Creamy, crunchy, savory, and slightly sweet! This chicken salad combines tender chicken, creamy cottage cheese, crunchy pecans, chewy dried cranberries, crisp celery, and fresh herbs. It’s delicious in sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, or served on its own.

Yield: 4–6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Total time: About 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the Chicken Salad

3 cups (about 400–450 g) cooked chicken, shredded or finely diced
1 cup (225 g) cottage cheese
⅓ cup (40 g) dried cranberries
⅓ cup (35–40 g) pecans, chopped
½ cup (55 g) celery, finely diced
¼ cup (30 g) red onion, finely diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped, optional
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt, or to taste

Optional Creamy Dressing

2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp dried dill

Tip: The cottage cheese provides most of the creaminess, so the mayonnaise is optional.

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken

Use cooked, cooled chicken. Remove any skin or bones and shred or dice it into small pieces.

Rotisserie chicken, baked chicken breast, or leftover roasted chicken all work well.

2. Prepare the cottage cheese

For a smoother texture, blend the cottage cheese for 20–30 seconds until creamy.

If you like a chunkier salad, you can use it straight from the container.

3. Make the creamy mixture

In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, optional mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice, and dill.

Mix until smooth and well combined.

4. Combine the ingredients

Add the chicken, cranberries, chopped pecans, celery, red onion, parsley, and chives.

Sprinkle in garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.

5. Mix gently

Fold everything together until the chicken is evenly coated and all the ingredients are distributed throughout the salad.

6. Chill

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Chilling allows the flavors to blend and makes the salad even more delicious.

7. Serve

Serve chilled in a sandwich, wrap, lettuce cups, over greens, or with whole-grain crackers.

Nut Information

Contains nuts

This recipe contains pecans, which are tree nuts.

Pecans provide:

Crunch
A buttery flavor
A nice contrast to the creamy chicken mixture

Nut-free option

To make the recipe nut-free, leave out the pecans.

For crunch, replace them with:

Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Crispy roasted chickpeas
Extra finely diced celery

Important: Seeds are not tree nuts, but packaged products can still have cross-contact warnings. If preparing food for someone with a serious allergy, check ingredient labels carefully.

Can I use other nuts?

Yes. Chopped walnuts or almonds can replace the pecans in approximately the same quantity.

Easy Variations

Grape Chicken Salad

Replace cranberries with halved seedless grapes.

Apple Pecan

Add ½ cup diced apple for extra crunch and freshness.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Add diced avocado just before serving.

Herb Chicken Salad

Add fresh dill, parsley, or chives for a stronger fresh-herb flavor.

Lettuce Cup Version

Spoon the salad into crisp romaine or butter lettuce leaves.

Spicy Version

Add a small pinch of cayenne pepper or a little finely diced jalapeño.

Helpful Tips

Use cold chicken: Warm chicken can make the dressing softer and less creamy.
Don’t add too much dressing: Start with the recommended amount and add more only if needed.
Toast the pecans: Toasting them lightly enhances their flavor and crunch. Let them cool completely before adding.
Balance the sweetness: If your cranberries are very sweet, reduce the honey or maple syrup.
Blend the cottage cheese: This creates a smoother, more traditional chicken-salad texture.
Chill before serving: Even 30 minutes makes a noticeable difference in flavor.

Recipe Q&A

Can I use leftover chicken?

Yes! This recipe is excellent for leftover roasted or baked chicken.

Can I use canned chicken?

Yes. Drain it thoroughly and break it apart before mixing.

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Absolutely. Remove the skin and bones, then shred the meat.

Can I taste the cottage cheese?

Blended cottage cheese has a mild flavor and creates a creamy texture. The lemon, mustard, herbs, and seasonings help balance it.

Can I make it without mayonnaise?

Yes. Simply leave it out. The blended cottage cheese will still make the salad creamy.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead?

Yes. Replace the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a tangier dressing.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Not as written because cottage cheese is dairy. You would need a suitable dairy-free alternative.

Can I make it gluten-free?

Yes. The basic ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Check packaged ingredients such as mustard, mayonnaise, dried cranberries, and seasonings for labeling if strict gluten avoidance is required.

How long does chicken salad last?

Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container and use within 3–4 days.

Can I freeze it?

Freezing isn’t recommended. Cottage cheese and the fresh vegetables can change texture after thawing.

Can I prepare it the night before?

Yes. In fact, preparing it several hours ahead can improve the flavor. Keep it refrigerated.

What can I serve it with?

Try it in:

Whole-grain bread
Wraps
Lettuce cups
Croissants
Crackers
Salad greens
Cucumber slices

Approximate Nutrition

Per serving, assuming 6 servings and including the pecans and mayonnaise:

Calories: ~300–330 kcal
Protein: ~30–34 g
Carbohydrates: ~12–16 g
Fat: ~13–16 g
Fiber: ~1–2 g
Sugar: ~7–10 g

Nutrition is approximate and varies depending on the chicken, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, cranberries, and portion size.

Social Media Caption

Cranberry Pecan Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad 🍗✨

Creamy cottage cheese + tender chicken + sweet cranberries + crunchy pecans = the perfect combination of creamy, crunchy, savory, and sweet! 😍

Serve it in a sandwich, wrap, lettuce cups, or enjoy it straight from the bowl!

Save this recipe and give it a try! ❤️