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Creamy, fresh, delicious, and full of flavor, this chicken Waldorf salad is perfect for a quick and easy lunch. Made with apple, walnuts, grapes, celery, and chicken breast and dressed with lemon and homemade mayonnaise.
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Waldorf salad is a loved classic. It’s a deli favorite but it’s so easy to make at home.
Made with cooked chicken strips, this is a hearty salad that’s great for quick lunches. Made with a few simple ingredients, it’s simple but so tasty! Sweet grapes, earthy walnuts, and crunchy celery give this salad so much flavor and texture.
Be sure to try my Chicken Caesar Salad and Turkey Salad too!
Why you will love this chicken waldorf salad recipe!
- Quick to make: It takes no more than 15 minutes to chop up the ingredients and mix everything together.
- Hearty: Because we make this Waldorf salad with chicken, this is more than a side dish. It’s perfect for lunch or a warm weather dinner and has a good amount of protein in it.
- So tasty: The combination of ingredients in Waldorf salad never gets old. Nice and creamy with hints of lemon, a little sweet and nutty, every bite is super delicious!
Tools you will need
Ingredients for Waldorf salad with chicken
- Mayonnaise: This is what gives this salad it’s creamy texture. I prefer to use a full fat mayo for the best texture and flavor, but you can use a low fat one if you prefer.
- Lemon Juice: Just a little is used to add some acidity to balance out the flavors. Use fresh rather than bottled juice for the best taste.
- Apples: Use sweet apples and core and cube them. I like to use a mix of red and green to add color.
- Grapes: I use red seedless grapes and cut them in half before tossing with the other ingredients. You can use seedless green as well.
- Celery: Thinly sliced celery adds a great crunch to the salad.
- Walnuts: Coarsely chopped for texture and a delicious nutty flavor.
- Chicken: To make this salad more filling, cooked chicken strips are added for additional protein.
How to make chicken Waldorf salad
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts into the waldorf salad dressing.
- Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce and top with cooked chicken strips.
Can you make it ahead of time?
This chicken Waldorf salad is best enjoyed on the day it is made as the apples can start to brown if it sits for too long. If you want to make it further ahead, leave the apples out and just add them in before serving. The salad will keep well, covered in the fridge, without the apples, for 3 to 4 days.
Why is it called Waldorf salad?
The original Waldorf salad recipe was first created at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. It was served in 1896 at a charity ball. It didn’t contain nuts when it was first created, but walnuts were added early in the 1900s. Originally served as an appetizer or light meal, the addition of chicken in this recipe makes it more filling and hearty.
What do you serve it with?
I like to serve this on a bed of lettuce for a delicious light and warm meal. It’s also great served in wraps or sandwiches. Enjoy a chicken Waldorf sandwich with a side of sweet potato chips or homemade baked fries, and a light tomato cucumber avocado salad.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
- For a healthier version of this chicken Waldorf salad recipe, you can swap some or all of the mayonnaise with plain or Greek yogurt.
- You can use rotisserie chicken or make poached chicken if you don’t have any leftover cooked chicken.
- Keep the healthy Waldorf chicken salad covered and refrigerated if not serving straight away.
- If making ahead of time, leave the apples out until you are ready to serve so that they don’t brown.
- Dried cranberries make an excellent addition!
More Salad Recipes
If you loved this Waldorf chicken salad recipe, I am sure you will love these other easy main meal salads as well:
Chicken Waldorf Salad
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INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1.5 cups sweet apples, cored and chopped in ½” cubes, (red & green)
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half
- 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- Green leaf lettuce
- 1 cup cooked chicken strips
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts into the Waldorf salad dressing.
- Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce and top with cooked chicken strips.
TIPS & NOTES
- For a healthier version of this chicken Waldorf salad recipe, you can swap some or all of the mayonnaise with plain or Greek yogurt.
- You can use rotisserie chicken or make poached chicken if you don’t have any leftover cooked chicken.
- Keep the healthy Waldorf chicken salad covered and refrigerated if not serving straight away.
- If making ahead of time, leave the apples out until you are ready to serve so that they don’t brown.
- Dried cranberries make an excellent addition!
NUTRITION
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