Waldorf Your Chicken Salad. Trust Me.

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Loaded with fresh fruit, nuts, and celery this Waldorf Chicken Salad is an absolute winner. I make this quick and easy salad all the time for lunches and snacks. It’s fabulous with some sturdy crackers or by the spoonful (we listen and we don’t judge, ok?).

Waldorf chicken salad with grapes and apples served in a small bowl with crackers.

This chicken salad with grapes and apples has rapidly become my favorite chicken salad. (And that says a lot considering how many different versions I make!) The Waldorf chicken salad recipe makes a lighter, fruitier cousin to our BBQ ranch chicken salad. Served with sturdy crackers or chips, layered in a sandwich, or on top of a bed of lettuce, there’s no wrong way to eat this.

The best part? This chicken salad is ready in just fifteen minutes. There’s no cooking involved. Just chop, toss, and eat. I make it for lunches constantly, and it holds up well in the fridge for a few days if you are looking to prep ahead.

Waldorf Chicken Salad

Did you know that the original Waldorf-Astoria hotel salad recipe was nothing but apples, celery, and mayonnaise? I’m not ashamed to admit that I think this Waldorf chicken salad is so much better than the original. It just is!

My version includes a hearty amount of chicken for protein, apples, celery, and nuts for plenty of crunch, and a generous handful of grapes for those sweet, juicy bursts in every bite. That sweetness with the tangy dressing and all that texture? It all just works together.

The dressing here is intentionally light. We’re not burying everything in mayo. You want to taste the salad, not just the dressing. That’s the whole idea behind a recipe for waldorf chicken salad like this one.

Chicken salad in small bowl next to plate of Ritz crackers.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chicken – I use canned chicken (drained) for convenience AND because I actually prefer it in this salad, but leftover cooked chicken chopped into half-inch pieces works just as well when I have it leftover and want to use it up.

Apple – I know not everyone loves granny smith apples. But, they are PERFECT for this Waldorf salad because of the firm texture and tart flavor that it brings.

ingredients for chicken salad with grapes, apples, nuts, and celery arranged in a white mixing bowl

Grapes – Red grapes are my go-to. I halve them for this salad so they’re a little more bite-size and distribute more evenly. You can use green, if you prefer.

Celery – Did you know a celery stalk is the whole thing? You only want three ribs from the stalk, for this salad. And, I slice ’em super thin (think slivers) because we want them to add texture but not have to chew up a whole bite of celery.

Nuts – Pecans or walnuts, chopped small. I go back and forth because I love them both.

The Dressing – Half mayonnaise, half sour cream, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper. This is very flexible. I most often make it this way, but it also works nicely with sour cream alone or mayo alone. (For what it’s worth, I’ve tried the “protein” swap for Greek yogurt and was not a fan. Try that at your own risk.)

Notes on Equipment

Mixing bowl – I have a borderline absurd number of mixing bowls. It’s a thing. But, I love knowing that I have enough to tackle any task in the kitchen. I’ve been using these mixing bowls daily for the last 8 years, and I still love them.
Whisk
Sharp knife – Meal prep is so much easier when you have a quality knife. It was over 10 years ago when I first tried Victorinox knives, and it was love at first slice. These are stellar knives, and the price simply can’t be beat for quality.
Cutting board
Spatula

Salad ingredients stirred together with a blue spatula in a white bowl.

How to Make Waldorf Chicken Salad

Making the Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, I whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Then, it’s time for a taste test. You can adjust the lemon, salt, and pepper from there.

Prepping the Ingredients: The dressing takes about thirty seconds, but the rest of the prep time is all knife work. Chop the apple into small pieces, halve the grapes, slice the celery thin, and then chop the nuts. You want to keep everything roughly the same size so you get a little taste of everything in each bite.

Dressing poured over chicken salad ingredients om a white bowl.

Tossing: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl with the dressing. Stir gently to coat.

Serving: Serve this apple grape chicken salad however you like. My go-to is with Ritz crackers, like you see in these pictures. But, I’ve also done tortilla chips, salad greens, and even just eaten it with a spoon.

Chicken, grapes, apples, and celery tossed together in a mixing bowl with the dressing.

Expert Tip

The thing that makes or breaks this chicken salad with grapes and apples is the size of your chop. You need everything to be roughly the same size, small enough that you’re getting a mix of flavors and textures in every single bite. If the apple pieces are too big or the grapes are left whole, you end up with a mouthful of one thing at a time instead of a tasty combination.

Keep the Dressing Light – The dressing is supposed to be a light coating, not a pool at the bottom of the bowl. Start with the recipe amounts and add more only if you feel like the salad needs it. Less is more here.

Lemon Juice to the Rescue – The lemon juice in the dressing does double duty, lending wonderful tang to the salad. But, don’t forget that it also helps keep the apple pieces from turning brown.

Taste Twice – When you make the dressing, give it a check. Then, give it another taste test after it’s all been mixed together. The fruit and chicken change the overall balance. So you may want a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon.

Serving Suggestions

I love pairing this waldorf salad with something crunchy and fresh on the side. A cabbage crunch salad adds a completely different set of flavors that play really well off the soft chicken and fruit. Or, try my asian carrot salad with this one for something a little brighter and more colorful.

And, if you’re setting out a spread? Make a jar of these quick pickled green beans. You can thank me later! The vinegary bite is a great contrast to this creamy dressing.

Close overhead view of waldorf chicken salad with grapes, apples, and pecans.

Storage & Reheating

Make Ahead: This salad preps beautifully. I make it the morning of or even the night before and let it chill. One thing, though: hold the nuts until you’re ready to serve. They’ll stay crunchy that way. Everything else holds up just fine in the fridge.

How to Store: Leftovers will lose a little bit of texture over time, but it keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Summer Salad Recipes

chicken waldorf salad in bowl with serving bowl

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

You can. But, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan when I tried it. It was too tangy and sour with the lemon. Other people have made it that way and liked it, though. So it’s really a matter of preference.

What kind of chicken works best?

Canned chicken is the fastest, and it is my preferred method. Just drain it well. Rotisserie chicken works too. Whatever you have on hand works best.

Will this salad get soggy if I make it ahead?

It holds up well for a couple of days. The dressing is light enough that it doesn’t weigh everything down. The apples may soften a bit, but the lemon juice helps with that, too.

Can I skip the celery?

Absolutely. You’ll lose some crunch, but the salad will still taste great. The apples and nuts carry plenty of texture on their own.