We suggest a new variational approach for quantum spin chains, based on the stochastic behavior of the quantization axes, which describes a chain in terms of a classical and a quantum contribution to the free energy. For an easy-plane ferromagnetic chain with the external field in the plane it reveals that the nonlinear excitations are predominantly described by the classical degrees of freedom. Hence it offers a fundamental basis for the description of the elementary excitations of such systems in terms of classical solitons and quantum spin waves, as suggested by various experiments.