Anne Morgan Delia Smith’s chicken waldorf salad is cold chicken tossed with celery, spring onions, walnuts, and grapes in a tarragon, mayonnaise, and yoghurt dressing made in a pestle and mortar. It is from The Delia Collection: Chicken, serves 4, and works as a main course spring or summer salad on a bed of crisp lettuce.
Most waldorf salad recipes skip the herbs entirely, but Delia puts fresh tarragon in the dressing and it changes everything. The aniseed note lifts the creamy dressing so it does not sit heavy, and the grapes scattered on top at the end give you a burst of sweetness with the crunch of the walnuts.
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What Makes Delia’s Waldorf Different
The original waldorf salad recipe from the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York had just three ingredients: apples, celery, and mayonnaise, with walnuts and grapes added later. Delia’s version drops the apple entirely and adds chicken, tarragon, and spring onions instead.
That makes hers more of a chicken salad with waldorf elements than a traditional waldorf. I prefer it this way because the tarragon dressing with yoghurt is lighter than the heavy mayo versions you find everywhere else.
Chicken Waldorf Salad Ingredients
The Salad:
- 1kg (2 lb 4 oz) cooked chicken, skin removed, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
- 4 sticks of celery (110g/4 oz), chopped
- 8 spring onions (scallions), chopped, including the green parts
- 50g (2 oz) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 175g (6 oz) seedless black grapes, halved
- Lettuce leaves, to serve
- Watercress sprigs, to garnish (optional)
The Dressing:
- 1 level teaspoon of rock salt or Maldon sea salt
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 rounded tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 2 heaped dessertspoons of natural yoghurt
- Freshly milled black pepper
How To Make Delia Smith Chicken Waldorf Salad
- Prepare the chicken: Strip the skin from the cooked chicken and discard. Remove the flesh from the bones and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces. Place in a large bowl with the chopped celery, spring onions, and walnuts.
- Make the dressing: Crush the salt in a pestle and mortar until coarse. Add the garlic and pound until it breaks down into a smooth paste. Add the chopped tarragon, mayonnaise, yoghurt, and a few twists of black pepper. Blend everything together thoroughly.
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the chicken and salad ingredients. Toss everything together until well coated.
- Serve: Arrange lettuce leaves in a large, shallow serving dish. Pile the chicken waldorf on top, scatter the halved grapes over, and garnish with watercress sprigs if using.
Can You Add Apple to This?
Yes, the original waldorf salad recipe with walnuts always includes diced apple, and adding a chopped Granny Smith to Delia’s version works well. Toss it in lemon juice first to stop it browning.
I sometimes add apple when I want more crunch. It fills out the salad if you are short on chicken, too.
What To Serve With Chicken Waldorf Salad
Delia suggests serving it on a bed of crisp lettuce as a main course salad for spring or summer. I put it next to a potato salad and crusty bread for a full lunch spread.
It also works stuffed into sandwiches or pitta bread because the tarragon dressing holds well between bread without going soggy, unlike plain mayo. A bowl of vinaigrette dressed leaves on the side rounds it out.
How Long Does Chicken Waldorf Salad Keep?
Covered in the fridge, it keeps for 2 days. Add the grapes fresh when serving because they release juice if left sitting in the dressing overnight.
Do not freeze it. The celery goes limp and the mayonnaise splits.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Fat: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fibre: 2g
- Protein: 32g
Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 4 servings.
What is the original waldorf salad recipe?
The original was created in 1893 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. It had just three ingredients: diced apple, celery, and mayonnaise. Walnuts and grapes were added later. Delia’s version adds chicken and tarragon, making it a full meal rather than a side dish.
Can I use dried tarragon instead of fresh?
You can, but use half the amount because dried tarragon is more concentrated. Fresh tarragon has a softer aniseed flavour that works better with the yoghurt. If you cannot find either, flat-leaf parsley is a safe swap.
Is chicken waldorf salad the same as chicken salad?
It is a type of chicken salad, but with the specific addition of celery, walnuts, and grapes that define a waldorf. Delia’s version also uses tarragon and yoghurt in the dressing, which is different from a plain chicken and mayo salad.
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Delia Smith Chicken Waldorf Salad Recipe
4
servings20
minutes20
minutesDelia Smith’s chicken waldorf salad is cold chicken tossed with celery, spring onions, walnuts, and grapes in a tarragon, mayonnaise, and yoghurt dressing made in a pestle and mortar. It is from The Delia Collection: Chicken, serves 4, and works as a main course spring or summer salad on a bed of crisp lettuce.
Most waldorf salad recipes skip the herbs entirely, but Delia puts fresh tarragon in the dressing and it changes everything. The aniseed note lifts the creamy dressing so it does not sit heavy, and the grapes scattered on top at the end give you a burst of sweetness with the crunch of the walnuts.
Ingredients
1kg (2 lb 4 oz) cooked chicken, skin removed, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
4 sticks of celery (110g/4 oz), chopped
8 spring onions (scallions), chopped, including the green parts
50g (2 oz) walnut halves, roughly chopped
175g (6 oz) seedless black grapes, halved
A few lettuce leaves, to serve
Sprigs of watercress, to garnish
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of chopped fresh tarragon
2 rounded tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 heaped dessertspoons of natural yoghurt
Freshly milled black pepper
Directions
- Prepare the chicken: Strip the skin from the cooked chicken and discard. Remove the flesh from the bones and slice into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces. Place in a large bowl with the chopped celery, spring onions, and walnuts.
- Make the dressing: Crush the salt in a pestle and mortar until coarse. Add the garlic and pound until it breaks down into a smooth paste. Add the chopped tarragon, mayonnaise, yoghurt, and a few twists of black pepper. Blend everything together thoroughly.
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the chicken and salad ingredients. Toss everything together until well coated.
- Serve: Arrange lettuce leaves in a large, shallow serving dish. Pile the chicken waldorf on top, scatter the halved black grapes over, and garnish with sprigs of watercress.
Notes
- Fresh tarragon makes the difference. Use black grapes, not green. Scatter grapes on top at the end, do not mix them in. Keeps 2 days in the fridge without the grapes.
