Waldorf Salad With Leftover Chicken or Turkey

Originally when the Waldorf-Astoria's maitre'd hotel, Oscar Tschirky, created the Waldorf salad in 1896 for a New York City charity event, the recipe only contained 3 ingredients: apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Contemporary recipes of what was once a simple salad on a bed of lettuce turned the dish into a light meal by adding either turkey or chicken, grapes (or raisins, or dried cranberries), and walnuts. Some cooks prefer pecans.

Photographed above (with the recipe below) is my version made with Thanksgiving leftovers:

Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

2 cups white meat - turkey or chicken, finely chopped 

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 medium apple, finely chopped - A green apple is usually suggested. I had a New York State apple.

1/2 cup of red grapes, finely chopped - Green grapes are used like a green apple to keep the color of the salad green, but I don't care about the color although I do love granny smith apples:).

1/4 cup of walnuts, finely chopped

3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons of light mayonnaise (Don't use fat-free as it is tasteless.)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1) Using a chef's knife, finely chop the ingredients, one by one, but you can also chop them into larger chunks if you wish. I favor finely chopped to make a creamier salad and sandwich spread that stays on the bread.

2) Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pepper, and taste to determine if you need the salt. I omitted salt because I cooked the bird with salt.

3) Chill and let the flavors marinate before eating as a salad or sandwich between 2 slices of rye or grainy bread.

Bon Appetite!

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