A classic WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD, famous the world over!
People have been making – and raving about – this classic recipe for well over a hundred years. First introduced at New York’s famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel (click HERE to learn about the hotel), this recipe for a chicken salad made with apples, grapes and walnuts truly stands the test of time. This fresh homemade salad recipe is extremely flavourful, and there are many different ways you’ll be able to enjoy it, from a casual grab-and-go meal to a filler for a simple pita bread sandwich. If you’ve never had a WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD, now’s the time to fall in love with it.
Back to this story. Our WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD is an awesome creation, and here’s why:
INGREDIENTS FOR WALDORF SALAD
Much of the beauty of this classic WALDORF SALAD lies in its unexpected collection of ingredients. Sure, it has moist and tender chicken seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper, but how about that fresh fruit component? We love the combo of seedless red grapes and Granny Smith apples to create a tangy sweetness you’ll enjoy with every bite. Please note, we did test the recipe, doing a colour flip so green grapes and then red apples like Honeycrisp or Gala apples. Worked perfectly. Additionally, this salad also has a pleasing crunch thanks to the addition of raw celery, plus nuttiness from the chopped walnuts. One suggestion on the nuts is to make sure they’ve just been shelled; fresh walnuts add a rich, almost buttery taste. are.
OVEN-ROASTED CHICKEN
In keeping with the classic way of preparing this chicken salad, we oven-roasted two skinless, boneless chicken breasts. When making this at home, you can cook the chicken right before you assemble the salad, if time permits, or prep it early and cook the chicken the night before. If you’d rather make this salad with chicken thighs or a combination of light and dark chicken, that’ll work too. Pinched for time? Chop up a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Ready for yet another option? Turkey! You heard it here first, friends, WALDORF TURKEY SALAD is just as tasty. Make the salad that’ll satisfy your cravings.
FRESH FRUIT
During the testing of this recipe, we all agreed that the grapes and apples give this salad much to it’s unique, memorable flavours. Prepping the fruit is easy, where the Granny Smith apples are cored and chopped into bite-sized chunks. No need to peel the apples; that skin is loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals. For the grapes, give them a rinse and then cut them in half. One tip: prepare the fruit right before you intend to assemble the salad. This prevents the fruit from getting soft or mushy.
CRUNCH AND FLAVOUR
Adding a few diced celery ribs into this salad adds so much crunch and texture, not to mention a pleasing flavour, as does the fresh chopped mint. Some people suggest adding red onions to this salad, but we opted not to; we found they overpowered the other flavours. Rounding out that flavour profile are the walnuts, adding a rich, nutty taste, extra crunch and an almost buttery note. If you don’t have walnuts but some pecans or almonds are ready to go in your pantry, use them instead. You really can’t go wrong building the taste of this freshly prepared salad.
DRESSING
Whenever we chat about salad dressings, my mind goes to classics like a CAESAR DRESSING, this tangy FRENCH DRESSING or a family favourite, this cheesy ITALIAN DRESSING. But then, every once in a while, a salad comes along where a dressing is tailor-made for it. Case in point, the dressing for this WALDORF SALAD. Wait for it: mayonnaise, Dijon and lemon juice. Can you believe it? As long as you have the mustard, mayo and a lemon in the fridge, you’re ready to go. All you need to do is whisk those ingredients together. LOVE it when making a salad is this easy!
ONE BIG BOWL
Once all of the ingredients are prepared, gather them in a large bowl. Pro tip: you can make the salad up to this point, hours in advance, then cover with a wrap, keeping it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add the dressing, toss and serve. Making the salad in advance also works if you’re heading off to a potluck or picnic. This salad travels well.
ENJOY!
Enjoying this WALDORF SALAD recipe will not be difficult. As mentioned, it works on its own as an easy lunch or weeknight meal idea. You can serve it over a bed of lettuce and then maybe pair it with warmed pita bread, homemade SOURDOUGH, this easy SODA BREAD or how about some terrific TEA BISCUITS, a croissant or crackers? If a soup and salad is the vibe, serve it with this tangy CARROT-ORANGE SOUP or a classic CREAM OF ASPARAGUS. No matter how you present it, your friends and family will love it!
PIN IT!
We’re thinking you’ll be making this classic American salad again and again, so let’s cut to the chase: PIN the recipe to your favourite salad board and BOOKMARK it for easy reference. After that, please send some love our way and subscribe to our monthly newsletter HERE where we share our top recipes and give a sneak peek at upcoming posts. You’ll also receive Gather, our mid-month missive focused on ideas to entertain family and friends.
This celebrated WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD has earned a reputation as a classic recipe, and rightly so – a classic always tastes this good!
Until Cottage Season
