Name: High Protein Buffalo Chicken Bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 500 g low fat cottage cheese; 10 g Frank's hot sauce or similar buffalo hot sauce; 2 tsp garlic powder; 600 g raw skinless chicken breast; 80 g celery (diced); 80 g yellow onion (diced); 60 g shredded cheddar cheese

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This high protein buffalo chicken bake has all the bold, tangy heat you’d expect golden-edged, cheesy, spicy but underneath that bubbly cheddar topping is a sauce made entirely from blended cottage cheese. Creamy, velvety, and almost unrecognisably good.

A recipe that looks indulgent but quietly works hard for you. It’s the kind of thing you make once and add to permanent rotation.

If you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of high protein buffalo chicken recipes on Pinterest, you’ll know the cottage cheese trend has completely taken over and for good reason. Blended smooth, it melts into a rich, creamy base that carries all that Frank’s heat beautifully, without the heaviness of cream cheese or the calories of full-fat sour cream.

This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes, makes four generous servings, and holds up beautifully as a meal prep dish just as good on day two, served over rice, or scooped into a wrap.

Why You’ll Love This High Protein Low Calorie Recipe

This isn’t diet food pretending to be dinner. It genuinely tastes like a treat spicy, cheesy, satisfying while delivering the kind of protein content that actually keeps you full. The cottage cheese sauce blends completely smooth, so there’s no strange texture, no visible curds, just a creamy, tangy base that absorbs the buffalo flavour and clings to every strand of shredded chicken.

It’s also one of the easiest high protein buffalo chicken meal prep recipes you can add to your week. Make a batch on Sunday and you’re set for lunches that actually feel exciting to open.

Simple Ingredients

Everything here is purposeful. Nothing fussy, nothing you’ll use once and forget about.

Low fat cottage cheese: The base of the entire sauce. Blended smooth, it becomes a thick, creamy, protein-rich alternative to cream cheese or sour cream. It’s mild enough to let the buffalo sauce lead, and rich enough to feel genuinely indulgent.
Frank’s hot sauce (or similar): The classic choice for buffalo flavour. That perfect balance of vinegar, heat, and body it’s what makes buffalo buffalo. You can adjust the quantity to suit your heat tolerance.
Garlic powder: Adds depth and warmth without sharpness. It rounds out the sauce and works in harmony with the hot sauce rather than competing with it.
Raw skinless chicken breast: Lean, high protein, and ideal for shredding. Boiling keeps it tender and makes it easy to pull apart into thick, satisfying strands.
Celery: Classic in buffalo dishes for good reason. It adds a gentle crunch and a fresh, cooling note that cuts through the richness of the sauce.
Yellow onion: Diced finely, it softens into the mixture and adds a subtle sweetness that balances the heat.
Shredded cheddar cheese: The finishing touch. Melted under the broiler, it turns golden and bubbly and adds that unmistakeable savoury depth you want on top of a bake like this.

Approximately 347 calories · 52g protein · 8g carbs · 10g fat per serve. Values are estimates based on standard ingredient data.

Recipe Details

Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Recommended Equipment

Blender or food processor
Large pot
Large mixing bowl
Baking dish
Two forks (for shredding)

Ingredients

500g low fat cottage cheese
10g Frank’s hot sauce or similar buffalo hot sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
600g raw skinless chicken breast
80g celery, diced
80g yellow onion, diced
60g shredded cheddar cheese

How to Make This High Protein Buffalo Chicken Bake

Step 1: Make the cottage cheese sauce

Add the cottage cheese, garlic powder, and hot sauce to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy you want no texture remaining, just a silky, pourable sauce. Pour into a bowl or container and place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the chicken. This keeps the sauce thick and helps it cling to the chicken when you mix everything together.

Step 2: Boil and shred the chicken

Place the chicken breasts in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked through with no pink remaining usually around 15–18 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from the pot and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, shred or pull the chicken apart using two forks. You’re looking for thick, generous strands not too fine, not too chunky.

Step 3: Preheat your oven

Set your oven to the broil (grill) setting and allow it to preheat while you assemble.

Step 4: Mix and assemble

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, the chilled cottage cheese sauce, diced celery, and diced onion. Stir everything together until evenly coated and well mixed.

Pour the chicken mixture into a baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top in an even layer.

Step 5: Broil and serve

Place the baking dish under the broiler for approximately two minutes, until the cheese is melted, golden, and just starting to bubble at the edges. Keep a close eye on it broilers work fast.

Serve immediately as is, over rice, or scooped into wraps or lettuce cups.

What to Serve With This Bake

Steamed white or brown rice
Warm flour tortillas or lettuce cups for wrapping
Celery sticks and extra hot sauce on the side
A crisp cucumber and red onion salad
Corn tortilla chips for scooping

Top Tips

Blend the cottage cheese completely smooth: This is the key to the whole dish. If your blender isn’t fully breaking down the curds, push it a little longer. The smoother the sauce, the more convincingly creamy the final result.

Chill the sauce before mixing: Even just 10–15 minutes in the fridge thickens it slightly and helps it coat the chicken evenly rather than pooling at the bottom of the dish.

Don’t over-shred the chicken: Thick, pulled strands hold up better under the sauce and give you a more satisfying texture. Fine shreds can turn slightly mushy once baked.

Watch the broiler closely: Two minutes is the guide, but every oven runs differently. You want melted and golden not dark and dry. Check at the 90-second mark.

Make it a meal prep champion: This is one of those high protein buffalo chicken meal prep dishes that genuinely improves as it sits. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat gently in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top to keep the chicken moist.

Recipe Variations

Buffalo chicken cottage cheese bowl: Serve the mixture warm over steamed rice before adding the cheese, skip the broiler step, and top with sliced spring onion and a drizzle of extra hot sauce. A great low-effort lunch variation.

Spicier version: Double the hot sauce in the blender and add a pinch of cayenne. For anyone who loves that genuine buffalo heat, it’s a small adjustment with a big payoff.

Add more vegetables: Diced capsicum, corn kernels, or baby spinach stirred through before baking all work well here and add colour and nutrients without changing the character of the dish.

Lower the cheese: If you’re keeping calories tighter, reduce the cheddar to 30g sprinkled over the top. It still melts beautifully and gives you that golden finish with less fat.

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The flavour deepens overnight.

Reheating: Microwave individual portions for 60–90 seconds covered with a damp paper towel, or reheat in a low oven at 160°C for 10 minutes until warmed through.

Freezing: The chicken mixture (without the cheese topping) freezes well. Cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to two months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, add the cheese, and broil fresh.