Chicken Waldorf Salad

Name: Chicken Waldorf Salad
Prep time: 21 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (420 g) cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed, chilled, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 2 medium (360 g) crisp red apples (such as Honeycrisp or Gala), cored, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes; 1 cup (150 g) seedless red grapes, washed, dried, and halved lengthwise; 2 medium stalks (100 g) celery stalks, thinly sliced (about ¼-inch / 6 mm); ¾ cup (85 g) walnut halves, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped; 1 large (15 g) scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts (optional); ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise; ¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste; 8 leaves (100 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crisp, creamy American classic: tender cooked chicken tossed with juicy apples, sweet grapes, crunchy celery and toasted walnuts in a lightly tangy lemon-mayonnaise dressing. No cooking required if you start with cooked chicken.

Prep: 21 min
Cook: 6 min
Wait: 40 min
Total: 1 hr 7 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 generous servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad
3 cups (420 g) cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed, chilled, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
2 medium (360 g) crisp red apples (such as Honeycrisp or Gala), cored, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes
1 cup (150 g) seedless red grapes, washed, dried, and halved lengthwise
2 medium stalks (100 g) celery stalks, thinly sliced (about ¼-inch / 6 mm)
¾ cup (85 g) walnut halves, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
1 large (15 g) scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts (optional)
For the dressing
½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste
For serving
8 leaves (100 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large mixing bowl (3-quart / 3 L)
Medium skillet (10-inch / 25 cm) for toasting walnuts
Chef's knife and cutting board
Rubber spatula
Whisk
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Use chicken that is already cooked and fully chilled (leftover roast chicken, poached breasts, or rotisserie chicken with skin removed).
Plan on at least 30 minutes of chilling so the flavors meld and the salad is cold and crisp.
Toast the walnuts first so they have time to cool completely; warm nuts will wilt the dressing.
Make the dressing before cutting the apples so they go straight into the lemon juice and don't brown.

1
Toast the walnuts
- Place the walnut halves in a dry 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Toast, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Transfer immediately to a plate and spread out to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and toasty and are a shade darker, with no dark brown spots
Tip: Nuts burn quickly. Don't walk away, and tip them out of the hot pan right away.
2
Make the dressing
- In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper until completely smooth.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth with no streaks of yogurt or honey
Tip: Making the dressing first lets you toss cut apples in it right away so they don't brown.
3
Cube the chicken
- Cut the chilled cooked chicken into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, discarding any skin, gristle or bones.
- Add to the bowl of dressing.
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Ready when: Pieces are bite-size and roughly uniform
Tip: Cold chicken cuts into cleaner cubes than warm chicken, which tends to shred.
4
Prep the apples
- Core the apples and cut into ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes, leaving the skin on for color.
- Add to the bowl right after cutting and stir so every piece is coated with dressing.
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Ready when: All apple pieces are fully coated and glossy
Tip: Coat the apples within a couple of minutes of cutting; the lemon juice slows browning but doesn't stop it.
5
Add grapes and celery
- Add the halved grapes, sliced celery and scallion (if using) to the bowl.
- Fold gently with a rubber spatula for about 30 seconds until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Everything is evenly and lightly coated, not swimming in dressing
Tip: Fold rather than stir hard so the grapes don't burst and thin the dressing.
6
Chill the salad
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours so the flavors meld and the salad gets cold.
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Ready when: Salad is thoroughly cold to the touch
Tip: Keep the walnuts out until serving to keep them crunchy.
7
Add walnuts and season
- Coarsely chop the cooled walnuts and fold all but 2 tablespoons into the salad.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt and pepper if needed.
- If the salad seems dry after chilling, loosen it with a teaspoon of lemon juice or water.
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Ready when: Salad tastes balanced: creamy, tangy, lightly sweet, with a good crunch
8
Serve
- Arrange two butter lettuce leaves on each plate if using, spoon the salad on top, and scatter the reserved walnuts over each serving.
- Serve cold.

Good to know

Tips

Pick a crisp, sweet-tart apple; mealy varieties turn soft in the dressing.
Dry the grapes and celery well after washing so the dressing stays thick.
Serve in lettuce cups, on toasted bread as a sandwich, or in a halved avocado.
To cook chicken from scratch, poach breasts gently in salted simmering water until 165°F (74°C), then chill fully before cubing.

Make ahead

Cook and cube the chicken, toast the walnuts, and mix the dressing up to 1 day ahead; store the chicken and dressing separately in the fridge and the walnuts airtight at room temperature. Cut the apples and combine everything up to 4 hours before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days (apples soften and the salad loosens after day 1). Don't leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Not recommended for freezing because mayonnaise separates and apples turn mushy. Serve cold; do not reheat.

Substitutions

walnut halves → Toasted pecans. Same amount; slightly sweeter and buttery.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → Sour cream or more mayonnaise. Use the same ¼ cup (60 g); mayonnaise-only is richer.
seedless red grapes → Dried cranberries or raisins. Use ⅓ cup (45 g); the salad will be sweeter and chewier.
crisp red apples (such as Honeycrisp or Gala) → Crisp pears. Use firm, ripe pears cut the same size.