If you love the classic Waldorf Salad, you’ll love this Waldorf Pasta Salad made with chicken in a tangy and creamy dressing, perfect for brunch, lunch or a potluck.
The first Waldorf Salad was made at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in 1896 by Oscar Tschirky. Originally, the only ingredients were apples, grapes, and celery tossed in mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce.
It was a light an refreshing appetizer and side dish that became very popular. Walnuts were added to the recipe later on.
This pasta salad is a take on the original with a few additions, such as chicken, pasta (of course!), sliced almond in place of the walnuts, and green onions in a tangy Greek yogurt and mayonnaise dressing.
It’s so delicious! This pasta salad is great as a light lunch, a side dish, or for any party.
What you’ll need
- Mixing bowls for the dressing and salad
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked- I’m using my recipe for air fryer chicken breast. You can use leftover cooked chicken, boiled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or make it your favorite way.
- 12 ounce box short cut pasta– I love rotini in this! The dressing coats it so well. Bowties, elbow macaroni or penne would all be great.
- Red grapes– a classic Waldorf salad ingredient
- 1 apple– I’m using a gala apple, but any apple works
- 3 celery stalks, sliced- for crunch
- Green onions– shallots would be great , too, for a little zing.
- Sliced almonds– the original salad calls for walnuts, but I prefer the sliced almonds in this recipe. You can use walnuts, if you’d like, or try sunflower seeds.
- For the dressing– Mayonnaise, Plain Greek yogurt, a touch of sugar for sweetness, a tad Dijon mustard for tang, salt, pepper, and lemon juice
How to make it
Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl along with the diced apple, grapes, celery, almonds, cooked chicken, and green onions.
Prepare the dressing: in a bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice and zest.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well coated.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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You might also like
- Italian Sub Tortellini Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Broccoli Pasta Salad
- The Best Pasta Salad (my mom’s)
- Spiked Lemonade Punch
- Dill Pickle Potato Salad
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Chicken Waldorf Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounce box short cut pasta such as rotini, penne or bowties
- 1 apple diced
- 2 cups red grapes halved
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 2 chicken breast cooked and diced or shredded
- 1/2 cup green onions sliced
- 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lemon zest and juice
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl along with the diced apple, grapes, celery, almonds, cooked chicken, and green onions.
- Prepare the dressing: in a separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice and zest.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until well coated.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- For the chicken, I’m using my recipe for air fryer chicken breast. You can use leftover cooked chicken, boiled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or make it your favorite way.
- I love rotini in this! The dressing coats it so well. But use any short cut pasta you have.
- The original salad calls for walnuts, but I prefer the sliced almonds in this recipe. You can use walnuts, if you’d like, or try sunflower seeds.
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days in an airtight container.
