This High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Dip is made with shredded chicken breast, blended fat-free cottage cheese, reduced-fat cheddar, Buffalo sauce, and garlic powder.
That is it.
There is no cream cheese, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, or ranch seasoning in the base. Blending the cottage cheese gives the dip a smooth, creamy texture, while a full pound of chicken makes it substantial enough to use for more than a party appetizer.
The entire 8×8-inch pan contains approximately:
1,480 Calories • 228g Protein • 37g Carbs • 36g Fat
Divide it into six game-day servings and each portion has approximately:
247 Calories • 38g Protein • 6g Carbs • 6g Fat
For meal prep, divide it into four larger portions with approximately:
370 Calories • 57g Protein • 9g Carbs • 9g Fat
I made this with fat-free cottage cheese and reduced-fat cheddar. The biggest thing is not overbaking it. Once the cheese is melted, the center is hot, and the edges are bubbling, take it out and let it rest for five minutes.
Tested Recipe Details
- Yield: 1 pan
- Party servings: 6
- Meal-prep servings: 4
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Bake time: 15–20 minutes
- Rest time: 5 minutes
- Total time: 35 minutes
- Oven temperature: 400°F
- Pan: 8×8-inch baking dish or small casserole dish
- Total protein: Approximately 228 grams
- Protein per party serving: Approximately 38 grams
- Protein per meal-prep serving: Approximately 57 grams
- Texture: Creamy blended base with shredded chicken and melted cheddar
- Cream cheese: None
- Greek yogurt: None
- Ranch seasoning: None
Try These Next
For another Buffalo chicken recipe, make my Buffalo Chicken Cornbread Waffles.
My Easy High-Protein Mexican Chicken Potato Bowl is another filling chicken meal that works well for meal prep.
For something colder and lighter, try my High-Protein Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 228 grams of protein per pan: Chicken breast, cottage cheese, and reduced-fat cheddar all contribute.
- 38 grams of protein per serving: One-sixth of the pan is already a substantial portion.
- Useful for meal prep: Divide the pan into four portions for approximately 57 grams of protein each.
- No cream cheese: Blended cottage cheese creates the creamy base.
- No ranch packet: Buffalo sauce, cheddar, garlic powder, and green onion provide the flavor.
- Only six core ingredients: The recipe stays simple and easy to track.
- Already-cooked chicken: Use leftover chicken breast or rotisserie chicken for faster prep.
- Versatile leftovers: Use the dip in wraps, quesadillas, baked potatoes, sandwiches, or rice bowls.
- Ready in about 35 minutes: Most of that time is hands-off baking.
The 228-Gram Protein Breakdown
The full-pan protein estimate is not coming from a scoop of protein powder or a tiny serving size.
It comes from three ordinary ingredients. Ingredient Approximate Protein 1 pound cooked chicken breast 141g 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese 52g 5 ounces reduced-fat cheddar 35g Estimated total 228g
The exact amount will vary slightly depending on your chicken and dairy labels, but the recipe remains extremely protein-dense even if your brands differ.
Party Dip or Meal Prep?
This is the part that makes the recipe more useful than a dip you only make for football.
Six Party Servings
Divide the pan into six portions when serving it as an appetizer.
Each portion is approximately:
- 247 calories
- 38g protein
- 6g carbohydrates
Serve it with celery, carrots, bell pepper strips, tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted pita.
- 6g fat
Four Meal-Prep Servings
Divide the pan into four portions when using it for lunch or dinner.
Each portion is approximately:
- 370 calories
- 57g protein
- 9g carbohydrates
Add rice, a baked potato, vegetables, a wrap, or your preferred chips separately.
- 9g fat
How to Portion the Dip Accurately
Because the dip is scooped rather than cut into neat squares, the easiest way to portion it accurately is by weight.
- Weigh the empty baking dish before adding the dip.
- Weigh the baking dish again after the dip has baked and rested.
- Subtract the weight of the empty dish.
This method is much more accurate than trying to eyeball one-sixth of a casserole dish.
- Divide the remaining weight by six for party servings or four for meal-prep portions.
