Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad With Banana Peppers

Ingredients

• 420 g (3 cups)cooked, shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken or poached breasts)
• 225 g (1 cup)full-fat cottage cheese (drained if watery)
• 75 g (½ cup)sliced banana peppers (from a jar)
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)banana pepper pickling juice (from the jar)
• 40 g (¼ cup)finely diced red onion
• 25 g (¼ cup)finely diced celery
• 4 g (1 tablespoon) fresh, or 1 teaspoon driedfresh dill, chopped (or dried dill)
• To tastesalt and black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the dressing

   In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, 30 ml (2 tablespoons) banana pepper pickling juice and chopped dill. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth, or blitz in a small food processor for 10 seconds for a completely smooth dressing.

2. 2

   Add the ingredients

   Add the shredded chicken, diced red onion, diced celery and sliced banana peppers to the bowl with the dressing.

3. 3

   Fold together

   Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together gently, just until the chicken is evenly coated. Avoid overmixing.

4. 4

   Season the salad

   Taste the mixture and season generously with salt and black pepper, adjusting carefully because the banana peppers are already salty.

5. 5

   Chill before serving

   Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours, so the flavours can meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

What is cottage cheese chicken salad?

Chicken salad is a familiar American lunch dish, often made by combining cooked chicken with a creamy dressing and crunchy additions. This version uses cottage cheese in place of the usual mayonnaise, with banana peppers bringing a bright, vinegary tang.

The mix works because the mild chicken and creamy dressing are balanced by sharp onion, crisp celery and briny peppers. It is quick to assemble when the chicken is already cooked.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 320 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

Chicken provides most of the protein, while the cottage cheese contributes protein and some of the fat; the vegetables add relatively little energy, and the chicken and peppers contribute most of the carbohydrates present. Serve it with plenty of salad vegetables or fruit, and choose bread or a potato if you want a more substantial plate.

Choosing the chicken and cottage cheese

Chicken: Use cooked, shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken or poached breasts. Shredded pieces catch the dressing well and make the salad easy to scoop.

Cottage cheese: Drain it if it looks watery, then mash it with the pickling juice and dill. This helps the dressing cling to the chicken rather than pooling at the bottom.

Getting the dressing texture right

Fork-mashed: Mash the cottage cheese until mostly smooth for a dressing with a little texture. This is the simplest option and keeps the method to one bowl.

Blended: Blitz the dressing in a small food processor for 10 seconds if you want it completely smooth. Blend only the cottage cheese, pickling juice and dill before adding the other ingredients.

Keeping the crunch

Gentle mixing: Fold the chicken, onion, celery and banana peppers into the dressing with a rubber spatula. Stop once the chicken is coated so the vegetables stay distinct and the mixture does not become pasty.

Even pieces: Dice the celery and red onion finely so they distribute throughout the salad. Slice the peppers into manageable pieces if the jarred slices are large.

Seasoning and chilling

Salt check: Taste before adding much salt, as the peppers and their pickling juice already contribute saltiness. Add black pepper and adjust the salt gradually.

Resting time: Chill the covered salad for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 2 hours, to let the flavours come together. It can be served chilled or brought to room temperature.

Ways to serve it

Lunch: Spoon the salad into a sandwich or wrap, or serve it over lettuce for a lighter-feeling plate. It also works as a filling for a jacket potato.

On the side: Pair it with sliced vegetables, fruit or a simple green salad. These add freshness and make the meal more varied.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain watery cottage cheese before mixing so the dressing stays thick.
• Use the pickling juice from the same jar as the banana peppers for a consistent tang.
• Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces for easier mixing and serving.
• Mash or blend the dressing before adding the chicken and vegetables.
• Taste before salting because the peppers and their brine are already salty.
• Make the salad ahead and chill it for up to 2 hours before serving for better flavour.

Variations

• Add fresh herbs: Swap or supplement the dill with chopped parsley for a different herbal note.
• Use mild peppers: Choose a milder jarred pepper if you prefer less tang and heat.
• Add extra crunch: Stir in a little more finely diced celery just before serving.
• Make it spicier: Use hot banana peppers from the jar for a livelier salad.
• Serve in lettuce cups: Spoon the chilled mixture into crisp lettuce leaves instead of bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Watery cottage cheese: Drain it first so the dressing does not turn runny.
• Over-blending: Blend the dressing for only 10 seconds, then stop once it is smooth.
• Overmixing the salad: Fold gently and stop as soon as the chicken is coated.
• Adding salt too soon: Taste the mixture first because the peppers and brine are salty.
• Skipping the rest: Chill for at least 30 minutes so the dressing and other flavours can meld.

How to store

Store the salad covered in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days. Stir gently before serving if any liquid has separated; serve cold or let it stand briefly to take the chill off.

Frequently asked questions