This delicious healthy chicken Waldorf salad is a dairy free take on the traditional Waldorf salad. Made with coconut yogurt, chicken breast, grapes, apples, and walnuts it’s an easy, tasty, and simple recipe!
This healthy chicken Waldorf salad is a recipe revamp I’ve been wanting to do for ages. I originally posted this salad and titled it my “Skinny Chicken Waldorf Salad” recipe back in 2012 when calling recipes “skinny” was appealing and somewhat glorified. Well, thank God that’s over and it’s 2019 and we focus on “strong” over “skinny” and being healthy over weighing as little as possible.
The whole view on food has really evolved over the past several years and we know that being healthy doesn’t have to do with the number on the scale and healthy food isn’t always low fat and low carb. We are all different, with unique nutritional needs, and good fats, whole foods, and balance is where it’s at. So now, I introduce my new and improved Healthy Chicken Waldorf Salad!
Chicken Waldorf Salad or Sandwich, You Decide!
I love that this dish gives you options. The chicken salad in itself is super delicious and good enough to be eaten straight out of a bowl, or you can pile it on a bed of leafy greens and munch away. Want an on-the-go option? Pack this healthy chicken salad between two slices of gluten free seedy bread or on your favourite grainy bun or wrap it in a tortilla and hit the road.
What is a Chicken Waldorf Salad?
My original name for this recipe “Chicken Waldorf Salad” was inspired by the ingredients I used. The very first “Waldorf” salad which contained diced apples, celery, mayonnaise, and whipping cream was created in New York City in 1893 at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. It apparently was a big hit and loved by many making it a recipe that has been created, re-invented, and whipped up over and over again through the years.
My version of this chicken salad is still super simple and healthier in my opinion. I don’t like to overcomplicate things and like many of you, the faster to make the better.
I ditch the whipping cream and use chopped chicken breast seasoned simply with salt and pepper (or I’ll just chop the chicken from a whole store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time!), unsweetened coconut yogurt, a touch of real mayonnaise made with olive oil, crunchy celery, juicy grapes, crisp green apple (I love the tartness that green apples provide to this salad), and the perfect amount of walnut bits.
The Best Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich Too!
I have to admit, I have a hard time deciding between enjoying this chicken salad on a bed of greens or going with the sandwich option. There’s something about two warm, toasty slices of grainy gluten free bread mixed with the cold, creamy chicken salad. It’s almost too hard to pass up!
These days a lot of people are trying out the ketogenic diet or other lower carb high fat ways of eating so if that’s the case for you this chicken salad on a bed of greens is a fantastic option as it contains a good amount of healthy fats from the mayonnaise, coconut yogurt, and walnuts, as well as protein from the chicken, and a limited amount of carbohydrates from the apple, grapes, celery, and greens.
Whether you want to enjoy this healthy chicken salad or healthier Waldorf chicken salad in sandwich form or sans bread, it’s going to be delicious.
Be sure to pin the photo after the recipe to save this one for later and of course, share the love! Have you ever had a traditional Waldorf Chicken Salad or do you have a special combination you use for your own version of a chicken salad? I’d love to read about it in the comments below!
The Best Healthy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked chicken, diced (pre-made or use store-bought rotisserie chicken)
- 1 green apple, cored and diced into small cubes (peel on)
- ½ cup red seedless grapes, halved
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 2 heaping tablespoons plain unsweetened coconut yogurt
- 2 tablespoons real mayonnaise (not whipped dressing)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ cup chopped raw walnuts
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Dice or pull apart the cooked chicken breast and add to a large bowl.
- In a smaller bowl combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well.
- Add the grapes, apples, celery, and walnuts to the bowl with the chicken and pour in the yogurt dressing and stir well to combine.
- Chill the salad for at least 20 minutes in the fridge.
- Serve over bed of mixed greens, in a gluten free tortilla wrap, or with gluten free bread to have as a sandwich.
- Enjoy!
