Description
Creamy Cottage Cheese Dill Pickle Chicken Salad — a high-protein, low-carb lunch that’s tangy, crunchy, and ready in minutes. Made with shredded chicken, protein-packed cottage cheese, chopped dill pickles, and savory ranch seasoning, this chicken salad is perfect for meal prep, sandwiches, lettuce cups, wraps, or bowls. Bright lemon juice and a hint of black pepper balance the flavors while optional add-ins like celery, red onion, or avocado add texture and freshness. Ideal for healthy lunches, post-workout meals, or gluten-free eating, this quick chicken salad swaps mayo for cottage cheese without sacrificing creaminess. Make a double batch for easy weekday meals!
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie or poached)
- ½ cup small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickles (plus extra slices for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (for extra creaminess)
- Optional: 2 tablespoons chopped celery for crunch
- Optional: 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion or chives
- Optional: ½ ripe avocado, mashed (for avocado variation)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cottage cheese, ranch seasoning, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Fold in the shredded chicken until fully coated in the dressing.
- Stir in chopped dill pickles and any optional add-ins such as celery or red onion.
- Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lemon for brightness or ranch for flavor.
- Cover and chill for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve on toast, in lettuce wraps, or over greens. Garnish with pickle slices and dill if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for the fastest prep and best texture.
- Blend cottage cheese briefly for a smoother consistency if desired.
- Taste before salting since ranch seasoning and pickles are already salty.
- Keep bread or lettuce separate until serving to avoid sogginess.
- Make it dairy-free by swapping cottage cheese for blended silken tofu with lemon and olive oil.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: cottage cheese chicken salad, dill pickle chicken salad, high protein lunch, low carb chicken salad, healthy chicken salad recipe, meal prep chicken salad