Chicken Waldorf Salad

I first shared this recipe on The Recipe Critic where I am a contributor. Enjoy a light, filling, refreshing meal with this Chicken Waldorf Salad loaded with fruit, veggies, and chicken. Toss it on a croissant or lettuce cup for the perfect picnic lunch.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

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It’s already the middle of May and the weather is finally warming up enough for us to go on picnics and enjoy food like this Chicken Waldorf Salad. I’ve taken the classic Waldorf salad and made it more filling by adding chicken which pretty much makes it a chicken salad. It’s yummy, filling, easy to make, can be made ahead of time for a quick meal making it great for taking to work or if you’re just busy chasing around toddlers and caring for babies.

What is Waldorf Salad?

Waldorf Salad is a classic. It was first served in NYC in the late 1800’s. It usually doesn’t have chicken but I am obsessed with chicken salad so I decided to turn this salad into a filling meal by simply throwing some in. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken or cook your own.

How to Make Chicken Salad?

I’ve found that the easiest and fastest way to perfectly cook chicken is in the Instant Pot. Toss the chicken breast in, sprinkle on whatever seasonings you want and then cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a 5 minute natural release. For more of a plain chicken I just sprinkle it with onion salt. So quick and perfectly tender and juicy. Of course, you can also just bake, grill, or even slow cook your chicken too.

Chicken salad is usually loaded with lots of mayonnaise but chose to lighten things up a bit. You can fully swap out the mayo for plain Greek yogurt but I think that changes the flavor too much so I like to go halfsies. I also have found that the mayonnaise made with canola oil has half the calories as regular but still the same great flavor and texture.

This meal comes together in  just 15 minutes and you can make it ahead of time for when you know you’re going to have a busy schedule. Meals like this Chicken Waldorf Salad and my Instant Pot Greek Chicken Quinoa Bowls are perfect for meal prepping at the beginning of the week so you can have it for a quick lunch the following days.

You are going to love this Chicken Waldorf Salad! Enjoy!

HERE ARE A FEW MORE LUNCH RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

• Chicken Salad Pitas
• Instant Pot Greek Chicken Quinoa Bowls
• Tortellini Pasta Salad
• Italian Roll Up Sandwiches
• Turkey Cranberry Brie and Pear Sandwich
• Chicken Ranch Wraps

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN WALDORF SALAD:

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker– As much as I love my slow cooker, you can make things way faster (1/8 the time!) in the pressure cooker. It’s truly amazing! You can make anything in it from soup to rice to fall-off-the-bone tender ribs.
• Knife Set– I got this when I got married almost 8 years ago. I use them multiple times a day and they’re still going strong!
• Pyrex Mixing Bowls with Lids– I love my mixing bowls with lids because then I am able to stack things up with the fridge. Plus, glass is nice for when I need to microwave whatever is in it.