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Enjoy and have a wonderful Sunday!
FAQs
There are different variations, but they all contain the typical Waldorf salad ingredients of apples, celery, grapes, and nuts in a mayonnaise based dressing.
Is Waldorf salad a carbohydrate fat or protein? ›
Waldorf Salad (1 cup) contains 14.9g total carbs, 11.7g net carbs, 20.8g fat, 2g protein, and 242 calories.
What country is Waldorf salad from? ›
According to the American Century Cookbook, the first Waldorf salad was created in New York City in 1893, by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria. The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic.
What is the main ingredient which forms the foundation of the Waldorf salad? ›
A Waldorf salad is a fruit and nut salad generally made of celery, fresh apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and traditionally served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal. The apples, celery, and grapes can all be green, which harmonizes the color palette of the dish.
Why is it called Waldorf salad? ›
The Waldorf salad was named for the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in NYC where it was first created for a charity ball in 1896.
Why does chicken salad have so many carbs? ›
The average chicken salad without added fruit contains 1-3g total carbs and as few as 0g net carbs. However, they can still contain added sugar or even corn syrup in their dressings — and those with added fruits will contain even more carbs.
What are the healthiest carbs for salad? ›
The good carbs listed below provide you with energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals – and they serve as excellent salad bases:
- leafy greens such as romaine, arugula, kale and spinach.
- whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and bulgur.
- chopped or shredded vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, cabbage, and beets.
It's high in protein and fiber so it really fills me up but each serving is under 300 calories! A chicken Waldorf salad is great to serve for a luncheon or to make ahead for several days of easy lunches. It only takes 40 minutes to make.
What not to do when preparing chicken salad? ›
To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.
Why is my chicken salad dry? ›
From my personal experience, chicken salad turns out dry because there's not enough mayo. The problem with a lot of recipes for chicken salad is that it's meant for a perfectly cooked piece of chicken.
Citrus juice and zest
Citrus juice does wonders to brighten the flavor of foods — including lackluster chicken salad. The acidity in citrus juice balances out the fat in the mayonnaise dressing while adding a tangy pop of flavor. The extra moisture from the juice can also help to make the salad tastier.
What do you eat Waldorf with? ›
Main Dishes to Serve with Waldorf Salad
- Pretzel Fried Chicken.
- Simple Roast Turkey Breast.
- Southern Style Pork Tenderloin.
- Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin.
- Lazy BBQ Chicken.
In a large bowl, combine the greens, carrots, pineapple and cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sugar and reserved pineapple juice, taste and then add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad; toss to coat.
Where is the Kardashian salad from? ›
Where does La Scala Salad Come From? While I would love to think the Kardashians invented this incredible salad, they more so popularised it. The salad it self cam from the La Scala restaurant in Beverly Hills, a super classic main stay of the city.
Which fruits does the fruit salad contain? ›
Common ingredients used in fruit salads include strawberries, pineapple, honeydew, watermelon, grapes, and kiwifruit. Various recipes may call for the addition of nuts, fruit juices, certain vegetables, yogurt, or other ingredients. One variation is a Waldorf-style fruit salad, which uses a mayonnaise-based sauce.
What fruit is in a fruit salad sweet? ›
Fruit Salad is a type of "raspberry & pineapple flavour chew" according to its packaging. It is a chewy confectionery.
Which fruit is a very common salad vegetable? ›
Avocado. Sometimes called an avocado pear, this fruit is often mistakenly described as a vegetable because we eat it in salads. Avocados are at their best when they are ripe. They're really easy to prepare – simply cut one in half, remove the stone and eat with a little salad dressing or chopped into a salad.
Which type of salad is usually sweet and contains fruits and nuts? ›
Dessert salads are usually sweet, often containing fruits, sweetened gelatin, nuts, cream, and/or whipped cream. The BASE or UNDERLINER of the salad is usually a layer of greens. The BODY of the salad is the main ingredient.
