Buffalo chicken dip gets an extra protein kick from cottage cheese

I am not over the cottage cheese trend yet, because I never needed to get on board with it. For me, cottage cheese isn’t a fad. It’s a mainstay in my refrigerator and has been for as long as I can remember. As a child, I sat at the kitchen table with my grandfather noshing on bowls of it mixed with sour cream and sliced banana. My grandmother stirred it with hot egg noodles, butter and caramelized onions for dinner. I’ve been making cottage cheese pancakes for years, as well as using it in dressings and dips to add creamy texture in a healthier way.

Cottage cheese’s protein content may have driven its recent explosion in popularity – it has a whopping 23 to 28 grams per cup, depending on the type – but it is also a rich source of calcium, selenium, vitamin B12 and other B vitamins. It is filling and incredibly versatile. On the downside, it can be fairly high in sodium, so if you are watching your salt intake, look for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. Cottage cheese’s mild flavor is another asset, making it ideal for adding creaminess and nutrition to recipes while going undetected, as it does in this crowd-pleasing Buffalo chicken dip.

Typically, loads of cream cheese or mayonnaise give the warm dip its rich creaminess. But in this version, only a touch of those are added for an extra-silky texture, while cottage cheese, which is whipped in a food processor until it is ultrasmooth, does the heavy lifting to create a creamy base. Whipping the cheese like this eliminates the curd texture that turns some people off, so even non-cottage-cheese lovers can enjoy this dip.

It is flavored with quintessential Buffalo flavor from cayenne pepper hot sauce (I always go with the classic Frank’s RedHot), along with garlic and onion powders, and combined with shredded chicken, scallions and blue cheese. Baked until hot and bubbling, and served with celery for scooping, it’s an irresistible party food made better for you thanks to cottage cheese, an ingredient that will never lose its luster for me.

Better Buffalo Chicken

Dip

This take on the crowd-pleasing Buffalo chicken dip has all the same creamy, cheesy, spicy flavors of the original but in a healthier way. The secret ingredient here is cottage cheese, which becomes especially smooth when whipped in a food processor. Served warm and scooped up with crunchy celery, it’s a winning spin on a classic.

Neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

1 cup full-fat cottage cheese

½ cup (3½ ounces) plain whipped cream cheese

½ cup cayenne pepper hot sauce, preferably Frank’s RedHot Original

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon water

1½ teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 cups (10 ounces) shredded cooked chicken breast

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, dark greens separated

½ cup (2¼ ounces) crumbled blue cheese, divided

Celery stalks, cut into 2½-inch-long pieces, for serving

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Brush a 1-quart baking dish with oil and set it on a small sheet pan.

In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese, hot sauce, mayonnaise, water, garlic powder and onion powder, and process until smooth and creamy.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, scallion whites and light greens, and ¼ cup (generous 1 ounce) of the blue cheese. Add the cottage cheese mixture and stir to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dip is heated through and bubbling around the edges. Garnish with the remaining blue cheese and scallion greens, and serve with the celery for dipping.

Yield: 12 servings (makes about 3 cups)

Active time: 20 minutes; Total time: 50 minutes

Make ahead: The dish can be assembled, covered with foil and refrigerated for up to two days.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to four days. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven until warmed through.

Substitutions: Chicken breast for chicken thighs. Blue cheese for cheddar cheese.