Why I Used Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
A lot of cottage cheese dips use 2% or full-fat cottage cheese because the extra fat makes the finished texture more forgiving.
I wanted to test the leaner version.
Fat-free cottage cheese worked, but it needs to be handled correctly:
- Spoon off any obvious watery whey before measuring.
- Blend it until completely smooth.
- Do not add milk or water.
- Bake only until the dip is hot and bubbling.
Other recipe testers specifically warn that nonfat cottage cheese can become looser and that prolonged heating can cause the mixture to separate. That is why this recipe uses a relatively short bake at 400°F rather than a long, slow bake.
- Let it rest for five minutes before serving.
Does It Taste Like Cottage Cheese?
Not once it is blended and combined with the other ingredients.
The cottage cheese becomes a neutral, creamy base. The Buffalo sauce, chicken, garlic, and cheddar are the flavors you notice.
The cottage cheese does add a slight tang, but that works naturally with Buffalo chicken.
Someone who dislikes visible cottage cheese curds is much more likely to enjoy it blended than stirred directly into the dip.
Why There Is No Cream Cheese or Ranch
I wanted the ingredient list to stay direct.
Cream cheese would make the dip richer, but the blended cottage cheese already gives it enough creaminess. Ranch seasoning can be good, but it also changes the flavor from Buffalo chicken and cheddar into Buffalo ranch.
This version lets the hot sauce, chicken, cheddar, and green onion do the work.
You can add ranch seasoning as a variation, but it is not necessary for the base recipe.
Ingredients
High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Dip
- 1 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, finely shredded or chopped
- 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
- 1¼ cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- Approximately 5 ounces by weight
- ¼ cup Frank’s RedHot Original or Buffalo-style sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- Cooking spray, for the baking dish
Ingredient Notes
Cooked Chicken Breast
Use one pound of fully cooked chicken.
Good options include:
- Home-cooked chicken breast
- Leftover roasted chicken
- Poached chicken
- Pressure-cooked shredded chicken
- Slow-cooker chicken
If you use rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and bones before weighing it. Mixed white and dark meat will usually increase the fat compared with plain chicken breast.
- Rotisserie chicken breast
Finely shred or chop the chicken. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly and make the dip easier to scoop.
Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
Blend the cottage cheese until it looks like a smooth sauce.
If the container has a visible layer of watery liquid on top, spoon that off first. Do not strain the entire container dry; just remove obvious excess whey.
Reduced-Fat Cheddar
Use one cup inside the dip and reserve ¼ cup for the top.
Sharp cheddar gives the strongest flavor. A Mexican cheese blend or pepper Jack can work as a variation, but cheddar is the base recipe.
Pre-shredded reduced-fat cheese works. Freshly grated cheese may melt more evenly because packaged shredded cheese often contains anti-caking ingredients.
Buffalo Sauce
One-quarter cup gives the dip noticeable Buffalo flavor without adding so much liquid that the cottage cheese base becomes loose.
For more heat, I would add extra sauce over the finished serving rather than pouring substantially more into the entire pan.
Garlic Powder
Use garlic powder rather than garlic salt.
The cottage cheese, cheddar, chicken, and hot sauce may already contain plenty of sodium.
Green Onion
Add green onion after baking for freshness and color.
Use both the white and green portions, or save the darker green slices for the final garnish.
Why This Recipe Works
Blending Removes the Cottage Cheese Texture
The curds are not expected to melt completely in the oven.
Blending them first creates a smooth dairy base before the dip ever reaches the baking dish.
The High Chicken Ratio Keeps It Substantial
This is not a bowl of sauce with a few pieces of chicken.
A full pound of chicken gives the dip structure and makes it filling enough to use as a meal.
The Cheddar Is Split Between the Inside and Top
One cup of cheese gets mixed into the dip, so the cheddar flavor runs throughout.
The remaining ¼ cup creates the melted top.
A Short Bake Protects the Texture
The ingredients are already cooked.
The oven only needs to heat the dip and melt the cheese. Leaving fat-free cottage cheese in the oven long after that point can make it release liquid.
Resting Lets It Thicken
The dip will look softer when it first comes out of the oven.
