This homemade Chicken Macaroni Salad is a classic pasta salad recipe that is packed with vegetables and creamy mayo-based dressing. It will be perfect for lunch, dinner, or a Summer cookout party!
Macaroni salad is a staple dish in the Summer. It’s filling, refreshing, and very satisfying. I like to add some cooked chicken to my version of this classic recipe, that makes it taste like a mix of chicken and pasta salads. You can also play around with flavors and add more ingredients to your liking. For the mayo-based dressing, I always add some white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard to spice it up.
This recipe will be great for any cookout party, together with my other salads, like Chickpea Pasta Salad, Red Potato Salad with Dill, Orzo Pasta Salad, Chicken Cobb Salad, BLT Pasta Salad, Potato Salad with Bacon and Eggs, and Farro Salad Recipe.
How to make it
Cook Pasta. Cook 8 oz elbow pasta until al dente. When done, drain and rinse under cold water, then let it cool off.
Make the Dressing. While the pasta is cooking, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
Make the Salad. In a large mixing bowl, add cooked and cooled elbow pasta, 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast, ½ cup chopped red bell pepper, ½ cup chopped celery, ½ cup grated carrots, ⅓ cup chopped green onion. Add the dressing and mix until combined.
Tips for best results
- Cook the macaroni al dente. When you drain it, they still should have a bite. If you cook until they are fully cooked and then mix with the salad dressing, they will absorb extra moisture and will become too mushy.
- After the pasta is cooked, I like to rinse it under cold water. This extra step helps to stop the cooking process (so the pasta won’t get mushy) and prevent it from sticking.
- You can use any cooked chicken you have on hand (boiled, pan seared, baked, or rotisserie).
- I like to refrigerate this dish for at least an hour before serving. That will help all the flavors to meld together and absorb the dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add pretty much any ingredients to the dish that you want. Here are a few of my ideas:
– Hard-boiled eggs
– Pickles
– Red onion
– Cherry tomatoes
– Raisins or cranberries
– Ham, bacon, or canned tuna instead of the chicken
You can store it in refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days.
This recipe is great for lunch, picnic, and Summer parties. So, I like to serve it with some other simple refreshing dishes. Here are a few ideas:
Appetizers: Cherry Tomato Bruschetta, Bruschetta with Mozzarella, Mango Avocado Salsa, Simple Guacamole, Pigs in a Puff Pastry Blanket.
Meats: Instant Pot BBQ Ribs, Instant Pot Pulled Chicken, Chicken Wings with Dry Rub, Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, Instant Pot Chicken Wings.
Side Dishes: Oven Roasted Corn, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Green Bean Almondine.
Chicken Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients for Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients for Salad:
- 8 oz dry elbow pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper chopped
- ½ cup celery chopped
- ½ cup carrot grated
- ⅓ cup green onion chopped
Instructions
- Cook 8 oz elbow pasta until al dente. When done, drain and rinse under cold water, then let it cool off.
- While the pasta is cooking, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooked and cooled elbow pasta, 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast, ½ cup chopped red bell pepper, ½ cup chopped celery, ½ cup grated carrots, ⅓ cup chopped green onion. Add the dressing and mix until combined.
Video
Notes
- Cook the macaroni al dente. When you drain it, they still should have a bite. If you cook until they are fully cooked and then mix with the salad dressing, they will absorb extra moisture and will become too mushy.
- After the pasta is cooked, I like to rinse it under cold water. This extra step helps to stop the cooking process (so the pasta won’t get mushy) and prevent it from sticking.
- You can use any cooked chicken you have on hand (boiled, pan seared, baked, or rotisserie).
- I like to refrigerate this dish for at least an hour before serving. That will help all the flavors to meld together and absorb the dressing.
- You can store it in refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days.
WOW!!!! I added tomatoes and bacon bits.
I was very impressed with the flavors in this beautiful recipe and enjoyed it. Thanks for posting specific easy to follow instructions and tips! That made life so much easier. Have a great Sunday!
Heidy
I love the idea of a nice macaroni salad for lunch. My kids would love this too and even better that it has so many veggies!
A delicious combo of my two favorite salads! This looks so good and perfect for the weeknights with leftover chicken. Yum!
Looks very comforing and delicious!
Loving this macaroni salad recipe. I especially love that you added chicken and can add bacon! What a fun way to mix it up!
I love macaroni salad and this variation sounds excellent. Its the best summer salad.
I love a good pasta salad and this was delicious and really easy to make!
I don’t think I have ever put chicken in my macaroni salad and I’m kicking myself for not trying it sooner! This was spectacular!
This salad is a perfect way to use leftover chicken. I would have this for a meal by itself!
Summer is finally (almost) here. I will be making ALL kinds of salads for the patio. This needs to go into my rotation. Sounds super delicious.
What a great combination! It’s like chicken salad and pasta salad all at once. I love adding protein to my pasta salads, though I usually add ham. I will give your version a try the next time I have leftover chicken.