Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad (High Protein Recipe)
A creamy, spicy buffalo chicken salad made with blended cottage cheese instead of mayo — 42g of protein per serving and ready in 15 minutes.
Every other buffalo chicken salad recipe online uses Greek yogurt or mayo as the base. This one uses blended cottage cheese, and it’s genuinely a different situation. Creamier, higher in protein, and honestly hard to stop eating straight from the bowl.
Shredded chicken, crisp celery and carrots, red onion, and a blended cottage cheese dressing with Frank’s Buffalo sauce and ranch seasoning. That’s the whole thing. 42 grams of protein per serving, 15 minutes start to finish, and it meal preps beautifully for the whole week. I’ve made this so many times I stopped counting.
If you’re already obsessed with the buffalo situation, you’ll also love my High Protein Buffalo Chicken Crunchwrap and my Buffalo Chicken Caesar Wraps.
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Cottage cheese instead of mayo. Blended smooth, it’s indistinguishable from a creamy dressing — but packs way more protein and way less fat than mayo or even Greek yogurt.
- 42g of protein per serving. High-protein lunch that actually keeps you full, no sad desk salad energy.
- 15 minutes, no cooking required. Use rotisserie chicken and this is basically just chopping and blending.
- Built for meal prep. Make a full batch Sunday and lunch is handled for 3-4 days.
Ingredients You Need
(Amounts are in the recipe card below — this section is about what each ingredient does and easy swaps.)
- Pre-cooked shredded chicken — rotisserie chicken is the move here. Pull it, toss it in, done. You can also use leftover chicken breast or canned chicken drained well.
- Celery and carrots — the crunch factor. Chop them small so you get a little in every bite without it feeling like you’re eating a crudité platter.
- Red onion — brings sharpness and color. Green onions work too.
- Blended cottage cheese — this is the whole secret. Blend it until completely smooth and it becomes creamy like mayo, but with significantly more protein. It’s the reason this recipe hits 42g per serving.
- Frank’s Buffalo sauce — the star. Start with what the recipe says and adjust from there based on your heat preference.
- Ranch seasoning packet — half a packet is all you need. Buffalo and ranch belong together, that’s just a fact.
- Garlic powder and black pepper — rounds out the dressing without competing with the buffalo flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cottage cheese swap — plain Greek yogurt works as a 1:1 substitute if that’s what you have. The protein count drops slightly but the texture is still creamy and great.
- Chicken options — rotisserie chicken, leftover grilled chicken breast, chicken thighs (juicier, tons of flavor), or canned chicken drained really well. All work.
- Heat level — Frank’s at half a cup gives a solid, noticeable kick. Want it milder? Start at a quarter cup. Want it spicier? Add more to taste, or a few dashes of regular hot sauce on top when serving.
- Add blue cheese — if you love the classic buffalo wing combination, stir in a few tablespoons of blue cheese crumbles. It’s a really good addition.
- Ranch seasoning alternatives — if you don’t have a ranch packet, you can mix in half a teaspoon each of dried dill, onion powder, and garlic powder. Not quite the same but close.
- Extra veggies — diced red bell pepper, cucumber, or shredded cabbage all add great crunch if you want to bulk it up.
How To Make This Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Blend the dressing. Add the cottage cheese, Buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper to a small blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth — no lumps. This takes about 30 seconds in a high-speed blender.
- Combine the base. In a large bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, celery, carrots, and red onion.
- Add the dressing. Pour the blended dressing over the chicken mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill before serving. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The flavors come together so much better after it rests, and the dressing soaks into the chicken. Serve however you like — see below.
Tips and Tricks For Best Results
- Blend until fully smooth. Any lumps in the cottage cheese will stay lumps in your dressing. Give it a full 30 seconds in the blender and check before pouring.
- Shred the chicken warm if you can. Warm chicken absorbs the dressing better than cold. If your rotisserie chicken has been in the fridge, microwave it for 20–30 seconds before shredding.
- Meal prep tip: store the veggies separately. If you’re making this for the week, keep the chopped celery, carrots, and onion in a separate container and mix them in each morning. They stay crunchier that way.
How To Serve
So many options here. On a sandwich or in a wrap is the classic move — pile it on thick with some romaine and you’re set. Lettuce cups are great if you want to keep it lower carb. Scoop it up with crackers or carrot sticks for a snack. Stuff it into a bell pepper for a proper lunch situation. Or just grab a fork and eat it straight from the bowl — no judgment, I do this constantly.
It also works really well as a dip for game day. Put it in a bowl with crackers and celery and it disappears fast.
Storing Leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it a stir before eating since the dressing can settle. Don’t freeze this one — the cottage cheese and fresh vegetables don’t hold up after thawing and it’ll separate and get watery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best ways to serve buffalo chicken salad? On a sandwich, in lettuce cups, with crackers or celery sticks, stuffed into a bell pepper, or over chopped romaine for a buffalo chicken salad bowl. It also doubles as a game day dip with chips.
Is this good for meal prep? Yes, one of the best recipes for it. Make a full batch at the start of the week and lunch is handled for 3-4 days. If you want the veggies to stay crunchier, store them separately and mix in each day before eating.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts? Yes — chicken thighs are juicier and have more flavor. Just make sure they’re fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F before shredding.
What can I use instead of cottage cheese? Plain Greek yogurt is the closest swap and works great — same creamy texture, slightly less protein. Use it 1:1 for the cottage cheese in the recipe. Don’t use flavored or sweetened yogurt.
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad (High Protein Recipe)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup blended cottage cheese
- ½ cup Frank’s Buffalo sauce
- ½ ranch seasoning packet
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
- 3 celery sticks finely chopped
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- ½ yellow onion finely chopped
Instructions
- In a small blender or food processor, blend the cottage cheese, Buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, toss the shredded chicken, celery, carrots, and onion together.
- Add the Buffalo cottage cheese dressing to the chicken mixture and stir until everything is fully coated and looking irresistible.
- Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can do their thing. Then, serve however you like—on toast, in lettuce wraps, or straight from the bowl with a fork.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.
Other High Protein Chicken Recipes
- Original Healthy Chicken Salad
- Healthy Greek Chicken Salad
- Southwest Chicken Salad
- Chicken Crust Pizza
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
If you make this buffalo chicken salad recipe, leave a star rating and a comment below — I love seeing what you think. You can also share it on Instagram and tag @basicswithbails or use #basicswithbails so I can find it.
About Bailey
I love to bake, cook, exercise, and document all of the above. Nutrition is not low fat. It is not low calorie. It’s not feeling deprived or being hungry all the time. It’s nourishing your body with real, whole foods so that you are consistently satisfied and energized to live your life to the fullest! Read more…
Omg this is SO GOOD!! Definitely my favourite chicken salad recipe you’ve created (even though I love them all haha). Thank you so much for all your incredible recipes!
Hi Jenna, thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind comment and 5 star review!! It’s also my favourite, closely tied to the original chicken salad with purple grapes!! 🙂