Waldorf Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 120 g (1 cup)walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 120 ml (½ cup)mayonnaise
• 120 ml (½ cup)soured cream
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)honey
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)white balsamic or cider vinegar
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)lemon pepper, or black pepper to taste
• 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon)salt or garlic salt
• 420 g (3 cups)cooked chicken, chopped
• 2 ribscelery with leaves, finely diced
• 3 mediumapples, such as Gala or Granny Smith, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 150 g (1 cup)red grapes, halved
• 75 g (½ cup)golden raisins

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the walnuts

   Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Arrange the walnuts in one layer on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant. Leave them to cool.

2. 2

   Mix the dressing

   In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, soured cream, honey, vinegar, lemon pepper and salt until combined.

3. 3

   Combine the salad

   Add the walnuts, chicken, celery, apples, grapes and raisins to the dressing. Stir gently until everything is evenly coated.

4. 4

   Chill and serve

   Transfer to an airtight container and chill for up to 2 hours. Serve on lettuce leaves.

What is Waldorf chicken salad?

Waldorf salad is an American dish associated with the Waldorf hotel in New York, traditionally pairing fruit and celery with a creamy dressing. This chicken version makes it a more substantial salad while keeping the original mix of crisp, sweet and savoury elements.

Here, apples and grapes bring freshness, raisins add extra sweetness, and toasted walnuts provide a deeper, nutty flavour. The mayonnaise and soured cream dressing helps bring those different textures together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 428 calories, 22g protein, 36g carbs, 24g fat.

The chicken contributes much of the protein, while the apples, grapes and raisins supply most of the carbohydrates. Mayonnaise, soured cream and walnuts are the main sources of fat. Serve a portion with extra lettuce or other salad vegetables for a fresh, crunchy accompaniment.

The fruit and crunch

Apples: Gala gives a milder sweetness, while Granny Smith brings a sharper contrast to the dressing and raisins. Cut them into similarly sized cubes so they are easy to eat alongside the chicken.

Celery: Dice it small, including the leaves, so its fresh crunch is distributed through the salad rather than dominating individual bites.

Walnuts: Toasting them briefly brings out their aroma. Let them cool before mixing them in to preserve their crunch.

A creamy, tangy dressing

Mayonnaise and soured cream make a rich dressing with a little tang. Honey rounds out the vinegar, while lemon pepper adds seasoning; black pepper can be used instead if that is what you have.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together before adding the salad components. This makes it easier to coat the chicken and fruit evenly without overworking them.

Keep the ingredients distinct

Stir gently once everything is in the bowl: the aim is an even coating, not mashed apples or crushed grapes. A broad spoon or spatula makes it easier to fold the mixture from the bottom.

Use cooked chicken that has cooled before adding it. Warm chicken can soften the fruit and make the dressing looser.

Chilling and serving

The recipe calls for chilling the salad for up to 2 hours in an airtight container. This gives the ingredients time to become cool and lets the dressing settle around them.

Serve it on lettuce leaves as directed, or spoon it into a sandwich, wrap or croissant. For a fuller plate, add a simple green salad or a slice of bread.

Choosing the chicken

Cooked chicken is the main savoury element and makes this a convenient way to use leftovers. Chop it into bite-sized pieces so it mixes easily with the fruit and celery.

If the chicken is already seasoned, taste the finished dressing before adding the full amount of salt. The recipe allows either regular salt or garlic salt.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the chicken and apples to roughly similar bite-sized pieces for an easier-to-eat salad.
• Cool the toasted walnuts fully before adding them so they keep more of their crunch.
• Use a firm apple variety if you want the pieces to hold their shape after mixing.
• Fold the ingredients together gently to avoid bruising the grapes.
• Taste the dressing before combining it with the chicken, especially if the chicken is already seasoned.

Variations

• Use black pepper: Replace the lemon pepper with black pepper to taste.
• Choose sharper apples: Granny Smith gives the sweet dressing a more tart counterpoint.
• Swap the vinegar: Use either white balsamic or cider vinegar, as listed.
• Serve in a sandwich: Spoon the chilled salad into bread, a wrap or a croissant.
• Make it a lettuce serving: Present scoops on lettuce leaves for a crisp, fresh base.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-toasting the walnuts: Check them at 6 minutes and take them out when fragrant.
• Adding warm chicken: Let it cool first so it does not soften the fruit or loosen the dressing.
• Cutting the fruit too large: Use bite-sized pieces so they combine easily with the chicken.
• Stirring too vigorously: Fold gently to keep the grapes and apples intact.
• Skipping the chill: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 hours as directed before serving.

How to store

Keep the salad covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator and serve it chilled. The recipe specifies chilling for up to 2 hours; no longer storage time is provided. This salad is best served cold rather than reheated.

Frequently asked questions