My Waldorf chicken salad is so fresh and flavorful! Ready in just 15 minutes, this hearty salad is packed with juicy cooked chicken, tart apples, sweet grapes, walnuts, and crunchy celery. Tossed in a tangy yogurt-mayonnaise dressing, this chicken Waldorf salad is creamy, crunchy, and so delicious. It’s one of my favorite quick and easy lunches!
Top Reader Review
Delicious!
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Chicken Waldorf Salad
My Waldorf chicken salad has all the great flavors of a classic Waldorf salad–sweet grapes, nutty walnuts, crunchy celery, and tart apples–in a chicken salad format. The yogurt mayonnaise dressing is so creamy, fresh, and flavorful. I love that I don’t have to worry about wilted greens since every component has a great crunch. This salad is easy to prep on Sunday night and enjoy for lunch all throughout the week.
I also love how easy it is to customize. Easily swap in pecans or almonds, add dried cranberries, or mix in a little Dijon for extra zip. Whether you serve it in lettuce cups, tucked into a croissant, or piled on crackers, this Waldorf salad with chicken always feels fresh and flavorful.
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Toast the Nuts for Deeper Flavor
I always toast the nuts for this chicken Waldorf salad because it brings out their natural oils and adds a deeper flavor that balances the creamy dressing. When I tested this recipe side by side with untoasted nuts, the difference was huge. The toasted version had a warm, nutty aroma that made the salad taste fresher and more complex. Just toast the walnuts in a dry pan or a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes, or until fragrant.
Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup walnuts (roughly chopped*)
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (**)
- 3 ribs celery (trimmed and finely chopped)
- 2 apples (cored and cubed, no need to peel***)
- 1 cup seedless grapes (red or green, halved)
Yogurt Mayonnaise Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise (****)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Tip onto a dish and leave to cool.⅔ cup walnuts
- Make the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Season with the salt and pepper and mix well.½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the cold cooked chicken to the dressing with the chopped celery, apple, grapes, and cooled walnuts and toss to combine.2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast, 3 ribs celery, 2 apples, 1 cup seedless grapes
- Taste and season as desired.
Notes
- Warm chicken can thin the dressing and make the salad watery. Let it chill in the fridge first if freshly cooked.
- Make sure to pat the apples and grapes dry after washing to prevent them from making the dressing runny.
- Toasting the walnuts really enhances their flavor. I like to toast them in a pan, but you can also bake them at 350°F for 8 minutes.
- If you want to replace some or all the mayonnaise with yogurt, reduce the amount of lemon juice to prevent the salad dressing from becoming too tart.
- Feel free to add in ¼ cup of raisins or dried cranberries for a little extra sweetness.
- For a little sharpness, add ½ of a finely chopped red onion or a few sliced scallions.
- This salad is best served straight away; however, you can store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 hours before serving.
- It’s delicious scooped into lettuce cups, croissants, or pita pockets for easy lunches.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Waldorf Chicken Salad Step by Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make this Waldorf salad with chicken. Roughly chop the walnuts, chop the cooked chicken breast, trim and finely chop the celery, core and cube the apples, halve the grapes, and juice the lemon. Make sure your chicken is at room temperature or chilled so it doesn’t make the dressing watery. I also recommend patting the fruit dry for the same reason.
Toast the Walnuts: Heat a frying pan over medium-low and dry fry ⅔ cup of walnuts for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Tip onto a dish and leave to cool. Alternatively, you can spread them out on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 8 minutes.
Make the Dressing: In a large bowl, combine ½ cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup of Greek yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Season with ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper and mix well. Taste and adjust the dressing to your personal preference.
Toss the Salad: Add 2 cups of cold cooked chicken to the dressing with 3 ribs of chopped celery, 2 cored and cubed apples, 1 cup of halved seedless grapes, and the cooled walnuts, and toss to combine. Taste and season as desired. Serve immediately for the best texture.
How to Store
Store leftover chicken Waldorf salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The apples can brown slightly and the dressing may become slightly watery, but it is still tasty to eat! I do not recommend freezing this salad, as none of the components freeze or thaw well.
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