The Best Chicken Waldorf Salad

Waldorf Salad – satisfyingly crunchy, tangy, and sweet. A classic creamy chicken salad mix made with celery, apples, nuts, and a hefty dose of history. “Old Stuff” never tasted so good!

What Is Waldorf Salad?

The Waldorf salad is a delicious side dish that has a lofty reputation, but it sure began with humble ingredients: only mayonnaise, apples, and celery. These three classic ingredients are the foundation for a bonanza of flavor-packed salad!

The addition of seedless grapes and toasty walnut/pecan notes only enhance the creamy, tart, sweet, and addictively satisfying crunch! It’s love at first bite!

Waldorf is one of the easiest fruit salads and is great to make for holiday meals, potlucks, BBQs, weekend get-togethers, and dinner any night that you’re looking for something simple and tasty.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe

• The taste and textures make this Waldorf recipe a pleasurable nosh for any occasion! 
• Creamy, refreshing, and delicious in a few easy steps: Prep, whisk, and mix. Chill and serve!
• Depending on which side of the fence you stand, some cooks love making this chicken Waldorf salad a day ahead. “The flavors marry well when mixed and chilled overnight.”
• On the other side of that pesky fence, “the best Waldorf salad recipe is wonderfully easy to throw together and is served the day it is prepared.” 
• Ooh, I should tell you that this chicken salad makes excellent wraps and sandwiches too! Try using whole wheat tortillas, lettuce leaves, or croissants for a fresh twist on lunch!

Waldorf Salad Ingredients With Chicken & Apples

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

If you like a salad loaded with protein and fiber but low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt, then this recipe is right up your alley! 

• Mayonnaise – We Prefer Miracle Whip with it’s tangy zip, sweetness, and a secret blend of spices.
• Lemon Juice – fresh is always best!
• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper – to taste.
• Apples, Cored, And Chopped – (Red, Green, Or Both) The crispness of the apples is the make or break for chicken Waldorf salad recipes. Avoid using only sweet apples because you need that touch of acidity from green apples for the optimum flavor profile.
• Seedless Red Grapes – or dried cranberries or raisins. You can use any grape you like but wash and allow to dry before halving.
• Celery, Thinly Sliced
• Chopped Pecans Or Walnuts – the best nuts are toasted nuts! The few extra minutes are worth it for both taste and texture.
• Lettuce Leaves – I prefer Boston or romaine.
• Ground Cinnamon Or Nutmeg – just a dash for added flavor
• Cooked And Chopped Chicken Breast – (optional ingredient) this is a great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken.

This Is How To Make The Best Waldorf Salad

Once you’ve sliced and diced your apples, grapes, and celery, you’re ready to go! All you need is a whisk and a mixing bowl. 

Whisk the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper for the salad dressing. Add the rest of the ingredients except the nuts, and toss until the mixture is well coated. Chill well, mix in nuts or sprinkle on top right before you’re ready to set out. Serve on lettuce leaves.

* My take is this salad is best prepared the day you are serving, but I’ve also been known to make a batch to keep in the fridge all week for my lunch. Toss the apples in a little extra lemon juice if you’re prepping ahead.

Variations

Although I may be partial because I think this is the best chicken Waldorf salad recipe, you may prefer a healthier dressing. Omit the mayo and use Greek yogurt instead. You can also play around with half mayo + half yogurt or even sour cream. A subtle pinch of mustard powder will level it all out! 

A few other ingredient variations for Waldorf salad recipes:

• Pineapple
• Diced Carrots
• Plumped Raisins
• Pears
• Shredded Kale
• Dash of Dijon Mustard
• Lemon or Orange Zest
• Diced Cucumbers (I recommend sweating them first!) 

I have to note that as much as apples are the quintessential ingredient for Waldorf salad, celery has long been considered a non-negotiable component! If your celery seems overly stringy, peel it before slicing, but I don’t recommend leaving it out.

Recipe Notes

Besides the non-negotiable celery component, apples are the “it” factor in Waldorf salad ingredients. I like to use red and green for the apples = 1 Honey Crisp + 1 Granny Smith. The two create a nice balance of sweet and tart, and the peels add a nice contrast of color.

* First, squeeze a little lemon juice over chopped apples and mix well if you’re making the salad a day ahead or not serving right away. This will help to keep them from turning brown.

* Be sure to include at least one tart (acidic) apple.

* If you just can’t handle the truth, I mean, a Granny Smith apple, try a Braeburn or a Jersey Mac. Both varieties have great acidity to offset the sweetness and umami. 

* Avoid Red Delicious apples as they are known to be soft and mealy with bitter skin.

* About those nuts! The original Waldorf salad ingredients soon morphed slightly into the traditional recipe with the addition of walnuts. Toasting the nut of your choice brings out the warmth and fuller flavors via the oils. For each bite’s texture and poppin’ flavor, I like to add the toasted pecans right before serving.

How To Keep Waldorf Chicken Salad Fresh!

If you do make ahead, cover tightly and refrigerate. I’d even suggest allowing the cling wrap to adhere to the salad by gently pressing it directly onto the surface inside the bowl. 

Leftover salad (without the lettuce) can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The grapes and celery can release water overnight, but this is easily fixed by giving it a good stir.

Recipe FAQs

I’ve scoped out many websites on chicken Waldorf salad recipes and still can’t decide one way over another when it comes down to making ahead or not. Which side of the fence is the right one? The debate continues… 

Why is it called Waldorf Salad?

There was a fusty old hotel (no one thought it was fusty at the time) called the Waldorf-Astoria that hosted a charity concert for the St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in 1896. The hotel was actually quite high-brow in its heyday. The maître d’, Oscar Tschirky, created the mayo, apple, and celery mix for the event to high acclaim. Thus, the name “Waldorf Salad” stuck. 

What is in Waldorf salad dressing?

Mayonnaise is the original base, later Waldorf salad recipes included lemon juice to brighten and seasoning with salt and pepper. The more modern versions can consist of sugar or honey, while health-conscious recipe ingredients will have yogurt or sour cream.

Chicken Waldorf salad can easily be a meal all on its own alongside Homemade Artisan Bread. It’s also a great addition to any holiday meal. Make an Apricot Honey Glazed Ham with a side of Oven Roasted Parmesan Asparagus, Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, and Pull-Apart Garlic Rolls to serve with this Waldorf Salad. The holiday meal is done! Don’t forget some dessert too!

Originally posted in April 2022. UPDATED May 2024. We spiffed up this post with more information. No changes were made to the recipe.