Cottage Cheese Herb Chicken Salad (Printable)
Chicken mixed with cottage cheese and herbs, spooned into avocado halves for a protein-packed, low-carb meal.
# List of ingredients:
→ Chicken Salad
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat or full-fat
03 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
04 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced
09 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Avocados
13 - 2 large ripe avocados, halved and pitted
14 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
→ Garnish (optional)
15 - Extra chopped herbs
16 - Freshly cracked black pepper
17 - Lemon wedges
# Steps:
01 - If using uncooked chicken breast, poach or grill until fully cooked and juices run clear. Allow to cool, then shred or dice into bite-sized pieces.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, add cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, chopped parsley, dill, and chives. Mix until creamy and well blended.
03 - Add finely diced celery, red onion, Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the bowl. Stir thoroughly.
04 - Fold the shredded chicken into the cheese and herb mixture. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Carefully scoop out some flesh from each half to expand the cavity, reserving the scooped avocado.
06 - Brush the avocado halves with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Dice reserved avocado flesh and gently fold into the chicken salad if desired.
07 - Stuff each avocado half generously with the prepared chicken salad. Top with extra chopped herbs, freshly cracked black pepper, and serve with lemon wedges if preferred.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy cottage cheese makes this filling unbelievably rich and tangy without being heavy, a trick I stumbled upon after one too many mayo-heavy salads.
- The fresh herbs and crunchy celery keep each bite lively, so it never feels repetitive from start to finish.
02 -
- The first time I made this, I scooped the avocados too early and they browned before I finished stuffing—always wait until everything else is ready first.
- Mixing in some of the scooped avocado pieces into the salad itself makes it even silkier and prevents them from going to waste.
03 -
- Slice a sliver off the bottom of each avocado half so they sit steady on the plate and won't wobble over when serving.
- Scatter a little flaky sea salt on the final product—it's the tiny upgrade everyone seems to notice.