Chicken Macaroni Salad
Chicken macaroni salad is full of tender pasta mixed with shredded chicken, hard-boiled eggs, celery, red onion, pickles, and a creamy, tangy dressing. It’s filling, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Great for potlucks, BBQs, or a quick weeknight meal. Ready in 30 minutes plus chill time, serves 8-10 people using budget-friendly ingredients.
Not only do I love pasta and eat it for breakfast, but a pasta salad is my favorite thing to make during the summer. It’s also a hit at tennis matches. It’s light, full of tasty chicken, and all the pasta I love.
I love this recipe because it’s easy on the budget and great for using up leftover ingredients in the fridge. Outside of making Zoe’s chicken salad, this is my favorite way to use leftover chicken. You can switch up the add-ins dozens of ways. Try it with different spices, various proteins, and crunchy fresh veggies.
Now if I can just keep my husband from stealing spoonfuls before it makes it to the table!
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad – Spicy and creamy
- Amish Pasta Salad – Classic creamy version
- 3 Ingredient Macaroni Salad – Ultra-easy version
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad – Tangy with pickles
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Macaroni – Use small pasta shapes so everything is roughly the same size. Smaller pieces are easier to eat.
- Chicken – I use cooked chicken breast. Rotisserie chicken and leftover baked chicken work just as well. Canned chicken works in a pinch.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs – Make a large batch and keep in the fridge or buy some already done to make prep easier.
- Mayo – Use regular, low-fat, or fat-free. You can substitute part of it with sour cream or plain yogurt, but don’t replace all of it.
- Mustard – I use whole grain mustard. Dijon works if you prefer that.
- Pickles – I use a mix of sweet and dill pickles for more flavor. Sweet pickle relish works too.
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How To Make Chicken Macaroni Salad
- Cook macaroni al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
- Dice chicken, hard-boiled eggs, celery, red onion, and pickles into roughly the same size pieces for easier eating.
- Combine cooled macaroni, diced chicken, eggs, celery, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving, but it’s at its best after 1 hour. Stir before serving and enjoy!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Serving
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Stir before serving to cover again with the dressing.
- Room Temperature: Don’t let this sit out for more than 1.5-2 hours because of the mayo dressing. Keep it cool by placing the serving bowl inside another bowl filled with ice.
- Not Freezer-Friendly: Don’t freeze this. All the ingredients lose their texture and get mushy.
- Best After Chilling: Let it chill for at least 30 minutes, but 1 hour is even better for the flavors to mix.
- Keep Extra Mayo: Reserve a little mayo and stir it in right before serving to keep it extra creamy.
Variations
- Add Bacon: Top with crispy crumbled bacon right before serving for smoky crunch.
- Different Veggies: Add diced bell peppers, shredded carrots, or peas for more color and flavor.
- Cheese: Mix in cubed cheddar or shredded cheese for extra richness.
- Grapes: Add halved grapes for sweet contrast like Waldorf chicken salad.
- Nuts: Toss in chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Spicy: Add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne to the dressing.
- Italian Style: Use Italian dressing instead of mayo for completely different flavor.
- Extra Pickles: Use all dill pickles or all sweet pickles depending on your preference.
Avoid These Pasta Salad Mistakes
- Wrong Pasta Shape: Use small shapes like elbows or shells. Long noodles like spaghetti are hard to eat at picnics.
- Undercooked Pasta: The dressing won’t absorb properly. Cook it al dente.
- Overcooked Pasta: Makes it mushy and watery. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
- Bland Flavor: Pasta needs seasoning! Add spices, mustard, or hot sauce to the dressing.
- Too Much Dressing: Heavy dressing covers up ingredient flavors. Start with less and add more as needed.
- Wrong Timing: Add dressing to cooled pasta, not hot. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes for best flavor.
- Missing Crunch: Add crunchy veggies for texture and color contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It’s not my favorite but canned chicken does work in a pinch. Be sure to rinse and drain it really well. And shred it if it’s in chunks.
Yes! Make up to 1 day ahead. The flavors get better after they chill overnight. Just keep extra mayo to stir in before serving.
It might be that the pasta is overcooked. Overcooked pasta releases water as it sits. The vegetables also contain water and they can release it once they have dressing on the. Cook the pasta al dente and serve within a few hours of dressing. Be sure to stir it too.
No more than 1.5-2 hours at room temperature because of the mayo. Keep it cool in a bowl set over ice. Anything longer than that needs to be tossed out. You can also put out half of it and keep the other half in the fridge. Refill when the bowl gets low.
I do not recommend freezing it. The eggs, mayo, and vegetables all get mushy and watery when thawed.
You can use Italian dressing or ranch instead of mayo for a completely different flavor profile. Greek is also a great option!
Feel free to leave them out. The salad still tastes great without them.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Just shred and add!
- Cook macaroni al dente and rinse in cold water. Be sure to drain it really well. This prevents mushy, watery pasta.
- Dice everything roughly the same size for easier eating.
- Use a mix of sweet and dill pickles for more complex flavor.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes, but 1 hour is best for flavors to meld.
- Keep a little mayo in reserve and stir in before serving for extra creaminess.
- Don’t let it sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Mayo-based dressings can spoil!
- Add crispy bacon right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
- Use small pasta shapes like elbows or shells. Long noodles are hard to eat.
- Stir before serving. Everything settles as it sits in the fridge.
This chicken macaroni salad recipe is perfect for potlucks and BBQs! Everyone always asks for the recipe.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni noodles
- 2 cups chicken cooked, diced small
- 1 medium red bell pepper seeded, diced
- 1 small red onion diced small
- 2 ribs celery diced small
- ½ cup dill pickles diced
- 2 large hard boiled eggs peeled, diced small
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Cook 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 Ingredients
- Dice the onion, celery, red pepper, pickles, hard boiled eggs, and chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.
Assemble 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
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Just shred and add!
- Cook macaroni al dente and rinse in cold water. Be sure to drain it really well. This prevents mushy, watery pasta.
- Dice everything roughly the same size for easier eating.
- Use a mix of sweet and dill pickles for more complex flavor.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes, but 1 hour is best for flavors to meld.
- Keep a little mayo in reserve and stir in before serving for extra creaminess.
- Don’t let it sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Mayo-based dressings can spoil!
- Add crispy bacon right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
- Use small pasta shapes like elbows or shells. Long noodles are hard to eat.
- Stir before serving. Everything settles as it sits in the fridge.
Nutrition
More Chicken Recipes
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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