Have you ever had a Waldorf salad? It’s a classic combo of apples, celery and mayo and is believed to have originated at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City about 100 years ago. Over time the concept has morphed and more ingredients have been added such as grapes and walnuts.
Ours? Well, it’s a chicken Waldorf salad and it’s a bit different from the ones you may be used to and that’s’ because of the dressing. Normally, a Waldorf dressing is made from mayo, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; sometimes, you see plain yogurt in it, too. The classic version can be a bit polarizing due to the mayonnaise, so we decided to do one without it.
Our version has all the delicious elements you know and love in a Waldorf such as crunchy apples, sweet grapes, walnuts, and celery. But it also has quinoa, chicken, and blue cheese crumbles. But perhaps most significantly, it does not have mayo. If you’ve ever been on the fence about trying a chicken Waldorf salad or just want to change it up, give our version a shot!
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How to make substitutions in this chicken Waldorf salad
There are certain elements to a Waldorf salad that make it so: apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts. We’re adding chicken, which is not an usual move, but we’re taking out the mayo element.
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts. Shrimp, salmon, canned chicken, or canned tuna would be delicious as well!
- If you want a plant-based option, baked tofu, vegan chicken, or chickpeas would be a great substitute.
- If you don’t like blue cheese, use goat cheese or feta, or any crumbly cheese of your choice!
- Use your favorite leafy greens such as spinach, kale, mixed greens, or even romaine instead of arugula.
- Change out quinoa for farro, couscous, or even rice.
- Substitute raisins for the dried cranberries.
- Use whatever nuts you have on hand instead of walnuts; pistachios are really good in this salad.
- For a creamier dressing closer to a traditional Waldorf salad, whisk together the lemon juice and a tablespoon or so of mayo, and toss with the ingredients. You can also use plain Greek yogurt or plain regular yogurt instead of mayo; sour cream works, too, but will add more of a tang.
Related: 25 Easy Meal Prep Lunches For Beginner Home Cooks
How will this chicken Waldorf salad taste without the mayo?
It won’t be as creamy as its counterparts with mayonnaise, but it will still have a slightly creamy texture! That’s because the blue cheese crumbles and the lemon juice add a bit of that element. When they are added together, the blue cheese will turn into more of a sauce.
If you want it to be creamier without adding mayo, you can always add in more blue cheese crumbles and lemon juice. If you run out of lemon juice, you can add a touch of olive oil to help the crumbles liquefy a bit.
How to make this chicken Waldorf salad more filling
For some of us, this salad needs a little more. You can turn it into more of a green salad by upping the amount of greens you add, or increasing the quinoa. Or both!
Stuffing this salad into a pita or wrap would be a great option to make it more filling. You can also put it between two slices of toasted bread for a sandwich.
This chicken Waldorf salad also makes a great appetizer or side during a dinner party or gathering!
Related: 18 Meal Prep Recipes For When You Have No Microwave or Fridge At Work
How to store and serve this salad
This salad lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s really good for meal prepping and does not get too soggy, as it’s not a traditional “salad” with lots of greens and dressing. It’s best served at room temperature or even cold.
Chicken Waldorf salad is not freezer-friendly, but you probably could have guessed that. It just wouldn’t work well, it’d get too waterlogged! Happy prepping!
Don’t forget to try some of our other no-reheat recipes!
- Roasted Veggie Sandwiches
- Basil Lime Chicken & Peach Kale Salad
- Veggie Pesto Pasta With Chickpeas
- Grilled Veggie Hummus Wraps
- Chickpea, Spinach, Onion and Red Pepper Pita Wraps
- The “Everyday” Kale Salad With Homemade Dressing
Chicken Waldorf Salad With Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 16 oz chicken breast pounded thin or butterflied if very thick
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 3/4 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1.5 cup water
- 3 cup arugula roughly chopped
- 1 lemon for juices
- 1 cup blue cheese crumbles sub crumbly cheese of your choice
- 1 large red or green apple chopped small
- 1 cup red grapes chopped in half
- 1 celery stalk chopped small, or 1 cucumber, seeded
- 1 cup walnuts chopped, or almonds or pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
- In a small bowl, mix the paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken breast to a baking dish on a sheet pan. Drizzle both sides with olive oil. Season the chicken on all sides with the spice mixture. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, depending on its thickness.
- Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions while the chicken cooks. In a big bowl, toss the cooked quinoa, chopped arugula, juice from half the lemon, the blue cheese, and a pinch of salt.
- Squeeze half the lemon over your chopped apples and mix well to keep them from browning. Add the chopped apple, grapes, celery, walnuts, and dried cranberries to the quinoa mixture. Mix until the blue cheese starts to get creamy from the lemon. Separate the salad into meal prep containers.
- When the chicken is done, allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes. Then shred it with two forks OR chop it into small bite-size pieces. Add to the meal prep containers and you're good to go!
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