Chicken Macaroni Salad

Whenever we go to potlucks now, my friends ask me to bring my Chicken Macaroni Salad and everyone literally scrapes the bowl clean. Simple and easy to make, it’s an easy dinner, side dish, or light lunch. Tons of flavors and textures all mixed in a creamy dressing, it’s the filling and budget friendly. Did I mention it’s absolutely delicious?!

Chicken Macaroni Salad

Summer means BBQs and picnics. And that means, pasta salads. A staple if you ask me, when it comes to getting together with friends and sharing a meal.

I love this macaroni salad because it’s full of tender chicken and crisp vegetables. You can switch up this basic recipe in dozens of ways by switching up add-ins like different spices, various proteins, and crunchy fresh veggies. 

Not only that, it’s easy on the budget. It’s great for using up leftover ingredients in the fridge. Outside of making this Zoes chicken salad recipe, it’s my favorite way to use leftover chicken.

Now if I can just keep my husband from stealing spoonfuls before it makes it to the table!

Ingredients Needed

Macaroni – I like a small shaped pasta noodle to keep everything roughly the same size. It makes it easier to eat that way.

Chicken – This recipe uses chicken breast meat that I had previously cooked.

Hard Boiled Eggs – I like to buy already hard boiled eggs for ease of use, but if you want to save money, hard boil them at home. Here is a guide on making easy peel hard boiled eggs.

Mayo – Use Miracle Whip, low fat, or fat free mayonnaise. Substitute a portion of the mayo for sour cream or plain yogurt. Don’t replace it all though.

Mustard – I use whole grain mustard in this recipe or try Dijon mustard if you prefer.

Pantry Staples – Celery, red onion, pickles, salt, black pepper.

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How to Make Chicken Macaroni Salad

First: Cook the macaroni al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Second: Dice the other ingredients so all are roughly the same size for easier eating.

Third: In a large bowl, combine the cold macaroni and remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.

Fourth: Chill for at least 30 minutes for best results. Serve and enjoy!

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long does it last?

It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container and give it a stir before serving again.

I don’t recommend freezing this as all the ingredients will lose their texture and get mushy.

How long can it sit out?

Because of the mayo-based dressing, I do not recommend letting it sit out at room temperature for more than 1.5 hours

Anything longer than 2 hours, and you should throw it out. You can keep it cool by placing the bowl inside another bowl filled with ice.

What causes macaroni salad to get watery?

There are a few reasons why water leaks out as it sits. One, don’t over cook the pasta. It will be mushy and release water as it sits.

Two, the added vegetables contain a lot of water and release it as it sits.

Three, letting it sit too long before eating it. Once the dressing is added, eat within an hour or two.

Serving Suggestions

You can certainly enjoy this all by itself since it has protein and veggies but I like to serve it as a side dish too.

Next to burgers, chicken wings, BBQ chicken, and hot dogs in crockpot, it makes a great side dish. It’s even great with my 24hr salad recipe.

Avoid these Pasta Salad Mistakes

Pasta salad recipes are delicious to make but also easy to mess up! 

Choosing hard to eat pasta shapes like spaghetti make it difficult to eat at a picnic. Leave the long noodles to spaghetti carbonara!

Undercooked pasta keeps the dressing from being absorbed. On the flip side, overcooking them can make them mushy and watery.

Add crunchy veggies and garnishes to add texture and color like in this 3 ingredient macaroni salad.

Since pasta by itself can be bland, you need to add spices, like chicken seasoning. My dill pickle pasta salad does a great job of this!

But don’t use a heavy dressing as it can cover up the flavor of the ingredients. Try adding mustard or hot sauce to the dressing like I do in my southern macaroni salad.

​Lastly, add the dressing at the right time. Some like to add it to the hot noodles but it might not work with mayo based dressings. Rinse and thoroughly drain the noodles to cool them down. Then add the sauce and let it marinate for an hour or so for maximum flavor.

A lot of these tips work for potato salad too.

Tips for No Leftovers

• I love to use seasoned rotisserie chicken, skinless chicken breast meat, or use canned chicken in a pinch!
• A mixture of sweet and dill pickles add even more flavor.
• Use sweet pickle relish if you don’t have whole pickles.
• I like a small shaped pasta noodle to keep everything roughly the same size. It makes it easier to eat that way.
• Cook macaroni al dente and rinse in cold water to keep it from getting mushy.
• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving but I find it at it’s peak after 1 hour.
• Keep a little of the mayo in reserve and stir it in just before serving to keep it extra creamy.
• Top with cooked crumbled bacon just before serving for a crispy smoky treat!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

Packed with tons of flavors and textures, this creamy pasta salad with chicken, is budget friendly and great for family dinners and summer bbqs. Oh, and it feeds a crowd!

Favorite Chicken Recipes

• Blackened Chicken from Art of Natural Living
• Chicken and Avocado Salad from That Recipe
• Chicken Ramen Stir Fry from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Chicken Tortillas from The Freshman Cook
• Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas from The Spiffy Cookie
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Creamy Chicken with sun Dried Tomatoes from Lemon Blossoms
• Easy Slow Cooker Italian Chicken from Blogghetti
• Garlic and Ginger Caramel Chicken Thighs from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Hot Chicken and Pancake Tacos from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• One Skillet Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Pasta from Family Around the Table

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