WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD (DAIRY-FREE & NO MAYO)
on Jan 06, 2025, Updated Jul 21, 2025
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Juicy, shredded chicken is tossed with crisp apple, sliced grapes, crunchy celery, and chopped walnuts for a modern, mayo-free twist on the classic Waldorf Salad.
Chicken salad is one of my (many) love languages. It’s the ideal lunch for busy days when all you have time for is to scoop some onto a plate or put in a lettuce wrap for a quick bite.
Over the years, I have created a chicken salad for just about any flavor palate.
For those invested in the classics, my Waldorf Chicken Salad is a must-try recipe.
You’ll find these quintessential ingredients in my version, but the dressing is where I’ve adapted things a bit.
Instead of mayo, I opted for plant-based yogurt. When combined with lemon and honey, the yogurt-based dressing is tangy but slightly sweet and plays so well with the fruit in the salad.
So go ahead and give this Waldorf Chicken Salad a try.
It’s great for weekday lunches or as a side dish to a late summer or fall gathering. I know you’re going to love it. Enjoy!
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Ingredients for Waldorf Chicken Salad
You’ll see all the classic flavors here in this remake of the OG Waldorf Chicken Salad. The dressing relies on plant-based yogurt rather than mayo.
- Chicken Breasts: Below, I share my quick and easy way to cook juicy and tender chicken breasts. If you have pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken, this chicken salad is all that easier.
- Walnuts: A classic ingredient to Waldorf Salad, walnuts add a nice crunch.
- Celery: Crunchy, refreshing celery adds another textural component.
- Apple: Crisp apple bits contrast to the creamy dressing.
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Pin It- Grapes: Either red or green grapes work here.
- Dairy-Free Yogurt: I used @foragerfoods which is cashew-based. You could use Greek yogurt which is protein-packed if you aren’t dairy-free.
- Honey: Just a generous squeeze to balance out the tart lemon dressing.
- Lemon: Bright and fresh, lemon juice and zest is added to punch the dressing up a notch.
How to Make Waldorf Chicken Salad
If you’re making the chicken, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add a drizzle of avocado oil to the chicken breasts and generously season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of avocado oil.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes on each side.
Transfer to the oven and roast for another 9 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool before cutting/shredding into bite-sized pieces.
Next, make the lemony yogurt dressing. Whisk the dairy-free yogurt, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.
Add the celery, grapes, and apples to a large bowl and toss with the lemony yogurt dressing.
Add the cooked and cooled chicken and walnuts to the bowl and toss to combine.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
More Chicken Salad Recipes:
- Harvest Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
- Peanut Satay Chicken Salad Cups
- Curry Chicken Salad
- Easy Buffalo Pulled Chicken Salad
- Asian Chicken Salad
WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD (DAIRY-FREE & NO MAYO)
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad:
- 3 large chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 large celery ribs, small diced
- 1 large red apple, small diced
- 1 cup red or green grapes, halved
Lemony Yogurt Dressing:
- 1 cup plain, dairy-free yogurt (I used Forager Foods)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add a drizzle of avocado oil to the chicken breasts and generously season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add a drizzle of avocado oil.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes on each side.
- Transfer to the oven and roast for another 9 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool before cutting/shredding into bite-sized pieces.
- Once the chicken has cooled and you are ready to assemble the chicken salad, whisk together the lemony yogurt dressing ingredients (dairy-free yogurt, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt) and set aside.
- Add the celery, grapes, and apples to a large bowl and toss with the lemony yogurt dressing.
- Add the cooked and cooled chicken and walnuts to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
