If you’re looking for a light, fresh, and protein-packed lunch option, this High Protein Chicken Salad is going to be a new favorite. Instead of mayo, I use cottage cheese and Greek yogurt for a creamy dressing that’s both nutritious and satisfying. Adding this gives you a boost of protein that a traditional chicken salad recipe doesn’t have. The shredded rotisserie chicken pairs perfectly with crisp apple, crunchy celery, and carrots for just the right balance of texture and flavor. Whether you tuck it into a wrap, pile it on mixed greens, or scoop it up with pita chips, this versatile recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients Needed for this High Protein Chicken Salad
Rottisserie Chicken:
You will need 2 breasts from a rotisserie chicken. Remove the breast meat from the breasts and shred it up with your hands or two forks. Save the remaining chicken for dinner. If you want to make the chicken breasts yourself, you absolutely can. Season chicken with your favorite spices, rub with some olive oil, and roast the chicken breast in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. While still warm, shred chicken.
Green Apple:
1 green apple. Finely diced. You can remove the skin if you want, but I usually just leave it on. I like green apples for their tartness. If you prefer a sweeter apple, try a Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Red Delicious.
Celery:
1/2 cup of celery. Finely diced into small pieces.
Green Onion:
1 Green onion. Finely dice the white and green parts of the onion. I like green onions for their mild flavor. If you prefer more of a bite, try using red onion or even up the green onion to two.
Shredded Carrots:
1/2 cup of shredded carrots. I like to buy carrots that are already shredded, then I run my knife through them so they are in tiny pieces. If you buy whole carrots, take the time to finely dice them into very small pieces.
Cottage Cheese:
1 cup of cottage cheese. My favorite brand of cottage cheese is Good Culture (2%), but everyone seems to be loving it right now, so in Los Angeles, it can be hard to find. I also like the Daisy brand and Knudsens brand. Since the recipe calls for it to be blended, it doesn’t much matter what brand you get.
Plain Greek Yogurt:
2 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt. Any brand will work, I like Fage (0%), just make sure you get plain yogurt, flavored yogurt wouldn’t taste very good here.
Dijon Mustard:
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
Kosher Salt: 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Black Pepper:
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Apple Cider Vinegar:
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute white vinegar.
Optional Fresh Herbs:
Adding fresh herbs like dill, basil, or flat-leaf parsley would be delicious. I say optional, because I don’t always have fresh herbs on hand. I’ve made this with and without fresh herbs, and it tastes great both ways! If using, be sure to finely mince the herbs before adding them to the dressing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1- Shred the chicken
Remove the breasts from a rotisserie chicken and shred them into bite-sized pieces. Place the shredded chicken in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Step 2- Prep the veggies and apple
Finely dice the celery, carrots, green onion, and green apple. Try to cut everything into similar-sized pieces for even texture. Add them to the bowl with the chicken.
Step 3- Make the dressing
In a separate bowl, combine the cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Optional: If using fresh herbs (dill, basil, or parsley), add them to the dressing before blending.
Step 4- Blend until smooth
Use a hand-held immersion blender to blend the dressing until it’s creamy and smooth. You can also use a mini food processor or blender. (If you don’t mind the texture of cottage cheese, you can just stir by hand instead.)
Step 5- Combine chicken and dressing
Pour the creamy dressing over the chicken, veggies, and apple. Stir everything together with a large spoon until well coated.
Step 6- Taste and adjust if needed
Taste your chicken salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add a little extra salt, pepper, or apple cider vinegar.
Step 7- Serve and enjoy
Serve your chicken salad however you like! On Sandwiches, stuffed into a wrap, over mixed greens, or with pita chips. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This high-protein chicken salad is such an easy recipe made with simple ingredients, but it delivers so much flavor in every bite. The crisp apple and fresh veggies add the perfect crunch, while the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt give it that creamy texture and extra protein boost to keep you full. The best part? It’s an easy lunch you can throw together in no time, and a great way to enjoy something fresh, creamy, and satisfying all week long.
More Recipes To Try!
High Protein Chicken Salad (No Mayonnaise)
This High Protein Chicken Salad skips the mayo but keeps all the flavor! Made with simple ingredients, packed with extra protein, crisp apples, and crunchy veggies.
Ingredients
- 2 breasts of rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 green apple, finely diced
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 Green onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- *option to add fresh herbs. Dill, basil, or flat-leaf parsley would be good.
Instructions
- Remove breasts from a whole rotisserie chicken and shred them apart. Add shredded chicken to a medium-sized bowl.
- Prep and chop veggies. Cut into finely diced pieces. They should all be roughly the same size. Add the diced veggies and apple to the bowl with the chicken.
- Make the dressing. Add cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar to a bowl. *If using fresh herbs, add them to the dressing before blending. Using a hand-held immersion blender, blend until creamy and smooth. You can also just mix by hand, but it just won’t be creamy and smooth. If the texture of cottage cheese doesn’t bother you, then this should work just fine!
- Once the dressing is smooth and creamy, add it to the bowl with the chicken, veggies, and apples. Using a large spoon, stir to combine until the dressing is fully incorporated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Sometimes I add a dash more of the apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- There are so many ways to enjoy this chicken salad. Make sandwiches, fill a pita, stuff into a wrap, top mixed greens, or eat with pita chips.
Notes
- If you don’t have a hand-held immersion blender, you can also use a mini food processor or blender.
- It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor, 24-Ounce Mini Food Processor to Chop Herbs, Vegetables, and Hard Cheese, 24-Ounce Work Bowl, Reversible Stainless Steel Blade, DLC-2ABC, Brushed Chrome/Nickel -
Cuisinart Hand Blender, Smart Stick 2-Speed - Powerful & Easy to Use Stick Immersion Blender-for-Shakes, Smoothies, Puree, Baby Food, Soups & Sauces, Silver, CSB-175SVP1 -
Cuisinart Mixing Bowl Set, Stainless Steel, 3-Piece, CTG-00-SMB -
HENCKELS Classic Razor-Sharp 8-inch Slicing Knife, German Engineered Informed by 100+ Years of Mastery, Stainless Steel
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 94Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 391mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 9g
I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe. However, always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content, and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don’t forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.