Five minutes of rest gives the mixture time to settle and makes it easier to scoop.
Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking dish or small casserole dish
- Blender or food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Silicone spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Digital kitchen scale, optional for portioning
Tools I Use for This Recipe
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How to Make High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Dip
1. Prepare the oven and baking dish
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Lightly coat an 8×8-inch baking dish or small casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Check the cottage cheese
Open the cottage cheese and look for excess watery whey on top.
If there is a visible pool, spoon it off before measuring.
Do not add any additional liquid.
3. Blend the cottage cheese
Add the cottage cheese to a blender or food processor.
Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
The finished texture should resemble a thick cream sauce with no visible curds.
4. Combine the filling
Add the cooked chicken, blended cottage cheese, one cup of reduced-fat cheddar, Buffalo sauce, and garlic powder to a large mixing bowl.
Stir until:
- The chicken is evenly coated
- The cheddar is distributed throughout
- No plain pockets of cottage cheese remain
5. Fill the baking dish
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Spread it into an even layer without pressing it down too firmly.
6. Add the remaining cheddar
Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of cheddar evenly across the top.
7. Bake
Bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes.
The dip is ready when:
- The center is hot
- The top cheese is melted
Do not continue baking just to make the top deeply brown.
- The edges are lightly bubbling
8. Broil, if desired
For a little additional color, broil for 1–2 minutes.
Watch it continuously because reduced-fat cheese can brown quickly.
9. Rest
Remove the dip from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes.
This is especially important when using fat-free cottage cheese.
10. Garnish and serve
Top with the sliced green onion.
Serve warm as a dip or divide it into meal-prep portions.
Expert Tips
Blend the cottage cheese fully. Partially blended cottage cheese can leave small curds throughout the dip.
Remove only obvious excess whey. You do not need to press or fully drain the cottage cheese.
Use finely shredded chicken. Large chunks make the dip harder to scoop.
Measure the cheddar by weight. Shredded cheese volume can vary depending on how tightly it is packed.
Do not add salt before tasting. The ingredients may already be salty enough.
Keep the hot sauce at ¼ cup for the first batch. Add extra heat at serving if needed.
Do not overbake. Once the dip is hot and bubbling, it is done.
Rest before serving. The five-minute rest helps the dip hold together.
Track the dippers separately. Chips, crackers, pita, and vegetables are not included in the macros.
How to Serve It
For Game Day
Serve the warm dip with:
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
- Bell pepper strips
- Cucumber rounds
- Tortilla chips
- Crackers
- Pita chips
For a homemade crunchy option, serve it with my Healthy Cool Ranch Air Fryer Doritos.
- Pretzels
For Meal Prep
Use one-quarter of the pan in:
- A tortilla wrap
- A quesadilla
- A rice bowl
- A baked potato
- A sweet potato
- A toasted sandwich
- A salad bowl
- A stuffed bell pepper
Variations
These are suggested variations rather than changes to the tested base recipe. Variation Adjustment Milder dip Use a mild Buffalo sauce Hotter dip Add extra hot sauce after baking Ranch flavor Add ranch seasoning to taste Blue cheese version Add blue cheese crumbles after baking Pepper Jack version Replace some or all of the cheddar Rotisserie shortcut Use one pound of shredded rotisserie chicken without skin Meal-prep containers Divide the mixture among four oven-safe containers before baking Extra vegetables Top with celery, scallions, or diced peppers after baking
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and transfer them to airtight containers.
Store the dip in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. USDA guidance recommends using refrigerated cooked leftovers within that period.
Microwave
Reheat one serving in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals.
Covering the container helps it heat more evenly.
Oven
Place the dip in a covered oven-safe dish and reheat at 325–350°F until hot.
USDA recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F throughout.
Freezing
I have not tested freezing this fat-free cottage cheese version.
For the most predictable creamy texture, I would make it fresh or refrigerate the leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in the entire pan?
The full pan contains approximately 228 grams of protein.
How much protein is in one serving?
One-sixth of the pan has approximately 38 grams of protein.
One-quarter of the pan has approximately 57 grams of protein.
Does the dip taste like cottage cheese?
