I first heard of Chicken Waldorf Salad as a teen. Tea parties were in vogue in our homeschool circle, so we were always on the lookout for new tea-ish recipes to try. I can’t recall if a sister or a friend first made Waldorf salad for a tea party, but I do remember that we girls liked it, and some of the boys hated it. It’s a polarizing dish, obviously!
Waldorf salad is a favorite of mine because it’s a wonderful blend: creamy yet fresh, savory yet sweet. There’s so many textures and flavors going on. You’d think it would be a jumbled mess, but somehow it just works.
Let me share my take on this classic American salad!
There are many different variations of this salad, but I only included my favorite ingredients: apple, lemon, celery, pecans, chicken, and grapes. Some people like to add onions or raisins, but raw onions give me a stomach ache, and let’s just say that raisins and I have a complicated relationship (I’ve disliked them since I was a kid). Walnuts are more traditional than pecans, but 9 times out of 10, I prefer pecans. Walnuts are perfect in banana bread and brownies, but pecans are better in salads in my opinion.
Now, you might hate celery and love onions. Or you might love raisins and despise apples, or prefer almonds to pecans. If that’s the case, feel free to make any substitutions you wish!
I like to use a combination of mayo and sour cream in my Chicken Waldorf Salad. The sour cream adds a bright, tangy flavor.
This salad is really difficult to make.
Kidding!
Just throw all of the ingredients into a big bowl (mine should have been bigger)…
And stir it all together! Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Depending on how salty your mayo is and how aggressively the chicken was seasoned, you might not need any salt. And if your mayo is already quite acidic, a small squeeze of lemon juice might do the trick. Make sure to taste first!
Notes:
1. My Waldorf salad recipe is pretty creamy, which is just how I like it. If you prefer a drier salad, cut back on the mayo or sour cream.
2. If you make this ahead of time, I highly recommend keeping the pecans separate and stirring them in at the last minute so they don’t go soggy.
3. I used my soaked pecans in this recipe, but you can just toast up raw pecans if you’re pressed for time.
4. If you’re serving this at a picnic or potluck, make sure to keep it in the cooler or refrigerator until ready to serve since it contains mayo. And put any leftovers back into the cooler as soon as possible!
5. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but feel free to use leftover chicken instead.
6. You can serve this on a bed of lettuce if you like, or just straight up!
Have you ever had Chicken Waldorf Salad before? Did you love it or hate it? Would you be willing to give it another try?
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