Chicken Macaroni Salad

Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe

Something about summer just calls for a creamy pasta salad. Specifically, a tasty, cold chicken macaroni salad.

After some trials, we are proud to present to you our very tasty version of an easy Chicken Macaroni Salad recipe. This perfect salad has lots of flavors and is easy enough for beginner cooks.

It contains just enough dressing to hug the salad, just the right amount of tang, and it is so rich and tasty. Our family members can’t get enough! It’s a crowd pleaser and certainly next-level compared to the usual macaroni salad.

The mayo-based dressing, cooked macaroni, hard-boiled eggs, and crunchy veggies all team up to create something nothing short of phenomenal. Your mouth will be watering just looking at its vibrant colors and succulent look!

Believe us when we say this is the best chicken macaroni salad you’ll ever get your hands on. Serve this creamy chicken macaroni salad on a special occasion with a hearty main dish, like hot dogs, Pan Seared Ribeye Steak, Baked Dry Rub Ribs, or Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs.

The perfect mac salad for potlucks, summer BBQs, or picnics! It tastes great with fruit salad, potato salad, or other summery festive salads.

Ingredients Needed

Here are the ingredients you need for Chicken Macaroni Salad.

• Elbow Macaroni. Elbows are classic, but you could use any other small-shaped pasta you have on hand.
• Chicken. Precooked chicken like rotisserie chicken works well here. You could also cook skinless chicken breasts in water or chicken broth with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder then use it. (See recipe notes for detailed instructions on how to do this.) For this great recipe, we used chicken breasts from a whole chicken we grilled. You could also utilize some of our chicken recipes like pan seared Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts or Baked Thin Chicken Breasts. Or, even use canned chicken or leftover plain cooked chicken from last night’s dinner! The leftover chicken can come in handy, for sure.
• Mayonnaise. For the dressing and to add creaminess to the salad. Use full fat mayonnaise for the best creaminess. If you don’t want to use all mayonnaise in your salad, substitute half of the mayo for Greek yogurt or sour cream.
• Lemon Juice. For a little tang which balances quite well with the slight sweetness from the sweetened condensed milk.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk. For added creaminess and a little sweetness. This won’t be a sweet salad. The sweetness of the two tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk used will just balance the flavors.
• Veggies. For crunch and freshness. You’ll be using fresh celery and red onion.

The exact ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below. If you’re looking for nutrient information, you can also find the available nutrient data to track your daily values. This healthy side dish contains a good amount of potassium, iron, calcium, and protein!

How it comes together

Before you begin, make sure to cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions and gather all of the needed ingredients. Then, you can make this satisfying macaroni salad in four easy steps.

1. Assemble all ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl, including the tender chicken and cooked macaroni.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together all ingredients for the dressing.

3. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.

4. Toss everything together to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Chill then serve!

Hint: It is important to let the pasta cool down completely and chill before you add the other ingredients. After assembling, keep the Chicken Macaroni Salad in the fridge. Before serving, toss to redistribute the dressing.

For more satisfying recipes with pasta, check out this Spaghetti Stir Fry Steak and Pasta, and Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta.

Cook notes

• When you cut the boneless chicken breasts, you want them to be a little chunky rather than super small pieces. It is nice to have the bite-sized pieces because it adds a pleasant texture!
• Although you can immediately serve this classic pasta salad recipe, it tastes even better when you allow the flavors to marry for a bit. If you plan to use it with your main course at dinner, you can always make it earlier that day!
• Get the pasta going first, then work on chopping the veggies and meat while it cooks. This will save you time.
• To stop macaroni salad from absorbing the creamy dressing, rinse the macaroni thoroughly with cool water after it’s done and let it chill in the fridge until completely cold then use it to make the salad. Also, rather than cooking the macaroni al dente, it is best to make tender pasta. This is because al dente pasta can soak up all of the dressing.
• Keep this classic macaroni salad covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. If transporting this salad during the summer, it’s a great idea to put it in a bowl and tightly cover it. Then, put it in a cooler with ice so it stays cool. You can also keep it in an airtight container. Remember not to keep it out at room temperature for too long.
• DO NOT freeze chicken macaroni salad. Mayo doesn’t freeze well and will separate and become oily once it thaws.

Other ways

Make macaroni salad your own by trying the following variations and add-ins.

• Protein Type: Include diced ham, bacon, or tuna with chicken or in its place.
• More Veggies: For instance, add peas, red bell peppers, and yellow or green bell peppers. You can also add corn, shredded carrots, or sliced jalapenos!
• Cheese: Add cheddar cheese cubes or shredded cheese.
• Herbs: Add green onions, cilantro, or parsley.

• Yield: 12 servings
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken Macaroni Salad

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken, use any precooked chicken, rotisserie chicken or canned chicken. See recipe notes below for how to cook chicken from scratch.
• ¼ cup diced celery stalk
• ⅓ cup diced red onions or shallots

Dressing

• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from about 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon mustard, yellow mustard or Dijon mustard is fine
• 4 teaspoons sweet relish
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper or white pepper

Method

1. Cook Macaroni. Put 4-6 quarts of water in a large pot and and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 1 minute past al dente we cooked ours for 8 minutes.
2. Chill Macaroni. Spread the macaroni on a baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
3. Hard-boil eggs then peel and dice them. Put eggs in a small pot. Add water to completely cover the eggs. Bring to a boil. Let it boil for 8 minutes. Place 3 cups of water and 1 cup of ice into a medium mixing bowl. Remove the eggs from boiling water and add to the ice water bowl. Let them cool for 5 minutes. Peel and dice the eggs.
4. Make the dressing. In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, mustard, and sweet relish. Whisk together until well combined.
5. Assemble salad. To a large mixing bowl add the chilled macaroni, cooked and diced chicken, diced hardboiled eggs, celery, onions or shallots. Pour the dressing over all the ingredients then toss to combine.
6. Add salt and pepper, and adjust seasoning. Add the salt and pepper then toss well to combine. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover salad and chill until ready to serve.
7. Serve Chicken Macaroni Salad cold alongside your favorite pan seared or grilled meats.