Almost 200 years old, the Waldorf salad has glamorous beginnings in 19th century New York at the Waldorf Hotel. A delicious and classic appetiser or side dish, the tangy and crisp flavours are distinctive favourites across the world. Our smoked chicken and Waldorf salad combines a number of sweet and salty additions to give this traditional dish a special twist.
Smoked chicken and Waldorf salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 15ml (1 tbsp) oil
- 110g (½ cup) castor sugar
- 100g (1 cup) walnuts
- 60g (½ cup) macadamia nuts
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 100g salad leaves
- 200g smoked chicken fillets, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing
- 1 garlic clove
- 5ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
- 15ml (1 tbsp) tarragon vinegar
- 5ml (1 tsp) honey
- 45ml (3 tbsp) fresh basil leaves
- 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
Heat the sugar in a heavy-base frying pan and lightly swirl the pan until the sugar caramelises and turns gold. Add the nuts and swirl to coat. Pour the boiling nut mixture onto the oiled sheet and allow to cool. Once cool, break into pieces.
Fill a non-metallic bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Slice the base off each apple to enable it to stand easily, then thinly slice the apples into discs and keep upright in the acidulated water.
Arrange the salad leaves on a plate and top with the chicken, celery, onion, apple tower and caramelised nuts.
For the dressing, use a pestle and mortar to grind the garlic, mustard, vinegar and honey into a smooth paste. Add the basil leaves and grind to a pulp. Gradually add the oil and keep mixing. Season.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
