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6 Comments

Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad

Stacey Pirtle

by Stacey Updated: Jun 23, 2023

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Pasta salad meets chicken salad in this tantalizing sweet & savory Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad! Loaded with red grapes, sliced almonds and tasty chicken, this recipe is all about cookouts, potlucks and family get-togethers while still hitting the mark for the perfect lunch or light dinner!

How to serve Waldorf Pasta Chicken Salad

Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad might just be the best recipe of the season! While the savory chicken and pasta keep everyone going back for more, it’s the sweet pops of grapes and the crunch of celery and almonds that entices them to dig in for another bite.

What is Waldorf Salad?

A simple salad of apples, celery, and a mayo/lemon juice dressing with the occasional handful of grapes and walnuts thrown in, a true Waldorf Salad is the classic sweet + crunch dish.

The first Waldorf Salad appeared well over 100 years ago as a part of a charity ball menu honoring St. Mary’s Hospital for Children. The soiree was held at the newly opened Waldorf Hotel, and the hotel has been serving them ever since.

Ingredients to make Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad with grapes and mayo dressing.

Of course, like anything that’s truly good, everyone has their own version of the historic Waldorf. Some even include mandarin oranges and marshmallows. While this tasty pasta salad version here isn’t quite that daring, if Waldorf’s are your thing, you’re sure to love Apple Celery Cheese Salad and Tuna Salad with Apples & Celery.

Ingredients For Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad

  • boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • celery
  • green onions
  • red seedless grapes
  • sliced almonds
  • bowtie pasta
  • real mayonnaise
  • lemon juice
  • coarse ground black pepper & parsley
An upclose view of Chicken Waldorf Salad with Pasta so that texture and ingredients can be seen.

How to Make this Pasta Salad

Chicken. Combine chicken, green onion and celery in large bowl.

Dressing. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper and parsley in a large measuring cup to create the dressing. Pour over top of chicken and mix until evenly coated.

Grapes & Pasta. Fold in grapes, pasta and sliced almonds, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Top with extra cracked pepper for a littel extra flair and serve!

An overhead view of a bowl of Waldorf chicken pasta salad so reader can see grapes, almonds, chicken and bowtie pasta.
Pro Tip for making the best Waldorf pasta salad.

More Tips for Making This Recipe

  • For even more delicious flavor, toast the almonds before adding them to the salad or add a diced honeycrisp apple for a little sweet crunch.
  • Always use real mayonnaise when making this recipe.
  • Need a short cut? Use rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store!
Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad on a fork to show how to serve this pasta salad.

What To Serve with Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad

Pasta Salads always have me thinking about outdoor dining! This salad is a perfect cookout side dish when Hawaiian Burgers and Sparkling Peach Lemonade are on the menu!

When a little light patio dining is in order, this chicken Waldorf salad is a perfect partner for Lemonade Refrigerator Pickles, Homestyle Deviled Eggs & a simple meat & cheese platter.

Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad Inspiration

And along with outdoor dining, comes a relaxed pace, the joys of friends & neighbors, plenty of laughter. Savoring a little joie de vive is what it’s all about! This month as we move out of doors to patios, decks and backyards, I hope you embrace all that’s good.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

  • Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad
  • Taco Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing
  • Tuscan Tortellini Pasta Salad

IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW!

RATE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT OR SNAP A PHOTO.

Tag me on Instagram at #southerndiscourse
How to serve Waldorf Pasta Chicken Salad

Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad

A tantalizing sweet & savory pasta salad loaded with red grapes, sliced almonds and tasty chicken.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookout, potluck, tailgate
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 people
Author: Stacey | SouthernDiscourse.com

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 16 oz bow tie pasta
  • 1 C diced celery
  • 3-4 green onions, chopped
  • 2 C real mayonnaise, generous cups
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 C red seedless grapes, halved
  • 1 C sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Prepare chicken breasts by boiling in large pot of salted water. Drain. Let cool & chop or shred. (While chicken is cooling, prepare rest of ingredients.)
  • Cook pasta to al dente. Don't over cook. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together chicken, celery and green onion.
  • Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper and parsley in a large measuring cup to create the dressing. Pour over top of chicken and mix until evenly coated.
  • Fold in grapes, pasta and sliced almonds, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Top with extra cracked pepper, if desired and serve!
How to serve Waldorf Pasta Chicken Salad
Did you make my Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad?Show me how it went! Share on Instagram, tag @southerndiscourse, and use the hashtag #SouthernDiscourse!
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Pasta salad meets chicken salad in this tantalizing sweet & savory Waldorf Chicken Pasta Salad! Loaded with red grapes, sliced almonds and tasty chicken, this recipe is all about cookouts, potlucks and family get-togethers while still hitting the mark for the perfect lunch or light dinner!

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Filed Under: Cookouts, Recipes, Salads Tagged With: easy meals, summer suppers

Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Teri

    May 21, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    I like getting your emails. The recipes are doable and look and taste so good.
    I also appreciate the scriptures that you add….!!!

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      May 22, 2021 at 10:32 am

      Hi, Teri! Thank you so much for being a part of the Southern Discourse community! You have no idea how much I appreciate you being here. It’s all of you who make it work!

      Reply
  2. Maria

    July 11, 2022 at 2:24 pm

    This is exactly what I was looking for! I had tasted a salad from a local deli and have been searching for the recipe for it and finally found the closest to it. I don’t use the celery and onions and I substitute the almonds with pine nuts — delicious!

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      July 12, 2022 at 1:14 pm

      Hi, Maria! This makes me so happy! I am so glad you found and made this recipe.

      Reply
  3. Lynda Marie McDuff

    January 6, 2023 at 8:10 am

    Love your recipes. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      January 17, 2023 at 1:51 pm

      Hi, Lynda!

      You are so very welcome! I love sharing them, and I am very grateful you are a part of Southern Discourse!

      Reply

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Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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