Cottage Cheese Garlic Lemon Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken meets creamy cottage cheese with bright lemon garlic flavors in crisp lettuce cups.

# List of ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Salad Base

02 - 1 cup cottage cheese (low-fat or full-fat)
03 - 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
09 - 1 large garlic clove, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad Cups

14 - 8 large crisp lettuce leaves (romaine, butter, or iceberg)

# Steps:

01 - Place the cooked chicken, cottage cheese, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
02 - Whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified and smooth.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the chicken mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until all ingredients are uniformly coated with the dressing.
04 - Sample the salad and adjust salt or pepper as needed for balanced flavor.
05 - Arrange crisp lettuce leaves on a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon equal portions of the chicken salad into each lettuce cup, mounding slightly.
06 - Present immediately, garnished with additional fresh parsley or a light sprinkle of black pepper if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get 29 grams of protein per serving without feeling heavy or weighed down
  • The bright lemon and garlic make even basic leftover chicken taste special
02 -
  • The lettuce gets soggy if you fill it too far ahead, so keep the salad and cups separate until you're ready to eat
  • Cottage cheese varies in moisture content, so add the dressing gradually if your salad looks too wet
03 -
  • Pat your lettuce leaves completely dry with paper towels so the filling doesn't slide right off
  • Use room temperature ingredients so the flavors marry better from the start

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