This amazing Waldorf Chicken Salad is the Leftover Makeover you've been waiting for. Take any leftover chicken and remake it into a delicious, hearty salad filled with grapes, apples, celery, and red onion. This is perfect for stuffing a rich croissant or having a lighter lunch with romaine lettuce hearts.
I really like to cook big. It could be my time as a caterer or the Italian in me, but I always make too much. This leaves leftovers. Some people, like my husband, have no problem eating the exact same thing day after day, but I really need to make something new, and making chicken salad with leftover chicken is just the ticket.
I have shared my Simple Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe on the blog, and in that post I encouraged you to make not one, but two. One for now, and one for Waldorf chicken salad.
Make this recipe!
This is such an easy salad recipe.
Adding sweet grapes and apples, spicy red onion, crunchy celery, and creamy mayo makes boring leftovers into an exciting lunch.
This recipe only takes a few minutes to put together.
It uses up all the leftovers.
It is great to serve for a baby or bridal shower. I think a Chicken Waldorf Croissant Sandwich screams ladies lunch.
Ingredients
Leftover Chicken- The leftover white and dark meat from a roasted chicken are great for this recipe. You can use all breast meat if that is what you have. A rotisserie chicken from the store can work as well.
If you use a rotisserie chicken, hold off on adding salt until you have mixed up the salad and tasted it. I find store bought to be much saltier than what I make at home.
Instructions
Step 1
- First, dice up cooked chicken. If using a whole bird pull meat off of the breast, legs and thighs and put it into a big mixing bowl. Be sure to remove any fat, bone, and cartilage.
- Next dice red onion, apple, and celery into a fine dice. You need a half cup of each. Cut grapes in half. (Add ¼ Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts if you like them.)
- Add these to the bowl along with a half of a cup of mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
Step 2
- Mix the salad until everything is evenly coated with mayo.
- Finally, cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
FAQs
Waldorf is traditionally a fruit and nut salad made famous by the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Grapes, celery, and apples with mayonnaise dressing added to chopped chicken make a hearty meal that echoes the flavors of the historic recipe.
Choose a sweet crisp apple like Jazz, Honeycrisp, or Gala.
Serve this salad on a bed of lettuce, in cups of romaine heart, or atop a decadent croissant.
Expert Tips
Using the meat from a whole chicken gives this salad the best flavor. You can put both white and dark meat and even pieces of skin into the mix for a really full flavored salad.
Walnuts are traditionally found in this salad. I make them optional in my recipe. I personally do not like the texture of the nuts in this.
Prepare a large cutting board to pull apart roasted chicken. I'm sure there are neat and professional ways of doing this, but I just get in with my hands and pull it apart. Start with legs and thighs. These should lift away from the body and separate at the joint. Strip the meat and skin away. Then remove the breast meat. Finish by gleaning what you can from the back and the wings.
If you are starting with warm chicken you may need to refrigerate this for up to 2 hours to get it fully chilled. If your ingredients are cold, 30 minutes will be just right.
For more leftover-makeover recipes, try....
For something lighter, make a meal out of these salad!
Shrimp, Corn, Avocado, Mango Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Did you make this Chicken Waldorf Salad? Follow me on Instagram, post a picture and tag @deliciousbydesigntv. Leave this recipe a 5 Star Review.
📖 Recipe
Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Cooked Chicken Leftover Roasted Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken
- ½ Cup Red Grapes Halved
- ½ Cup Celery Diced
- ½ Cup Red Onion Finely Diced
- ½ Cup Gala Apple Diced
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 14/ Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)
Instructions
- Dice up cooked chicken. If using a whole chicken pull meat off of the breast, legs and thighs. Be sure to remove any fat, bone, and cartilage. Put the diced chicken into a big mixing bowl.
- Dice red onion, apple, and celery into a fine dice. You need a half cup of each. Cut grapes in half. (Add ¼ Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts if you like them.) Add these to the bowl along with a half of a cup of mayonnaise.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the chicken salad. Cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Notes
- Using the meat from a whole chicken gives this salad the best flavor. You can put both white and dark meat and even pieces of skin into the mix for a really full flavored salad.
- Walnuts are traditionally found in this salad. I make them optional in my recipe. I personally do not like how the texture of the nuts works with the tender chicken and usually put them on the side.
- Prepare a large cutting board to pull apart roasted chicken. I'm sure there are neat and professional ways of doing this, but I just get in with my hands and pull it apart. Start with legs and thighs. These should lift away from the body and separate at the joint. Strip the meat and skin away. Then remove the breast meat. Finish by gleaning what you can from the back and the wings.
- If you are starting with warm chicken you may need to refrigerate this for up to 2 hours to get it fully chilled. If you are starting with cold chicken, 30 minutes will be just right.
Alessandra Barnacle says
Hiya, I love your article. I recently wrote an Blog Post on storing meat. I like to make my own beef for Fall!. We will be making a basic pudding to go with it. The teenagers will be on holiday and I am sure they are going to love it.
Sandhya Hariharan says
Love giving leftover food a makeover all the time. This looks stunning.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
I remember making Waldorf salad in cooking school. It was a huge favorite on our Friday night buffet!
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
I have never had great chicken salad until I had chicken salad with grapes, apples, celery, and red onion! It tastes amazing together.
Tisha says
Great way to use left over chicken! Waldorf salad is so good!
Patrice | Cardamom Magazine says
This looks great! Always good to find another tasty way to use leftover chicken. When there is any left over, that is!
Mischelle Barnes says
Great recipe for a healthy and filling lunch! I would also recommend Rotisserie Chicken Stroganoff with egg noodles or maybe a Rotisserie Chicken Noodle soup for a little variety.