Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe with Apples and Grapes

This Chicken Waldorf Salad is a fresh, creamy, and satisfying twist on the classic Waldorf salad. Tender cooked chicken is mixed with crisp apples, juicy grapes, crunchy celery, walnuts, and a simple mayonnaise dressing lightened with Greek yogurt.

When warm weather arrives, easy salad recipes become some of the best meals to keep on hand. This Chicken Waldorf Salad is light, refreshing, and filling enough to serve for lunch, brunch, or a simple dinner. It takes the familiar flavors of a classic Waldorf salad and turns them into a protein-packed meal by adding cooked chicken.

The combination of sweet fruit, savory chicken, crisp vegetables, and creamy dressing makes this salad both simple and satisfying. It is also a great recipe when you already have cooked chicken ready to use. Rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken breasts, or any plain cooked chicken will work well.

This recipe is especially useful for meal prep because it can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Serve it over lettuce, tuck it into lettuce leaves, spoon it onto croissants, or enjoy it with crackers for an easy no-cook meal.

Why I Love This Chicken Waldorf Salad:

• It is quick and easy to prepare, taking about 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish.
• It can be made in advance, making it a convenient option for lunches and meal prep.
• It has a delicious mix of creamy, crunchy, sweet, and savory flavors.
• The dressing is lightened with Greek yogurt while still staying rich and creamy.
• It uses real, easy-to-find ingredients such as chicken, apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts.

Ingredients:

CHICKEN: Use any cooked chicken you enjoy. Chopped or shredded chicken both work well. Rotisserie chicken is also a great choice because it makes this recipe even faster.

APPLES: Many Waldorf salad recipes use tart Granny Smith apples, but because this version does not include added sweetener, a sweeter apple such as Fuji or Gala works beautifully. Choose an apple that is crisp and fresh for the best texture.

GRAPES: Red or green grapes can be used. Halving the grapes makes the salad easier to eat and helps distribute their sweetness throughout the dish.

CELERY: Celery adds the signature crunch that makes Waldorf salad so enjoyable. Chop it into small pieces so it blends well with the chicken and fruit.

GREEN ONION: Green onion is optional, but it adds a mild savory flavor that balances the sweetness of the apples and grapes.

MAYONNAISE, GREEK YOGURT, LEMON JUICE, SEASONED SALT, AND PEPPER: These ingredients create the creamy dressing. Greek yogurt lightens the dressing slightly, but you can use all mayonnaise if you prefer a richer salad.

GREENS: Serve the salad with your favorite greens. Bibb lettuce, spring mix, arugula, or lettuce leaves all make good options.

How-To Make Chicken Waldorf Salad:

This Chicken Waldorf Salad is very simple to make, especially if your chicken is already cooked. Start by chopping the cooked chicken, apple, grapes, celery, and green onion. Add everything to a large mixing bowl along with the walnuts.

Next, add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and fresh lemon juice. Stir until all of the ingredients are evenly coated in the creamy dressing. Taste the salad, then season with seasoned salt and pepper as needed. The salad can be served right away, or it can be chilled until you are ready to eat.

For the best texture, especially if you are preparing the salad ahead of time, wait to add the walnuts until just before serving. This helps keep them crunchy.

FAQs

How To Serve:

BRUNCH: Serve this Chicken Waldorf Salad on a bed of greens, inside croissants, as small sandwiches, stuffed into ripe tomatoes, or with crackers. It also pairs well with fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and your favorite cold drinks.

OUTDOOR EVENTS: Because this is a mayonnaise-based chicken salad, it should stay cold. If it will be sitting out during serving, place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice. Keep the salad in a cooler and remove it just before serving.