Recipe: Chicken Waldorf Salad

Christine Gallary
Christine GallarySenior Recipe Editor at The Kitchn
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, I worked at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW's test kitchens. I've edited and tested recipes for more than 15 years, including developing recipes for the James Beard-award winning Mister Jiu's in Chinatown cookbook. My favorite taste testers are my husband, Hayden, and daughter, Sophie.
published Sep 29, 2016
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Credit: Maria Siriano

Serves3 to 4

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(Image credit: Maria Siriano)

All you have to do to make chicken salad a hundred times more interesting is add in a chopped apple. An apple adds crunch, sweetness, and freshness, and you’ve also taken care of eating a serving of fruit for the day. When apple season hits, make this chicken Waldorf salad your go-to lunch, or leave a batch of this in your fridge so that dinner is waiting for you when you get home.

(Image credit: Maria Siriano)

You may think of a Waldorf salad as a retro dish created in a fancy hotel, but it’s a classic that’s stood the test of time for a reason. At its core, the salad has apples, celery, and walnuts bound in a mayonnaise dressing — all elements most people can get behind. I like adding in another fall fruit, red grapes, and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten things up.

To make this more of a main dish salad, cooked chicken is also thrown into the mix, although you could also use cooked turkey if you like. Cook up an extra chicken breast at dinner to use in this salad, or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy no-cook shortcut. Serve a scoop of the salad on pretty butter lettuce leaves, scoop it up with crackers, or stuff it into a pita.

Learn how: How To Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time

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Chicken Waldorf Salad

Serves 3 to 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup

    mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon

    freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1

    boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cooked and cubed

  • 1

    medium sweet apple, such as Fuji or Pink Lady, cored and diced

  • 1/2 cup

    red seedless grapes, halved

  • 1/2 cup

    thinly sliced celery (2 to 3 medium stalks)

  • 1/2 cup

    toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

  • Salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Butter lettuce leaves, for serving

Instructions

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  1. Place the mayonnaise and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken, apple, grapes, celery, and walnuts, and fold into the dressing. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve in the lettuce leaves as a salad or as lettuce cups.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The salad can be made and stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days ahead.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Filed in:
autumn
Chicken
easy
Gluten-Free
greens
Ingredient