A classic reinvented, this Chicken Waldorf Salad recipe is the perfect dish for an easy weeknight dinner. Crunchy walnuts, crisp apples, grapes and chicken are tossed with a light dressing for a truly amazing meal.

Chicken Waldorf salad in a blue and white bowl


Chicken Waldorf salad

We are one step closer to summer and I’m pulling out all my favorite no cook, quick and easy meals to ensure I’m spending more time poolside…..less time stove side! I love simple dinners in the summer…and, as much as I love to grill, sometimes the summer heat is just too much to stand over a 600 degree inferno.

That’s when I try to repurpose things I have leftover from the not so hot days when I did actually cook like this Barbecue Chicken Cobb Salad!  Leftover chicken is always handy to have around when the thermostat starts to shoot up.

This easy Chicken Waldorf salad is so easy to make with leftover chicken breast which I purposely have extra of almost every week in the summer.

Chicken Waldorf Salad sandwich on a wooden board with potato chips.

What is Waldorf salad?

I fell in love with Waldorf Salad at a family potluck when I was a kid.

 Waldorf Salad is fruit and nut salad generally made of fresh celery, apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and is usually served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal.  It’s named after the Waldorf hotel in New York City because it was created there for a charity ball in 1896. So, it’s basically, legendary.

I remember thinking what a genius thing it was to toss together some apples, grapes and walnuts with a creamy dressing….it was like dessert to me but served alongside the chicken, burgers and dogs.  I could eat buckets of it, so fresh and crisp.  And then….no more.  

For some reason, this retro classic kinda fell off the face of the earth at family gatherings and since I was a kid, I didn’t think much of it. Then, when I was out on my own and I was figuring out this whole cooking thing, I decided to take a crack at it.  And…it was so easy, I started making it on an almost weekly basis.

But it was missing a protein, other than the nuts so I threw in some leftover chicken to make the most epically amazing Chicken Salad recipe in the world.

Chicken Waldorf Salad in a blue and white bowl on a blue napkin.

How To Make It

This salad is relatively easy to make if you’re using leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Most of your time will be spent chopping the fruit and vegetables but it’s well worth the few minutes it takes to do it right.

  1. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
  2. Toss the fruit, vegetables and chicken in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
  4. Pour the dressing over the salad.
  5. Toss to combine.

That’s it! Super simple and you can serve it up on a lettuce like a traditional Waldorf salad or make a chicken salad sandwich. We love it both ways.

Chicken Waldorf Salad sandwich on an olive wood board with toothpicks.

How To Serve It

You can easily just serve your salad on top of a lettuce leaf or make a hearty sandwich with some sliced brioche bread. It’s fantastic for a picnic!

And don’t forget a tall glass of lemonade, this is even swanky enough for those ladies who lunch!

We also love it piled high on a piece of toasted white bread for a simple weekday lunch.

If you love this salad recipe, you may also like this easy Chicken Tarragon Salad recipe….it’s equally simple to make and just as fresh tasting. Or if you want something a little more simple, you can try this super creamy Egg Salad. It’s ready in minutes!

Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad on a white roll with lettuce and lemon slices from TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

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Get the Recipe: Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Classic Waldorf salad pumped up with added protein, this Chicken Waldorf salad is a meal all by itself!
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chopped chicken breasts
  • 1 cup halved red grapes
  • 1 cup halved green grapes
  • 2 cups chopped red apple
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, grapes, apple, walnuts and celery. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley and chives until smooth.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine.
  • Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Calories: 354kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 298mg, Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 0mg, Iron: 0mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American