Are you ready for a simple and healthy salad the whole family will love?
In this blog we'll show you how to make an incredible Chicken Waldorf Salad with our fermented Kosher Dill Pickles. Read on for all the details!
The best part? There's no need to cook anything (not if you don't want to anyway), so let's get chopping!
First, Choose Quality Key Ingredients for your Chicken Salad
Let's go over some basic ingredient swaps for your healthiest Chicken Waldorf Salad possible.
Mayonnaise: we recommend using an avocado 🥑 oil based mayonnaise.
Organic chicken preferred: choosing better proteins make a difference. Look for free range, pasture raised meat if possible. The best source for these at your local farmers markets.
Make your own chicken or buy one. A whole chicken can feed a family for days. Serve up the drumsticks and wings on night one, then use the leftover breast meat to make your Chicken Waldorf Salad.
You can also opt for canned chicken for this recipe.
Fermented Pickles: That's what we make here at Olive My Pickle. Real lacto-fermented salt brined pickles and their LiveBrine.
What's the difference between fermented pickles versus store bought ones? We answer all your questions in this article, Are Pickles Healthy?
Additional Add ins: Any classic Waldorf Salad will have ingredients such as green apples, grapes and nuts like walnuts or toasted pecans. You can get creative here based on what you have on hand.
Other add-ins that we suggest:
Shredded carrots for a slightly sweet pop of color.
Organic Red Grapes- Grapes are on the dirty dozen list, if you only choose a few things to eat organic, makes sure to follow the dirty dozen list.
Blueberries are anti-inflammatory and a great gut friendly food. We talk about the benefits of eating anti-inflammatory foods like blueberries in our article 5 Gut Healthy Foods That Fight Inflammation.
Walnuts, the #1 nut for brain health. Avoid nuts that are made with seed oils or sugars. We share a few more tips on choosing the right nuts at home in: How to Create a Healthy Charcuterie Board.
Avocados: Blending an avocado into your dressing or mayo creates a creamy, fiber rich dressing. You will want to make and eat your dressing right before mealtime as fresh avocado will oxidize and turn slightly brown somewhat quickly.
Bread: We recommend serving this salad on a bed of leafy greens or even sliced tomatoes. You can also put enjoy this salad as wrap or sandwich.
Great grain free options for wraps can be found from Siete Brand which makes tortilla wraps in cassava and almond flour options. For sandwiches, we recommend sourdough bread which is easier on the gut since it's made with fermented grains.
Prepping Ahead of Time and Storage
To make in advance and store, simply combine all the ingredients together with the mayonnaise, put it into an air tight container, and refrigerate for up to two days. When you're ready to eat, add a bed of greens or use as a sandwich filling.
Dressing Alternative: Add a Squeeze of Lemon Juice + Greek Yogurt
If you're looking for a mayonnaise replacement, replace with Greek yogurt, a probiotic dairy. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon for a cleansing boost of vitamin C.
Can you substitute poached chicken in Chicken Waldorf Salad?
Poaching is a cooking method that submerges chicken in a liquid at a low temperature-- it does not mean boiling the chicken.
Poached chicken is a quick and flavorful way to prep meat. We recommend simmering chicken in bone broth, until cooked through.
Poached chicken is moist and tender and can be enjoyed hot or cold. It's a great choice for any recipes that requires cooked chicken, such as Chicken Waldorf Salad.
More Salad Recipes from Olive My Pickle
We love a delicious and satisfying protein salad. Some of our favorites are sardines packed in olive oil, eggs and quality turkey and chicken. All of these are made with chopped fermented pickles, which make them more delicious and gut friendly.
Read more in our article 4 Gut Friendly Protein Salads.
Make lunch time even easier, we have 5 Quick and Healthy Ideas for Lunch. In this blog we share our tricks on sides to your proteins, using bento boxes and how to bring in those ferments to give your enzymes with every meal to aid in digestion.
Where to start? Get the Ultimate Gut Bundle now from us today and have all the ferments you need for this recipe so you can bring scrumptious flavor explosions to the table time and time again.
Grab your bundle: Shop Now 👉
How do I eat fermented foods for my gut health?
Our quick guide has the answers. Get 20+ meal ideas, tips, hacks and snacks for your best gut ever.
