Buffalo Chicken Salad Cottage

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 pound chicken tenderloins

02 - 2 cups water

03 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

04 - Kosher salt to taste

→ Dressing

05 - 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese

06 - 1/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt

07 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

08 - 3 tablespoons buffalo sauce

09 - 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning

→ Salad Mix-ins

10 - 1/3 cup sweet onion, finely diced

11 - 1/3 cup celery, finely diced

12 - 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

13 - Cracked black pepper to taste

# How-To:

01 - In a 3-quart pot, combine water and chicken broth in equal parts with a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to boil, add chicken tenderloins, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Drain thoroughly and cool. Shred using two forks or your fingers.

02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.

03 - Add shredded chicken, diced celery, diced onion, and grated cheddar cheese to the bowl with dressing. Fold ingredients together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with cracked black pepper and kosher salt as needed.

04 - Serve chilled with crackers, fresh vegetable crudités, or as a sandwich filling. May be gently heated and served warm if preferred.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It tastes like a loaded buffalo wing dip but with actual substance and protein that keeps you full for hours.
You can have it ready in under 40 minutes, and it gets better as it sits in your fridge.
The cottage cheese trick makes it creamy without feeling heavy, which honestly changed how I think about mayo-based salads forever.

02 -

If you skip cooling the chicken before shredding, you'll burn your hands and the meat won't shred cleanly—patience here actually saves time.
Pre-shredded cheddar will make your salad grainy and separated because of the anti-caking powder in the bag; spending 30 seconds with a box grater on a fresh block changes everything.
Buffalo sauce brands vary wildly in salt content and heat level, so add it gradually and taste as you go instead of dumping in the full amount and hoping.

03 -