it.
If you are not a fan of chicken salad, try this high protein salad with chicken from Substack instead for another easy way to get to your protein goals.
Ingredients and Variations
- Cottage cheese – use cottage cheese instead of the typical mayo for added protein in your salad
- Chives – the chives add the best herby flavor to your chicken salad
- Lemon juice – use fresh lemon juice for the best results
- Shallots – shallots add a softer but still powerful onion flavor
- Apple cider vinegar – a bit of vinegar adds brightness to your salad
- Garlic clove – add garlic to your sauce to pack an extra punch
- Celtic salt – add salt to bring out all of the flavors in your salad. I love using Celtic sea salt
- Sizzling Everyday Roast Chicken Breasts – you can also use rotisserie chicken
- Onion – I like to dice the onion finely to get them in every bite
- Celery – no chicken salad is complete without celery
- Giardiniera – this is my secret ingredient that adds a brininess and depth of flavor that is so fantastic
- Freshly ground black pepper – finish your salad with a little freshly ground black pepper to complete it
For serving, this high protein chicken salad is wonderful in lettuce wraps, on toasted bread, with crackers, or straight from the jar. For an extra protein boost, serve Quest protein chips.
How to Make High Protein Chicken Salad
Step One: Make The Sauce
To a food processor, blender or a wide mouth mason jar, add cottage cheese, chives, lemon juice, shallots, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and salt, and blend on high until thoroughly combined. Add 2 tablespoons of water to loosen and blend. Set aside.
Step Two: Make the Chicken Salad
Remove the skin from the chicken breasts and use your hands to meticulously pull the meat off the bones, discarding the imperfections like soft tendons, cartilage, and red pieces. Measure out 3 cups of chicken and reserve the rest for a different recipe.
Divide the chicken into two groups: perfect, moist pieces in one group and dry, not-so-perfect pieces in another. Coarsely chop the perfect, moist pieces and put them in a large bowl. Put the dry, not-so-perfect pieces in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds, then transfer to the bowl with the perfect pieces and mix.
Add the onion, celery, all of the cottage cheese sauce, chives, giardiniera, salt, and pepper. With a large spoon or spatula mix well until thoroughly combined. Store in a jar or glass container.
Recipe FAQs
Each serving has over 40 grams of protein, but the exact amount depends on the size of your chicken breasts. Unlike a traditional mayo-based chicken salad where the dressing adds fat and calories but no protein, the cottage cheese dressing adds protein as well.
Yes! Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut that keeps this recipe so easy. Pull the breast meat and use the same technique: chop the best pieces and pulse the drier ones for 5 seconds in the food processor.
Stored in a glass jar or airtight container, it keeps for up to 4 days. The flavors actually deepen over the first day, so it’s perfect for meal prep. Give it a stir before serving and enjoy!
There are so many ways to enjoy this chicken salad. You can put it in lettuce wraps, onto toasted sourdough or a good cracker, or stuffed into an avocado half. For meal prep, portion it into individual jars with crackers or vegetables on the side for a perfect grab-and-go lunch or snack.
Try These Other Chicken Salad Recipes
If you make your own High Protein Chicken Salad recipe, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!
Extra High Protein Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons chives chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon shallots minced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove pressed or grated
- 1/8 teaspoon salt I use Celtic sea salt
For the chicken salad:
- 2 Sizzling Everyday Roast Chicken Breasts
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- ¾ cup celery sliced
- ¼ cup chives minced
- 1/4 cup giardiniera chopped
- 2 Pinches salt
- Pinch black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Make the sauce: To a food processor, blender or a wide mouth mason jar, add cottage cheese, chives, lemon juice, shallots, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and salt, and blend on high until thoroughly combined. Add 2 tablespoons of water to loosen and blend. Set aside.
- Make the chicken salad: Remove the skin from the chicken breasts and use your hands to meticulously pull the meat off the bones, discarding the imperfections like soft tendons, cartilage, and red pieces. Measure out 3 cups of chicken and reserve the rest for a different recipe.
- Note: You can save the bones in your freezer to make chicken stock in the future.
- Divide the chicken into two groups: perfect, moist pieces in one group and dry, not-so-perfect pieces in another. Coarsely chop the perfect, moist pieces and put them in a large bowl. Put the dry, not-so-perfect pieces in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds, then transfer to the bowl with the perfect pieces and mix.
- Add the onion, celery, all of the cottage cheese sauce, chives, giardiniera, salt, and pepper. With a large spoon or spatula mix well until thoroughly combined. Store in a jar or glass container and store
Notes
- Store your chicken salad in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- You can also use rotisserie chicken in place of the chicken breasts.
- For an extra protein boost, serve Quest protein chips.
