Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese
Buffalo chicken salad is one of those dishes that I hope never falls out of favor on restaurant menus. With the tangy/spicy chicken, the crunchy vegetables, and the creamy ranch dressing, it’s just a perfect combination of flavors and textures.
It’s not, however, always the smartest nutritional choice. Today, I’ve decided to take this restaurant favorite and give it a little makeover (just like I did with my healthy buffalo chicken dip) with this quick, easy and healthier version – Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese.
That’s right, I subbed out the traditional ranch dressing for ranch-flavored cottage cheese. I know. But trust me, it’s awesome.
Not only does it lend great flavor to the dish, but the protein-rich cottage cheese (15g per serving) is a good source of long-lasting energy. If you’re a fan of cottage cheese like I am, you’ll also love my lasagna with cottage cheese recipe
Buffalo Chicken Salad with Ranch Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 container cottage cheese 16 ounces
- 1 packet ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix 1 ounce
- 2 small chicken breasts grilled or roasted, chopped
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
Instructions
- In medium bowl, stir together cottage cheese and ranch mix until well combined.
- In separate medium bowl, toss chicken and buffalo sauce until well combined.
- Divide lettuce between 4 plates and top with carrots, celery, tomatoes, cottage cheese and chicken.
I never hoped on the cottage cheese train but I feel like a ranched flavored one would change my mind. Â It takes it out of health food mode for me and makes it more fun. Â Plus this salad just looks too good to say no to!Â
Thanks Susan! I must admit that it does feel a little weird eating something so healthy (cottage cheese) that tastes like RANCH DRESSING. But it’s a good weird!
This salad is so gorgeous! I love the idea of ranch cottage cheese – that’s so creative!
Thanks Lauren! Ranch all the things!
It’s been forever since I’ve eaten cottage cheese, and I think I will buy it next time I’m at the store to try that ranch cottage cheese!
Oh, really? Cottage cheese is a weekly staple in my house.
I love cottage cheese instead of dressing but haven’t thought to season it like ranch. Genius!
Thanks so much, Mary!
I must say, I was very nervous about the prospects of ranch cottage cheese. Â But it was so delicious. Â I have always loved buffalo chicken salads – its the manliest of all restaurant salads. Â
I have only recently become acquainted with buffalo chicken, and this recipe sounds great (as long as I use cucumber instead of celery).  I am curious to know if the cottage cheese acts as a dressing – does it spread over the salad?  I’m thinking that it might work as a dressing if I ran it through my blender.  That would keep my husband from pouring balsamic vinegar all over it, too… Â đŸ™‚
Oh, cucumber instead of celery would definitely work here. So, as far as the cottage cheese acting as dressing – it kind of depends on how “wet” the cottage cheese is, if that makes sense. And also, how you like your salads dressed. I like a pretty light amount of dressing, so this worked for me. My husband prefers a little more dressing, and we actually happened to have regular ranch dressing in the fridge, so he added a little to his salad.
But also – running the cottage cheese through a blender (maybe with a little water or milk?) could be a perfect middle ground. I made a creamy “pasta sauce” from cottage cheese a few weeks ago by blending it, and it worked out really well. So I can see it working as a smooth salad dressing, too.
Ooh, that chicken looks delicious.
Thanks so much, Julie!
That ranch cottage cheese is calling to me right now. Mixed with buffalo chicken – just brilliant!Â
I must confess that I’ve been eating the extra ranch cottage cheese just on it’s own đŸ™‚ LOL.
My buffalo chicken cravings know no limits. This salad has won my heart!Â
I mean seriously, I can just never resist buffalo chicken anything. Thanks Jennie!