Not strongly when the cottage cheese is completely blended.
The Buffalo sauce, cheddar, chicken, and garlic are much more noticeable.
Do I have to blend the cottage cheese?
You technically can stir it in as-is, but the curds will remain visible.
For the smoothest dip, blend it.
Why did my dip turn watery?
The most likely causes are:
- Watery cottage cheese
- Excess liquid from the chicken
- Too much Buffalo sauce
- Overbaking
If the finished dip releases a little liquid, stir it gently and let it rest before serving. Overheating is a common cause of separation in cottage cheese dips.
- Skipping the five-minute rest
Can I use low-fat cottage cheese?
Yes.
Low-fat cottage cheese will generally produce a slightly richer base. The calories and fat will increase depending on the brand.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes.
Remove the skin and bones, then weigh one pound of cooked chicken.
Can I use canned chicken?
Yes.
Drain it extremely well before weighing and mixing.
Can I use full-fat cheddar?
Yes.
It will melt well, but the calories and fat will be higher than the estimates shown.
Can I make the dip spicier?
Yes.
Add extra hot sauce over individual portions, top with jalapeños, or add cayenne.
Can I make this ahead?
You can assemble the dip, cover it, and refrigerate it before baking.
Bake until the center is hot and the edges are bubbling. A refrigerated pan may require a few additional minutes.
Is this a snack or a meal?
Either.
Divide it into six servings for an appetizer or four servings for a meal-prep portion.
Is this gluten-free?
The base ingredients can be gluten-free, but check the labels on the cottage cheese, cheddar, chicken, garlic powder, and Buffalo sauce if you need to avoid cross-contact.
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition is always an estimate.
The calculation assumes:
- 1 pound cooked skinless chicken breast
- 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
- 5 ounces reduced-fat cheddar
- ¼ cup Frank’s RedHot
- Garlic powder and green onion
- No dippers or optional toppings
Per Party Serving — 1 of 6
- Approximately 247 calories
- 38g protein
- 6g carbohydrates
- 6g fat
Per Meal-Prep Serving — 1 of 4
- Approximately 370 calories
- 57g protein
- 9g carbohydrates
- 9g fat
Entire Pan
- Approximately 1,480 calories
- 228g protein
- 37g carbohydrates
The exact totals will depend on your chicken, cottage cheese, cheddar, hot sauce, and portioning.
- 36g fat
You Might Also Like
For another high-protein chicken meal, make my High-Protein Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
My High-Protein Egg White Salad is another make-ahead option when you want a cold meal.
You can also serve leftover dip over my Single-Serve Cornbread Protein Skillet.
Final Thoughts
This recipe is not trying to disguise a bowl of cottage cheese with Buffalo sauce.
The cottage cheese is blended into a smooth base, a full pound of chicken gives the dip real structure, and reduced-fat cheddar keeps it tasting like something you would actually want to serve at a party.
The full pan contains approximately 228 grams of protein, but the part I like most is that it does not have to be treated like an appetizer.
Serve it with chips and celery for game day, or divide it into four containers and use it for lunch.
Blend the cottage cheese completely, avoid overbaking, let the pan rest for five minutes, and tag @bakedlean if you make it.
BAKE THIS NEXT
High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Cottage Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked boneless skinless chicken breast finely chopped or shredded
- 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese spoon off visible whey and blend until completely smooth
- 1 1/4 cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese approximately 5 ounces, divided
- 1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce or Buffalo sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 green onion thinly sliced, for garnish
- cooking spray for the baking dish
Equipment
- Small casserole dish or 8×8-inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a small casserole dish or 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Blend the fat-free cottage cheese until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the container as needed.
- Add the cooked chicken, blended cottage cheese, 1 cup reduced-fat cheddar, Buffalo sauce, and garlic powder to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir until the chicken is evenly coated and the cheddar is distributed throughout.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup reduced-fat cheddar evenly over the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes, until the center is hot, the cheddar is melted, and the edges are gently bubbling.
- For additional browning, broil for 1–2 minutes, watching continuously.
- Remove the dip from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Top with sliced green onion and serve warm.
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