Ingredients
The Protein Base:
3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed (rotisserie chicken works perfectly!)
\frac{1}{2} cup Good Culture cottage cheese (regular or low-fat)
\frac{1}{2} cup Oikos Triple Zero plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp mayonnaise (optional, but adds that classic rich flavor)
The Sweet & Crunchy Mix-Ins:
1 cup red grapes, halved
\frac{1}{2} cup pecans, roughly chopped and lightly toasted
\frac{1}{2} cup celery, finely diced
\frac{1}{4} cup green onions or fresh chives, finely chopped
The Zesty Poppy Seed Dressing:
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp poppy seeds
\frac{1}{2} tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
🥣 Directions
Step 1: Prep the Dressing (The Creamy Secret)
To get that ultra-smooth, café-style consistency without any cottage cheese curds, add the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard into a small blender or food processor. Blend for 30 seconds until completely smooth, silky, and whipped.
Step 2: Season the Dressing
Pour the whipped dressing into a small bowl and stir in the poppy seeds, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Give it a quick taste and adjust the sweetness or tanginess to your liking!
Step 3: Toss the Salad
In a large mixing bowl (just like the glass bowl in your photos), combine the shredded chicken, halved red grapes, toasted pecans, diced celery, and chopped green onions.
Step 4: Coat and Combine
Pour the creamy poppy seed dressing over the chicken mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently fold everything together until every bite is perfectly coated in that velvety sauce.
Step 5: Chill and Serve
While you can eat this immediately, it becomes even more addictive if you cover it and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can fully meld.
Serve it stuffed into butter lettuce wraps, spooned over a bed of mixed greens, or piled high on toasted sourdough. It’s the ultimate healthy lunch prep!