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Waldorf Chicken Salad is my lighter, heartier spin on the classic Waldorf salad, with crisp apples, grapes, and walnuts in a tangy Greek yogurt dressing. I throw it together with rotisserie chicken on busy spring afternoons so Maddie and Lizzie have an easy, fresh lunch ready to go. If you love a creamy, sweet, crunchy bowl, you will want this next to our cranberry chicken salad.
Tender chicken meets the classic Waldorf mix of apples, grapes, celery, and toasted walnuts, all tossed in a creamy pineapple yogurt dressing for a fresh, no cook lunch.
Waldorf Chicken Salad Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 400kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, sweet, crunchy classic Waldorf
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our cranberry chicken salad
Quick Answer
Combine diced rotisserie chicken with apple, halved grapes, celery, golden raisins, and toasted walnuts. Whisk Greek yogurt with crushed pineapple, parsley, scallion, and salt, then pour it over the salad and toss to coat. Chill for at least an hour before serving on greens, bread, or a croissant.
Jump to:
- Waldorf Chicken Salad Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Waldorf Chicken Salad
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Waldorf Chicken Salad FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Salad Recipes
- Waldorf Chicken Salad
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A lighter Greek yogurt dressing. Swapping mayo for Greek yogurt and crushed pineapple makes this waldorf chicken salad creamy and tangy without being heavy.
- The classic Waldorf crunch. Apples, grapes, celery, and toasted walnuts give every bite that signature sweet, crisp, crunchy Waldorf salad texture.
- Rotisserie chicken keeps it easy. Using cooked rotisserie chicken means this comes together in 15 minutes with no cooking at all.
- Pineapple adds natural sweetness. A spoonful of crushed pineapple with its juice sweetens the dressing naturally and brightens the whole salad.
- Toasting the walnuts deepens flavor. Toasting the walnuts first brings out their rich, buttery taste and keeps them crunchy in the creamy salad.
- Chilling melds the flavors. An hour in the fridge lets the dressing soak into the chicken and fruit so every bite tastes balanced.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a fresh, lighter take on the classic Waldorf salad, made hearty with tender chicken.
- It comes together in 15 minutes with no cooking, perfect for a quick lunch or make ahead meal.
- It is creamy, sweet, and crunchy all at once, just like our cranberry chicken salad.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes this waldorf chicken salad so fresh and crunchy. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts.
- Rotisserie chicken: Diced cooked chicken is the hearty, protein packed base. Leftover roast chicken works too.
- Apple and grapes: The classic Waldorf fruits, adding sweet, crisp crunch in every bite.
- Walnuts and golden raisins: Toasted walnuts and sweet raisins bring richness and chew.
- Greek yogurt and pineapple: A lighter, tangy sweet dressing instead of heavy mayo, the same fresh approach as our cranberry chicken salad.
- Celery, scallion, and parsley: Fresh, crisp add ins that keep the salad bright and crunchy.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make this waldorf chicken salad your own.
- Swap the apple for dried cranberries to make our cranberry chicken salad instead.
- Use mayonnaise in place of the yogurt for a richer, more traditional Waldorf dressing.
- Add a handful of baby spinach or serve it over greens to make it a full salad.
- Stuff it into a croissant or pita, or serve it alongside our creamy macaroni salad for a picnic spread.
How to Make Waldorf Chicken Salad
- Add all the chicken salad ingredients to a large bowl: the diced rotisserie chicken, diced apple, halved grapes, sliced celery, golden raisins, and toasted walnuts.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, crushed pineapple with its juice, parsley, salt, and scallion until smooth, then pour it over the salad.
- Toss until everything is evenly coated, then cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Toast the walnuts for a few minutes first for the deepest, nuttiest flavor.
- Use a crisp apple like gala, honeycrisp, or fuji so it stays crunchy in the salad.
- Toss the apple in the dressing right away so it does not brown.
- Chill at least an hour so the flavors meld and the salad tastes its best.
- Use cold cooked chicken so the salad stays food safe and creamy.
- Serve it over greens or in a croissant, or alongside our cheddar bacon ranch stuffed celery for a fun lunch board.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This waldorf chicken salad is a fresh, satisfying lunch. Scoop it onto a bed of crisp greens, pile it into a croissant or pita, or serve it with crackers for an easy spread.
It is perfect for showers, picnics, and warm weather lunches. Serve it with our creamy macaroni salad and our best classic chicken salad for a salad bar style spread.
It is a great way to use up leftover roast or rotisserie chicken, just like our cranberry chicken salad, and it keeps well for easy meal prep.
Waldorf Chicken Salad FAQs
Waldorf chicken salad combines the classic Waldorf salad ingredients, apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts, with tender chicken and a creamy dressing. This lighter version uses a Greek yogurt and pineapple dressing instead of mayonnaise.
This waldorf chicken salad is on the lighter side because it uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo for the dressing. It is packed with protein from the chicken, fiber from the fruit, and healthy fats from the walnuts.
Store waldorf chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The apples are best in the first day or two, but it stays delicious all week. Keep it cold and do not leave it out for long.
Yes. It actually needs at least an hour to chill, so it is a great make ahead dish. For the crispest apples, you can stir them in just before serving if making it more than a day ahead.
Use a crisp, sweet tart apple like gala, honeycrisp, or fuji. These hold their crunch and balance the creamy dressing. Toss the diced apple in the dressing right away to keep it from browning.
Serve it over lettuce, in a croissant or pita, or with crackers. It pairs well with soup, fresh fruit, chips, or other salads for an easy lunch or light dinner.
Looking for more easy salads? Try our best classic chicken salad next, then come back and tell us how your waldorf chicken salad turned out.
Waldorf Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups medium-diced rotisserie chicken
- 1 gala apple (or crisp apple variety) small dice
- 1/2 cup red grapes cut in half
- 1/2 cup celery thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts rough chop
Pineapple Yogurt Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons canned crushed pineapple, with juice
- 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 scallion, green part only thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all the chicken salad ingredients. Set aside.2 cups medium-diced rotisserie chicken, 1 gala apple (or crisp apple variety), 1/2 cup red grapes, 1/2 cup celery, 1/4 cup golden raisins, 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
- Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until combined.1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons canned crushed pineapple, with juice, 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 scallion, green part only
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix until everything is coated.
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least one hour to chill. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chop the chicken and fruits into smaller pieces for easier eating.
- Toast the walnuts for extra flavor before adding them to the salad.
- Let the salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
- Use a large mixing bowl to easily mix all the ingredients without making a mess.
- Try using a combination of Greek yogurt and mayo for a creamier dressing if you like.
- Serve the salad in different ways to keep things interesting: on a crisp bed of lettuce, as a hearty sandwich, or even wrapped in a tender lettuce cup.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I love the idea of using this amazing dressing instead of mayo! Soo much better!
I looooove Waldorf chicken salad. That dressing for it sounds amazing, though – can’t wait to try it!