Name: Waldorf Chicken Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (poached); 1 large apple (cored and chopped*); 1 cup red seedless grapes (halved); 3/4 cup celery (finely chopped); ¼ cup raw pecans or walnuts; ⅓ cup mayonnaise**; ⅓ cup plain Greek Yogurt; 3/4 tsp sea salt; ½ tsp black pepper

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Waldorf Chicken Salad is a summer classic! This cool and refreshing chicken salad recipe is bursting with sweet, creamy flavors with amazing texture. Perfect for the warm months of the year when you’re craving chilled food.

wooden bowl of chicken salad on a bed of butter lettuce with a blue striped napkin and a wooden bowl of pecans

Whether you’re having a barbecue, picnic or are simply trying to beat the heat, Waldorf Chicken Salad is a classic summer favorite for lunches and dinners when you’re looking to keep cooking at a minimum.

Tender chicken with sweet grapes, crisp apples, refreshing crunchy celery and crunchy pecans wrapped in a creamy mayo dressing is a high-protein delight when you’re looking for a filling yet cooler meal.

With lean protein and a lower-fat dressing, this easy Waldorf chicken salad recipe is a marvelous healthy addition to your green salads on a hot day.

Waldorf Chicken Salad is often served on top of a bed of lettuce or greens to make a high-protein green salad, and many people also serve it as a sandwich or wrap.

horizontal wooden bowl of chicken salad with a golden spoon and a blue napkin.

Let’s discuss the fresh ingredients needed for this easy recipe.

Ingredients For Waldorf Chicken Salad:

The traditional ingredients used in Waldorf Chicken Salad are boneless chicken breasts, grapes, apple, celery, pecans and mayonnaise.

I cut out some of the mayonnaise and replaced it with plain Greek yogurt in order to eliminate some of the fat without sacrificing the creamy texture of the chicken salad.

The easiest way to cook the chicken breasts for chicken salad is to poach it in hot water.

If you have leftover baked chicken, grilled chicken, or leftover rotisserie chicken on hand, you can certainly chop it up and use it in this classic American salad.

Recipe Customizations:

For added tang, you can add some fresh lemon juice, lemon zest or rice vinegar to offset the sweetness of the dish. If you love the zing of red onion, crunchy walnuts, or green grapes, feel free to swap them in.
If you prefer dark meat, you can always use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, or even leftover roasted turkey from Thanksgiving.

closeup image of Waldorf chicken salad in a wood bowl.

For those wanting to poach the chicken breasts, here’s the method I use for this easy chicken Waldorf salad.

How to Make Waldorf Chicken Salad:

Poach Chicken Breasts:

Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and season liberally with sea salt.

Once the water is boiling, carefully place the chicken inside the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat, cover it with a lid, and allow the chicken to sit in the hot water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

poached chicken breasts in a pot of water

To verify the chicken is cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breasts.

Transfer the chicken breasts to an airtight container and refrigerate until they are completely chilled. Because you want the chicken to be very cold, you can poach the chicken breasts ahead of time (up to 3 days).

Now that our boneless skinless chicken breasts are cooked, let’s make this tasty salad!

Transfer the cooked chopped chicken to a large mixing bowl, along with the apple, grapes, celery, and pecans.

Chicken, apples, pecans, grapes, and celery in a mixing bowl.

Add the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt and stir well until everything is well coated in the creamy dressing.

Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper over the chicken salad, mix well, and taste before adding any more.

Ingredients for chicken salad in a red mixing bowl

Serving Suggestions:

Enjoy As Is: Simply dig right in without making any changes or additions for a high-protein lunch or dinner.
Salad: Serve the Waldorf chicken salad over a bed of greens with any additional fresh veggies you love. Spring greens or romaine lettuce with some avocado and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette is lovely!
Lettuce Wraps: Pick up some butter leaf lettuce and make lettuce wraps. Or, make a wrap using a large flour tortilla.

Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

This chicken Waldorf salad recipe tastes even better the next day after you prepare it. For this reason, I always recommend making it a day ahead of time for the best result if you can!

close up top down photo of chicken salad with pecans, grapes, celery, and apples in a bowl.

Also check out my Copycat Trader Joe’s Curried Chicken Salad, Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, and my Mayo-Free Mango Avocado Chicken Salad.

If you love chicken salad recipes and are seeking more healthy salad recipes to beat the heat, here are some reader favorites!

More Summer Salad Recipes:

Enjoy this simple chicken salad recipe on repeat for a healthy lunches or dinner.