This Chicken Waldorf Salad gives you a fresh, crunchy, and high-protein meal you can toss together in minutes for an easy, feel-good lunch or dinner.
For more high-protein salads, check out our healthy chicken salad and tuna salad, three bean salad with tuna, and Italian tuna salad.
How We Turned a Classic Into a Light and High Protein Meal
Louise and I actually created this Chicken Waldorf Salad by accident. 🍏 We were testing a classic Waldorf salad for our other blog, snacking on leftovers next to a piece of rotisserie chicken… and realized the two were incredible together.
So the next day we tossed everything into one bowl, still with our popular, creamy, no-mayo Greek yogurt dressing, and never looked back. It quickly became one of our favorite easy meal prep chicken recipes.
You get crunch, sweetness, and tender chicken in a naturally protein-rich bowl that supports a balanced, Mediterranean-style eating pattern. 🍇 We immediately added it to our list of healthy lunch ideas for work or quick dinners.
Simple, fresh, and ready in minutes, it’s the kind of recipe that just makes you feel good every time you make it. 🥗
Nico Pallotta
Ingredients
For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cooked chicken: rotisserie, poached, or grilled all work. Use turkey or canned chicken for speed.
- Tart apples: Granny Smith or Pink Lady are best for crisp texture. Use pears for a softer, sweeter twist.
- Celery: adds crunch and freshness. Swap with fennel or cucumber for a milder flavor.
- Seedless grapes: red or green. Try dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds when grapes are out of season.
- Walnuts or pecans: toast for extra depth. Use almonds, sunflower seeds, or leave them out for nut-free.
- Greek yogurt: use full-fat or low-fat. Substitute Skyr for even more protein. Coconut yogurt works for dairy-free.
- Honey: adds gentle sweetness and balances the tang. Use maple syrup, agave, or a pinch of sugar if that’s what you have.
- Crumbled Feta: adds texture and taste. Use more yogurt or 2 Tablespoons of mayo for extra smooth.
- Lemon juice: bright and fresh. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar also work.
- Mustard: Dijon gives tang; use yellow or whole grain for a softer flavor.
How to Make a Chicken Waldorf Salad
Make the Dressing
Whisk the yogurt, crumbled feta, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. This creamy base is what makes this feel like a lighter creamy Greek yogurt chicken salad.
Prep the Salad Ingredients
Add the shredded chicken, apples, celery, grapes, and toasted nuts. This quick prep is what keeps this recipe such an easy Waldorf chicken salad for super busy days.
Tip: If you’re making this ahead, leave out the apple. Dice it and stir it in right before serving so it stays crisp and bright.
Bring It All Together
Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste and add more salt or lemon if you like. Serve right away or chill for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors blend and the salad firm up a bit.
Tips
- Toast the nuts for extra flavor. It adds a warm, toasty note that makes the salad taste more balanced.
- Use crisp apples. Soft apples make the salad feel mushy, so choose firm ones for the best crunch.
- Shred or chop the chicken small. Smaller pieces blend better with the fruit and dressing, which is key in many similar high protein lunch recipes.
- Add the dressing right before serving. This keeps the apples and celery crisp.
- Use rotisserie chicken when you’re short on time. It’s the easiest shortcut and it's going to make it one of the best rotisserie chicken recipes for busy nights.
- Swap the feta for more yogurt if you prefer a lighter bowl. It transforms the dish into a simple no mayo chicken salad without losing creaminess.
- Taste and adjust. A squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt at the end makes all the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but add the apples right before serving so your chicken salad with apples and grapes stays crisp.
About 2 days in an airtight container. The flavors even get a little better as they sit.
Absolutely. Poached, grilled, or roasted chicken all work well.
No — you can replace the feta with 2 tablespoons of mayo or with more yogurt for a lighter Waldorf salad.
It’s great on its own, tucked into lettuce wraps, or spooned over a microwaved sweet potato or greens for a quick meal.
Toss them in a little lemon juice before adding them to the bowl.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Mediterranean chicken kebab
- Easy chicken piccata
- Chicken shawarma
- Chicken saltimbocca
- Mediterranean chicken and potatoes
- Chicken pesto pasta
- Chicken alla Norma
- Mediterranean chicken and rice
Tried this Chicken Waldorf Salad recipe? We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a 🌟 star rating and drop a comment below—we read every single one. 💬💛
Recipe
Chicken Waldorf Salad (Light & High-Protein)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded (rotisserie, poached, grilled) about 10 oz
- 2 tart apples diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup seedless grapes halved
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, toasted
Dressing
- 1 cup Greek yogurt we use low-fat
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled - substitute 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard Dijon or yellow
- ½ teaspoon salt + black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Whisk 1 cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup feta cheese, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
- Prep the Salad: Add 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded), 2 tart apples (diced), 1 cup celery (diced), 1 cup seedless grapes (halved), and ½ cup walnuts (toasted).Tip: If making this ahead, leave out the apple. Add it right before serving so it stays crisp.
- Combine Everything: Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve right away or chill for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Notes
- Cooked chicken → Rotisserie, poached, or grilled; turkey or canned chicken for speed
- Tart apples → Granny Smith or Pink Lady; pears for a softer, sweeter twist
- Celery → Fennel or cucumber for a milder crunch
- Seedless grapes → Red or green; dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds when out of season
- Walnuts or pecans → Toast for depth; almonds, sunflower seeds, or omit for nut-free
- Greek yogurt → Full-fat or low-fat; Skyr for extra protein; coconut yogurt for dairy-free
- Honey → Maple syrup, agave, or a pinch of sugar
- Crumbled feta → Swap 2 tablespoon mayo or yogurt
- Lemon juice → Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Mustard → Dijon; yellow or whole-grain for a softer flavor
- Toast the nuts for deeper flavor and a warm, balanced finish
- Choose crisp apples to avoid a mushy texture and keep the crunch
- Shred or finely chop the chicken so it blends smoothly with the fruit and dressing
- Add the dressing just before serving to keep apples and celery fresh and crisp
- Use rotisserie chicken for speed—the ultimate shortcut for busy nights
- Swap mayo for extra yogurt if you want a lighter, no-mayo bowl without losing creaminess
- Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; freezing isn’t recommended because the apples and yogurt dressing don’t thaw well.
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