Flavorful chicken apple walnut salad is perfect for celebrating autumn’s apple harvest! It’s hearty, filling, and delicious.
When you want a hearty salad for dinner, this Chicken Apple Walnut Salad with not disappoint! Honey Mustard Chicken Salad and BBQ Chicken Salad will also hit the spot and are delicious!
One hearty salad
There’s a pizza place not too far from where we live that has amazing pizza & the best salads! Every time we go I have to get their chicken apple walnut salad, it’s my favorite! I love the combination of the tart apples and grapes with the celery, red onion, chicken and candied walnuts.
Since I’ve been on a salad kick lately, I thought I’d try recreating it at home. It was quick, easy, and way cheaper than ordering it at the restaurant!
I love how this Chicken Apple Walnut Salad is packed with protein, veggies and fruit! It’s got everything you need to keep you full and satisfied throughout the day. Plus there aren’t any unusual or hard to find ingredients in this one!
If you have trouble with the candied walnuts (I love buying them at Trader Joe’s) you can always candy them yourself… it’s actually really easy! Enjoy!
Making simple chicken apple walnut salad
SALAD. Add greens to a large dinner plate or salad bowl. Top with the chicken, apple, grapes, celery, red onion and candied walnuts.
DRESSING. To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients whisking vigorously until emulsified (or puree in a food processor). Drizzle the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.
Tips + Storing Info
This delicious chicken apple walnut salad is like having a favorite restaurant dish in the comfort of your own home. Here are some tips when putting it together:
- Rotisserie chicken is a great short cut instead of using grilled chicken breast. Remove the chicken from the bones while it is still warm – it will fall right off!
- Apples that stay crunchy such as honeycrisp, pink lady, granny smith, jazz, envy, Fuji, and gala are great choices for this recipe.
- Shallots or green onions can be swapped out for the red onion for a milder taste.
- Candied pecans or almonds can be subbed for the walnuts for a similar crunch.
- Add some feta or bleu cheese crumbles for some variety.
Apple Cider Vinegar: If you are like me and find that apple cider vinegar is sort of pungent and overpowering, no worries, just scale back on the amount. It may seem like a little much when you’re making the dressing but it’s actually a lot less strong when you mix it with the salad. You can keep the leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week!
To STORE: It is best to wait to add the chicken, apples, grapes, and dressing to the salad just before serving. Ingredients can be stored separately for a few days in the fridge until you are ready to combine them to make this dish.
More salads with fruit:
- Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad
- Pear Salad
- Berry Pecan Quinoa Salad With Homemade Berry Vinaigrette
- Apple Harvest Salad
- Cranberry Apple Pecan Kale Salad
Chicken Apple Walnut Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups lightly packed spinach or spring mix greens
- 1/2 cup grilled chicken breast - cubed
- 1/2 cup apple - cubed
- 1/2 cup red seedless grapes - sliced in half
- 1 stalk of celery - sliced
- 1 Tbsp red onion - finely diced
- 1/3 cup candied walnuts
Apple Cider Vinaigrette*
- 1/2 shallot - minced
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp honey or agave
- 2 Tbsp apple sauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add greens to a large dinner plate or salad bowl. Top with the chicken, apple, grapes, celery, red onion and candied walnuts.
- To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients whisking vigorously until emulsified (or puree in a food processor). Drizzle the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.
This was a hit with my picky significant other! Added some gorgonzola cheese and fresh dill 🤌
Hi Lauren, thanks for the review and for sharing your changes!