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Chicken Macaroni Salad

Whenever we go to potlucks now, my friends ask me to bring my Chicken Macaroni Salad that 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?!

easy chicken macaroni salad recipe

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.

So let me share this creamy pasta salad that’s packed with tender chicken and crisp vegetables. You can switch up this basic recipe in dozens of tasty ways by switching up add-ins like different spices, various proteins, and crunchy fresh veggies. 

Not only that, it’s easy on the wallet by making it easy to use up leftover ingredients in the fridge. My favorite way is to use leftover chicken and diced red bell pepper for the color. 

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

leftover cooked chicken, tender pasta, and vegetables with vibrant colors are in this light dinner

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 tutorial on how to cook 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.

Looking for more leftover worthy dishes? Follow LTB on Pinterest and pin to a board!

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.

this creamy chicken macaroni salad recipe is a great main course

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.

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.

best chicken macaroni salad recipe

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.

What do you eat Chicken Macaroni Salad with?

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, it completes many a meal!

chicken macaroni salad in a bowl

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 hard 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. 

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

But don’t use a heavy dressing as it can get overwhelming. Opt for 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.

fork of salad for a special occasion like a bbq or baby shower

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!

creamy chicken macaroni salad

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!

overhead picture of salad bowl

Classic Chicken Macaroni Salad

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Simple and easy to make, this classic Chicken Macaroni Salad makes a perfect dinner, side dish, or light lunch.

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces dry macaroni noodles
  • 2 cups cooked chicken (diced small)
  • 1 red bell pepper (stemmed, seeded, diced)
  • 1 small red onion (diced small)
  • 2 celery ribs (diced small)
  • 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
  • 2 hard boiled eggs (peeled, diced small)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Cook the pasta

  1. In a large pot, bring 6 quarts water to a boil.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon salt (*optional).
  3. Add pasta noodles and cook until al dente (according to package directions)
  4. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool.

Prep the remaining ingredients

  1. Dice the onion, celery, red pepper, pickles, hard boiled eggs, and chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.

Assemble the chicken macaroni salad

  1. In a large bowl, combine cooked and cooled pasta, chicken, onion, bell pepper, pickles, celery, hard boiled eggs, mayo, and mustard.
  2. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
  3. Chill for 30 minutes and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave me a comment and rate it 5 stars. Thank you!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 9g

This nutrition information was generated via a third party, Nutritionix, and can not be held liable for any discrepancies in the information provided.

Favorite Chicken Recipe

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Inger @ Art of Natural Liivng

Tuesday 7th of September 2021

Such a perfect side dish! My family loves pasta salads and I don't make them enough!

Teri @ The Freshman Cook

Tuesday 7th of September 2021

Your Chicken Macaroni Salad looks so very tasty and it is such a great idea! I love all the ingredients too!

Karen

Monday 6th of September 2021

Now I'm craving this. It's been a long time since I've had a macaroni salad and I don't know why!

Hezzi-D

Sunday 5th of September 2021

Awesome idea to add chicken to your macaroni salad! Yum!

Lisa Kerhin

Sunday 5th of September 2021

This reminds me of the salads my dad used to make the cremette brand of elbow pasta growing up. He would add chicken to it and it was amazing. Other times he'd swap out the chicken for canned tuna...just as yummy.

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