Delicious Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe
Delicious Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe
Everyone loves this Waldorf Salad filled with grapes, apples, celery, walnuts, cheese and chicken. Tossed into a homemade poppy seed dressing, this salad is perfect for any lunch, dinner, or appetizer.
Salads are perfect for a light and refreshing lunch. During the summer months, I especially love salads with some fruit in them – like apple kale salad, cranberry dried broccoli salad, or my favorite chicken berry salad!
Salad the whole family loves
Hello again! It’s Alicia from The Baker Upstairs, and I’m so excited to share one of my favorite recipes with you today! This Chicken Waldorf Astoria Salad is one of my go-to when I need a quick and easy dinner. It has the most wonderful combination of crunchy and creamy, salty and sweet.
When I first met my husband, he was not a big fan of salads. Even the thought of having a salad for dinner caused him to moan and groan. Even though he didn’t like it, I decided to make a Waldorf Salad for dinner in the evening and to my surprise my husband really liked it!
It has been one of our favorite weeknight dinners ever since. We almost always have all of the ingredients in the fridge or pantry and it only takes a few minutes to piece together. Best of all, our kids love it too!
How did the Waldorf Salad get its name? This dish was created in New York City in the late 1890s. Waldorf Astoria head Oscar Tschirky is credited with creating this delicious salad!
Tips for Making This Salad
There are several variations of a Waldorf Salad, but this is our favorite combination of ingredients! As always, you are more than welcome to switch ingredients here and there to make it work for you.
alternative ingredients: Turkey, cranberries, raisins, dates, pecans, cauliflower, and even marshmallows are used in variations of this salad.
Which apple is best to use? Use any crisp apple like Pink Lady, Fuji or Gala. You can also use crispy Granny Smith apples for a more tart flavor. (tip: To keep the apples from browning, toss them in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice before adding them to the salad. )
Blue cheese substitute? I know blue cheese can be a bit polarizing, so if you’re not a fan, you can easily substitute another cheese. Here are some other cheeses that work well with this salad:
- goat cheese
- goat cheese
- cheddar cheese
- swiss cheese
dressing
The finishing touch is a good poppy seed dressing. I absolutely love Brianna’s brand poppy seed dressing, but feel free to use your favorite or a homemade version (it’s super easy to do). Simply whisk together the following ingredients for an easy poppy seed dressing recipe…
- Âľ cup mayonnaise
- â…“ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
notes: Unless you plan to eat the whole salad, I would leave the dressing aside. If the salad has dressing, it will only keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. It will last a few days without clothing.
A great make-ahead lunch!
There’s a lot I like about this Waldorf Salad, but my favorite is that it’s firm so you can make it ahead of time. Just add the seasoning just before serving!
I like to make a big batch of salad earlier in the week and then divide it into individual servings so my husband can take it to work for lunch during the week. Preparing everything in advance can save a lot of time! This really is the best waldorf salad recipe ever! !
For more salad recipes, check out:
course salad
American food
Prep time 10 minutes
Total time 10 minutes
Serving Size 4
Calories 235 kcal
by Lil’ Luna
- 6 cups spring salad
- 2 cups shredded and cooked chicken
- 1 apple
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- poppy sauce
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Add salad mixture to a medium bowl. Cut the grapes in half and cut the apples and celery into chunks. Place chicken, grapes, apples, celery, blue cheese, and walnuts in a bowl.
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Drizzle with poppy seed dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately. (Note: If making the salad ahead of time, add the dressing before serving.)