Chicken Waldorf Salad – Barefeet in the Kitchen

Savory chunks of chicken mingle with sweet grapes, crunchy walnuts, and crisp apples in this easy Chicken Waldorf Salad. This is a lunch you will put on repeat!

A horizontally aligned image of a bowl of chicken waldorf salad on a wooden tabletop.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

This chicken salad recipe is so ridiculously good. It balances so many different things all at once. It has savory and sweet flavors. It’s got crunchy, crisp, and tender ingredients. And, it’s so easy to make!

There is a reason that Waldorf salad has retained its popularity for over a hundred years. Adding chicken to the classic salad and turning it into a heartier meal, makes it a guaranteed win.

Give it a go and you’ll likely find yourself like me, making it on repeat for two weeks. It’s perfect for a quick lunch or picnic, or make a big bowl for your next potluck.

A top down photo of a white bowl filled with chicken waldorf salad, with a blue and white checkered napkin visible in the background.

What is a Waldorf Salad?

The Waldorf salad originated in New York City, specifically at the Waldorf Hotel, which eventually became the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It was created by the hotel’s maître d, Oscar Tschirky in the late 1800s, using just celery and apples.

Over time, the recipe evolved to include nuts, grapes, and various proteins. This chicken Waldorf salad recipe was inspired by my friend Gina’s Tuna Waldorf Salad. I used canned chicken, but you can use a rotisserie chicken, too.

For what it is worth, I have made this with both types of chicken and it turns out that I prefer it with canned chicken. (Making it about as easy as can be!)

The chicken and dressing have been placed together in a clear mixing bowl, ready to stir.

Waldorf Salad with Chicken

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

  • chicken breast
  • granny smith apples
  • seedless red grapes
  • celery
  • walnuts
  • mayonnaise
  • sour cream
  • lemon juice
  • salt and pepper
All of the ingredients for the salad have been placed in a clear glass bowl, ready to mix.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Then, taste and adjust the lemon, salt, and pepper as desired.

Add the chicken, apple, grapes, celery, and walnuts to the bowl and toss to coat. Then, serve on a bed of greens, in a sandwich, or with crackers of your choice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.

Chunks of walnuts, apples, chicken, and grapes are visible in this white bowl.

Waldorf Chicken Salad

Looking for more recipes like this waldorf chicken salad?

Light and slightly tangy Creamy Pasta Salad, with just enough dressing to coat the noodles and vegetables, this is one heck of an awesome summer pasta salad.

Sweet grapes, crunchy pecans, and vanilla bean sour cream are combined in this unexpected and delicious Creamy Grape Salad. My boys went nuts over this the first time I made it and I couldn’t stop eating bites of it myself.

In my exploration of Waldorf recipes, I’ve been eyeing this Waldorf Pudding. I may just have to try it next.

Over the years this has become our go-to favorite Classic Potato Salad. The recipe is a combination of several of the potato salads here on the site. It is perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks, and weeknight dinners all year long.

Creamy chunks of avocado are combined with tender pieces of chicken in a fresh and slightly spicy dressing to make this Avocado Chicken Salad.

Crisp bacon and lettuce, tart tomatoes, creamy hard-boiled eggs, and jalapenos combine to create this creamy, slightly spicy Jalapeno BLT Pasta Salad.

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Servings: 4

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  • In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the lemon, salt, and pepper as desired.

  • Add the chicken, apple, grapes, celery, and walnuts to the bowl and stir to coat. Serve over salad greens, in a sandwich, or with the crackers of your choice.

  • Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Calories: 331kcal · Carbohydrates: 16g · Protein: 24g · Fat: 20g · Saturated Fat: 4g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5g · Trans Fat: 0.01g · Cholesterol: 49mg · Sodium: 604mg · Potassium: 310mg · Fiber: 2g · Sugar: 11g · Vitamin A: 249IU · Vitamin C: 4mg · Calcium: 36mg · Iron: 2mg

White lettering has been overlaid this top down photo of a bowl of chicken waldorf salad. It reads, "Chicken Waldorf Salad".

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