High Protein Chicken Salad with Cottage Cheese (No Mayo, Weight Loss)
A creamy, high-protein chicken salad made with cottage cheese instead of mayo that keeps you full for hours and tastes nothing like diet food. Ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking required, perfect for meal prep and weight loss.
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- fine mesh strainer
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded (about 16 ounces cooked)
- 2 cups full-fat or 2% cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
- 1/4 cup fresh dill or 2 tablespoons dried dill
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, 2 tablespoons diced pickles, or 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Step 1: Scoop cottage cheese into a large mixing bowl. If watery, drain through fine-mesh strainer for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Shred rotisserie chicken by hand or with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Fold into cottage cheese, breaking up clumps.
- Step 3: Dice celery and mince red onion finely. Fold both into the mixture gently for texture.
- Step 4: Whisk together lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad and fold until cottage cheese coats evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Step 5: Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving, or eat immediately. Serve on greens, in bread, or in avocado halves.
Notes
Drain cottage cheese if watery to prevent salad from thinning out. Stores in fridge for 4 days covered. Batch chop vegetables on Sunday for easier assembly throughout the week. Do not freeze. If drying out by day 4, add splash of lemon juice or tablespoon of cottage cheese. Can serve over mixed greens, on whole grain bread, with cucumber and tomatoes, or in lettuce wraps.