Pin I stumbled onto this buffalo chicken salad completely by accident one Tuesday when I had leftover rotisserie chicken, a container of cottage cheese that was about to expire, and an inexplicable craving for buffalo wings without the deep fryer mess. My kitchen smelled like hot sauce and lemon within minutes, and by the time I'd folded everything together, I realized I'd accidentally created something way better than a typical chicken salad—it was creamy, tangy, spicy, and packed with enough protein to actually keep me full past 3 PM.
I made this for a lunch date with my friend Sarah, who's always trying to eat better but refuses to eat sad desk salads. When she tasted it, she went quiet for a second—that good kind of quiet—and then asked if I'd secretly become a chef. Turned out she'd been buying expensive prepared salads from the grocery store that cost triple this and didn't taste half as good. She started making it weekly after that, which felt like the ultimate kitchen compliment.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken tenderloins: These cook faster and more evenly than breasts, staying tender even if you accidentally overcook them by a few minutes—which speaks from experience.
- Water and low-sodium chicken broth (4 cups/1L total, 50/50 ratio): The mixture keeps the chicken moist while the broth adds subtle flavor without oversalting; this ratio is oddly specific because I tested it.
- ½ cup (120 g) 2% cottage cheese: Don't skip this or use full-fat thinking it'll be better—2% has the perfect texture and tang that makes the dressing creamy without being gloppy.
- ¼ cup (60 g) 0% Greek yogurt: This lightens the dressing and adds a slight tang that plays beautifully against the buffalo heat.
- 3 tbsp buffalo sauce (e.g., Franks Red Hot Buffalo): Franks is thinner and more flavorful than thicker sauces; you're tasting the sauce, not chewing it.
- 2 tsp ranch seasoning: This sneaky ingredient ties everything together—the garlic and herb notes make people ask what your secret ingredient is.
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice cuts through the richness and keeps the flavors from feeling one-dimensional; bottled just doesn't do the same thing.
- ⅓ cup sweet onion, finely diced: Sweet onion (like Vidalia) won't overpower the dish the way a regular yellow onion would.
- ⅓ cup celery, finely diced: This adds crunch and a slight vegetal freshness that prevents the salad from tasting one-note.
- ⅓ cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated: Freshly grated melts into the warm salad and doesn't have anti-caking agents that make pre-shredded cheese feel waxy.
- Cracked black pepper and kosher salt, to taste: These final seasonings let you taste what you're actually making rather than eating someone else's salt preferences.
Instructions
- Boil and Shred the Chicken:
- Pour your water and broth mixture into a 3-quart pot, add a pinch of kosher salt, and bring it to a rolling boil—you want it actually bubbling, not just steaming. Drop in the chicken tenderloins and let them come back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer hits 165°F (74°C); the chicken will be pale and cooked through, not pink anywhere. Drain it well in a colander and let it cool for a few minutes until you can handle it, then shred using two forks (or just use your fingers if you're impatient like I usually am).
- Prepare the Dressing:
- In your largest mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and fresh lemon juice. Stir and fold until everything is smooth and creamy—this takes about a minute, and you'll know it's right when you don't see streaks of cottage cheese anymore.
- Assemble the Salad:
- Add the shredded chicken, diced celery, diced onion, and grated cheddar to the bowl and fold everything together gently until the dressing coats everything evenly. Taste it as you go and add cracked black pepper and a pinch of kosher salt until it tastes the way you want it to taste—this is your food, not mine.
- Serve:
- You can eat this cold right away, chill it for later, or even warm it gently in a skillet if you're feeling it hot. Serve it with crackers, fresh veggies on the side, or pile it into a sandwich.
Pin There's something unexpectedly comforting about opening your lunch container and finding something you actually made yourself, especially when it tastes like you put real thought into it. This salad has become my answer to "I don't have time to eat well," and it's turned into one of those recipes I make without even looking at the instructions anymore.
Storage and Make-Ahead Magic
This salad actually gets better after a day in the fridge because the flavors meld and the dressing settles into every corner. Keep it in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days, though I've never successfully kept it that long because it disappears. If you're meal prepping, mix everything the night before except maybe go light on the onion if you don't want it to get too soft by day three.
Flavor Variations That Actually Work
This salad is flexible in a way that makes it feel like multiple different dishes. Swap the cheddar for crumbled blue cheese if you want to lean into the classic buffalo wing vibe, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper if regular buffalo sauce feels too tame. I've made it with smoked paprika, extra lemon juice, diced jalapeño, crispy bacon crumbles, and even a handful of chopped fresh dill—all of it worked because the base is strong enough to handle improvisation.
The Protein-Packed Lunch Solution
This isn't one of those salads where you eat it and feel hungry forty minutes later. At 31 grams of protein per serving, it actually sustains you through an afternoon meeting or a long shift, which is why it became my go-to when I realized I was spending too much money on lunch and not enjoying what I was eating. The combination of chicken, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt works together to keep you genuinely satisfied, not just full.
- Make it spicier by adding extra buffalo sauce, a pinch of cayenne, or fresh hot sauce if you like your food with a kick.
- Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store if you're short on time—it works just as well and saves you 20 minutes.
- Prep your vegetables the night before and store them separately so morning assembly takes literally two minutes.
Pin This recipe turned into my answer to the "what's for lunch" question because it actually tastes good enough to look forward to. Make it once and you'll understand why it's become the kind of thing people ask you for the recipe to.
Recipe Questions
- → How do I cook the chicken for this salad?
Simmer chicken tenderloins in a 50/50 mix of water and chicken broth with a pinch of kosher salt until fully cooked, then shred it finely.
- → Can I adjust the spiciness level?
Yes, increase or decrease the buffalo sauce amount or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to modify heat to your preference.
- → What can I use instead of cheddar cheese?
Swapping cheddar for blue cheese adds a classic buffalo flavor, but either works well to complement the other ingredients.
- → How should leftovers be stored?
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days to maintain freshness.
- → Is this suitable for gluten-free diets?
Yes, provided low-sodium broth and gluten-free buffalo and ranch sauces are used.
- → Can this salad be served warm?
Absolutely, gently warming it before serving is an option and pairs nicely with crackers or fresh veggies.