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This green goddess chicken salad is a quick, high-protein lunch made with rotisserie chicken, crisp green cabbage, and a creamy homemade green goddess dressing that blends Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and fresh herbs. It comes together in about 11 minutes, holds up well in the fridge for meal prep, and makes an easy lunch or snack.
Table of Contents
Quick Look: Green Goddess Chicken Salad
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 11 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: No cook!
- 🕒 Total Time: 11 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: ~301 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: No cooking required.
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Creamy chicken salad with an herby, high protein green goddess dressing.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, summertime sandwiches, a quick lunch, and more.
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Why You'll Love This Green Goddess Chicken Salad Recipe
This recipe is classic chicken salad meets herby green goddess flavors. The dressing is truly what makes this one different. Blending cottage cheese and Greek yogurt together gives it a thick, creamy texture that coats every piece of chicken without feeling heavy. You get real protein from the dressing itself, not just the chicken, which makes this genuinely filling as a lunch or light dinner.
The cabbage holds up better than lettuce after a day or two in the fridge, so this actually tastes good the next day. The avocado softens the whole thing just enough without making it mushy, and the fresh herbs keep it bright. It works great for meal prep, and the dressing can be made ahead and stored separately until you’re ready to eat.
If you're like me and tend to rotate through a few go-to high-protein lunches, try my sweet and savory chicken salad or my buffalo ranch chicken salad to keep things from getting boring!
Ingredients You'll Need
Green Goddess Chicken Salad
- Rotisserie chicken: Shredded or chopped for a fast, no-cook protein base.
- Green cabbage: Thinly sliced so it mixes evenly and stays crisp longer than lettuce.
- Cucumber: Adds a fresh crunch. If it's very watery, pat it dry before adding it.
- Avocado: Soft and creamy, it balances the crunch from the cabbage.
- Green onions: Mild flavor that blends in without overpowering the dressing.
High Protein Green Goddess Dressing
- Mayo: Adds richness and helps the dressing coat everything evenly.
- Plain non-fat Greek yogurt: Lightens the dressing while adding protein and a slight tang.
- Cottage cheese: Blends completely smooth and boosts protein without affecting flavor.
- Basil leaves: Gives that classic green goddess flavor.
- Raw spinach: Adds color and a mild, fresh base- plus extra nutrients!
- Fresh dill: Bright and slightly tangy, balances the creaminess.
- Fresh chives: Adds a soft onion flavor that ties everything together.
- Fresh lemon juice: Keeps the dressing fresh and balanced.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a subtle sharpness and helps emulsify the dressing.
- Minced garlic: Brings depth and a savory base.
- Coconut aminos: Adds a slight sweetness and rounds out the flavors.
- Sea salt and black pepper: Essential for bringing everything into balance.
- Water: Used to thin the dressing to your preferred consistency.
Recipe Substitutions
- If you don't have cottage cheese, you can use more Greek yogurt. The dressing will still work, but it won't be quite as rich or as high in protein.
- Fresh herbs really make a difference here, but if needed, you can use small amounts of dried herbs. The flavor will be a little more muted.
- For a dairy-free option, use a dairy-free yogurt and leave out the cottage cheese.
- Try this strawberry poppyseed chicken salad for another fresh and delicious option when strawberries are in season.
How to Make Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Step 1: Combine the dressing ingredients except water in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 30 seconds until creamy. Add 1 tbsp water at a time, if needed, to thin it out until you have the desired consistency. It should be smooth and pourable, not thick.
Step 2: Add the chicken, cabbage, cucumber, avocado, and green onions to a large bowl. Make sure the cabbage is thinly sliced so it's easy to scoop and mixes evenly.
Step 3: Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with GF tortilla chips or crackers and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Blend the dressing until completely smooth. If you still see texture from the cottage cheese, blend a bit longer.
- Add water slowly when thinning the dressing. It should coat the chicken easily without pooling at the bottom.
- Slice the cabbage thin so the texture feels cohesive instead of bulky.
- Taste after mixing. The chicken and cabbage can mute the seasoning, so adjust salt or lemon if needed!
If you like bold, tangy flavors, you have to try my dill pickle chicken salad recipe or this feta chicken salad for a different take on a high-protein lunch or dinner!
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- If making this high protein green goddess chicken salad ahead of time, wait to add the avocado until just before serving, otherwise it browns too quickly
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. For the best texture, you can keep the dressing separate and mix just before serving.
- The dressing may thicken after chilling. Stir in a splash of water or lemon juice to loosen it.
Recipe FAQs
Not at all! Once blended, it's completely smooth and just adds creaminess.
Add water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency. It may thicken slightly in the fridge.
You can use a dairy-free yogurt and skip the cottage cheese, but the texture and protein content will change a bit. You can also use all mayo in place of the yogurt and cottage cheese.
More Easy Salad Recipes
Mexican Chicken Salad Recipe with Cilantro Lime Crema
Easy Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free)
High Protein Street Corn Pasta Salad
High Protein Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
- 2.5 cups green cabbage, chopped
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ⅓ cup green onions, diced
Green Goddess Dressing
- ¼ cup mayo
- ⅓ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup basil leaves, packed
- ¾ cup raw spinach
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chives
- juice from ½ lemon
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
- ¾ tsp sea salt, + more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp water, (only as needed)
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients except water in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 30 seconds until creamy. Add 1 tbsp water at a time, if needed, to thin it out until you have the desired consistency.
- Add the chicken, cabbage, cucumber, avocado, and green onions to a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with GF tortilla chips or crackers and enjoy!
Notes
- Blend the dressing until completely smooth. If you still see texture from the cottage cheese, blend a bit longer.
- Add water slowly when thinning the dressing. It should coat the chicken easily without pooling at the bottom.
- Slice the cabbage thin so the texture feels cohesive instead of bulky.
- Taste after mixing. The chicken and cabbage can mute the seasoning, so adjust salt or lemon if needed!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. For the best texture, you can keep the dressing separate and mix just before serving.
- The dressing may thicken after chilling. Stir in a splash of water or lemon juice to loosen it.
- If making this high protein green goddess chicken salad ahead of time, wait to add the avocado until just before serving, otherwise it browns too quickly.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
