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Classic Chicken Macaroni Salad

Simple and easy to make, this classic Chicken Macaroni Salad makes a perfect dinner, side dish, or light lunch.
4.58 from 7 votes
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Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces 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

Cooke the Pasta

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

Prep Remaining Ingredients

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

Assemble the Chicken Macaroni Salad

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

Notes

  • 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!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 316mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g