Healthy Waldorf Chicken Salad,
an easy gluten-free lunch that is high protein but under 300 calories! It has
celery, apples, walnuts and poached chicken breast in a creamy Greek yogurt
dressing.
This version of Chicken
Waldorf Salad is super easy and healthy because it is basically just poached
chicken stirred into yogurt dressing with heart healthy walnuts, celery and
apples. So basic, but so darn tasty! I love it for lunch because it is high in protein
and fiber so it really fills me up but each serving is under 300 calories!
If you’re not familiar,
Waldorf salad is a classic creamy salad of apples, celery and walnuts. A
lot of times you see variations with diced turkey or chicken added in with the
apples and walnuts. Or you may see grapes added too.
When I first came up with this
recipe in 2011, I had decided to make a healthier Waldorf chicken salad
inspired by my Gramma. I remember her making it with loads of walnuts and
apples with a fresh burst of tarragon. Unfortunately she was not much of a
calorie counter and used a ton of mayonnaise to make it creamy. Not only that,
but she served it on a split croissant
How Do You Make Healthy Chicken Waldorf Salad?
· To make the chicken, you start
with raw boneless skinless chicken breast. I find the easiest way to cook it is
to poach it. If you happen to have left-over cooked chicken, that is totally
fine. You will need about two medium chicken breasts.
· To make the dressing, whisk
together some mayo for creaminess and classic flavor, but not too much since it
is so high in calories. I found 1/3 cup is plenty. Then the rest is just
fat-free Greek yogurt. That’s the base.
· Then add in the flavor boosts
to the dressing: finely chopped shallot or red onion, garlic, white pepper,
salt and the secret ingredient: tarragon. Tarragon is so good in creamy chicken
salad and it is an ingredient my Grandmother always used. It is amazing. You’ll
love it. It has a slight licorice flavor.
· Add all the crunchy things
next: celery, apples and walnuts. Those are the three ingredients which all
Waldorf salads require.
· Skip serving it on the
croissant like my grandmother, and serve the Chicken Waldorf Salad over fresh
greens for a light and easy lunch.
· The left-overs keep for up to
three days in the fridge.
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