Waldorf Salad
Updated Feb 23, 2026
Lightened-up Waldorf Salad with Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Made with chicken breast, veggies, grapes and walnuts tossed with a creamy dressing.
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Waldorf salad with greek yogurt inside of mayo!
I grew up thinking Waldorf salad had to be heavy on the mayo, and I never really loved that. This healthy-ish Waldorf salad version with Greek yogurt is the one I actually make now, especially when I want something creamy but not overly rich.
It still has all the classic mix-ins like chicken, celery, grapes, walnuts, and apple, but the dressing is mostly Greek yogurt with lemon juice and zest. It keeps that creamy texture but feels lighter and adds extra protein. I usually serve my Waldorf salad over green leaf lettuce for lunch, or prep a batch to keep in the fridge for easy meals during the week.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Waldorf Salad Ingredients
- Chicken: I like to use Oven Baked Chicken Breast for this recipe, but feel free to use any cooking method you want like Pan Seared Chicken Breasts or Simple Air Fryer Chicken Breasts. Cubed rotisserie chicken will even work!
- Celery: Look for bright green celery stalks, and be sure to rinse them thoroughly. See my tips on how to cut celery.
- Grapes: I like to use red grapes for this Waldorf salad (they tend to be a little sweeter than green grapes)! You can also try raisins, if you don’t have any grapes on hand.
- Walnuts: I love the taste of toasted walnuts in a Waldorf salad, but you can use raw nuts, or try subbing in almonds or pecans.
- Green apple: A crisp green apple brings some nice tartness to this salad, but you can use any type of apple you like.
- Lettuce: For serving! I like to use a large leafy green like bibb lettuce or romaine to hold the creamy salad.
- Dressing: For your Waldorf salad dressing, you’ll need lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Go for plain, full-fat Greek yogurt if you can!
How to Make Waldorf Salad
Waldorf Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 cup red seedless grapes halved
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 green apple diced
- green leaf lettuce for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add chicken, celery, grapes, walnuts and apple and fold until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve over a bed of green leaf lettuce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Chill your salad before serving. I like to pop my Waldorf salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld together and stiffens up the texture!
- Start with dry ingredients. Wash your fresh ingredients and dry them well to get ride of any excess moisture.
- Dice everything small and evenly. This makes a big difference. Smaller pieces help you get a little bit of everything in each bite instead of big chunks of apple or chicken falling off your fork.
- Use a crisp apple. Go for something firm like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Softer apples can get mushy once mixed with the dressing.
Serving Ideas
- Pair with a sandwich. This is a nice protein-heavy salad to go alongside a grilled mozzarella sandwich, a pinwheel sandwich, or a cottage cheese flatbread.
- Add carbs! I love eating something a little starchier with this Waldorf salad, like my grilled baked potatoes, oven-baked pita chips, or my cheese manakeesh (Lebanese flatbread).
FAQs
Yes! You can prepare this salad and dressing up to 2 days in advance and store them separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, toss the salad ingredients together with the yogurt dressing and enjoy!
