Chicken and Chickpea Salad with Cottage Cheese
October 21, 2026 | Serves 6 (~1¼ cups each) | Prep 15 min | Total 30 min
I love a good chicken salad for lunch, and this one adds chickpeas for a little more fiber and staying power. It’s tossed with crisp celery and a creamy Greek yogurt and cottage cheese dressing with fresh lemon, dill and Dijon. Serve it over a bed of greens or tucked into a whole wheat pita.
I wanted to keep this chicken salad pretty simple but with plenty of protein, some extra fiber from the chickpeas, and a creamy dressing without using mayo.
I started with Greek yogurt for the dressing, but when I added cottage cheese to the leftovers the next day, I liked it even better. So into the recipe it went. The combination gives the salad a creamy texture while adding even more protein, and the lemon, Dijon and fresh dill add plenty of flavor without needing a long ingredient list.
Poaching the chicken keeps it tender and gives it a neutral base for all those fresh flavors. From there, chickpeas add some heartiness and fiber, while finely diced celery brings just enough crunch.
I dice my celery on the smaller side, partly because I don't want the pieces to be bigger than the chickpeas, but also because my husband isn't a fan of large chunks of celery. Over the years, I've gotten used to dicing it pretty small. Cut yours however you prefer!
Serve the chicken and chickpea salad over arugula or crisp green leaf lettuce for a simple lunch, or spoon it into a whole wheat pita, which has the added benefit of keeping those occasionally unruly chickpeas contained. Add some sliced avocado for another source of fiber and healthy fats.
This would also be a great addition to a "ladies lunch" spread. Serve a big bowl alongside greens, whole wheat pita wedges and avocado, and let everyone build their own plate.
Why It's on My Midlife Table
I love a lunch that gets plenty of protein and fiber onto my plate without requiring much thought. The chicken, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese bring the protein, while chickpeas add fiber and make the salad more satisfying.
Even better, one batch gives me a few lunches throughout the week, and we've also had it on top of a salad for a light yet nutrient-packed dinner. I love recipes like this that can easily become more than one meal and save me time during the week.
Nourishment Snapshot
Here's what one serving of this recipe brings to the table.
- Protein: 33 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Added Sugar: 0 g
- Add a high-fiber pita or avocado for even more fiber
A Few Things You'll Need
- Chicken breasts
- Chickpeas
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Celery
- Lemon
- Dijon mustard
- Fresh dill
Cook's Notes & Substitutions
- Chicken: Chicken tenderloins work well in place of chicken breasts and will poach more quickly. You can also use the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken with the skin removed. If using rotisserie chicken, start with less salt and season to taste.
- Cottage cheese: If you don’t like the texture of cottage cheese curds, blend the dressing ingredients in a mini food processor until smooth before combining with the chicken, chickpeas and celery.
- Greek yogurt: I prefer plain 2% or whole-milk Greek yogurt for a creamy dressing.
- Lemon: Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then add more to taste. The lemon zest adds plenty of bright lemon flavor without making the dressing too acidic.
- Dill: Fresh dill works especially well here, but finely sliced fresh basil would also be delicious.
- Celery: Dice it as finely or coarsely as you like. I prefer a small dice so the pieces are no larger than the chickpeas.
- Serving: Serve over your favorite greens or tuck it into a whole wheat pita, which adds some extra fiber. Sliced avocado is another great addition for fiber and healthy fats.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Chicken and Chickpea Salad with Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Serving, Optional
- Arugula or crisp green leaf lettuce
- Whole wheat pita
- Sliced or diced avocado
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, about 12–18 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from the water and let cool enough to handle.
- Cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces.
- In a large bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Add the diced chicken, chickpeas and celery. Gently fold until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice, dill, salt or black pepper as desired.
- Serve over arugula or crisp green leaf lettuce, or spoon into a whole wheat pita. Add avocado, if desired.
If this recipe makes its way to your table, I'd love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram so I can see your version.
As always, nutrition information is provided as an estimate and can vary depending on the ingredients and brands you use.
