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Overhead image of a bowl filled with creamy chicken macaroni salad made with shell pasta, red onion, celery, and chopped grilled chicken. A wooden spoon is scooping some of the salad.
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Cold Chicken Macaroni Salad

If you need an easy, make-ahead dish that everyone will love, this chicken macaroni salad is it. It’s super creamy, full of flavor, and has the perfect mix of tender chicken, pasta, and crunchy veggies. I’ve been making this for potlucks, cookouts, and lazy weekday lunches — it’s always a hit and seriously so simple to throw together.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken macaroni salad, cold chicken macaroni salad, cold chicken pasta salad, macaroni salad with chicken
Prep Time 20 minutes
optional chill 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 7 cups
Calories 313kcal
Author Brandi Crawford

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6-8 oz pasta Elbow macaroni or shells. I use 7oz and I like creamy salad.
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼-1/2 cup diced onions I used red onions.
  • ¼-1/2 cup diced celery
  • 16-20 oz cooked and diced chicken
  • 2-3 hard boiled eggs Diced into chunks.

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta in accordance with the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
    6-8 oz pasta
  • Combine the mayo, mustard, relish, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl or serving dish. Stir to combine.
    1 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup pickle relish, 1 tablespoon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
  • Add in the cooked pasta, celery, onions, cooked chicken, and boiled eggs.
    ¼-1/2 cup diced onions, ¼-1/2 cup diced celery, 16-20 oz cooked and diced chicken, 2-3 hard boiled eggs
  • Stir to combine. Chill (at least an hour) if preferred.

Notes

You can substitute mayo by using equal parts of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
How to Keep the Pasta From Getting Mushy: 
Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook it just until al dente — it should still have a little bite. Overcooked pasta will soak up too much dressing and fall apart.
Rinse pasta with cold water: This stops the cooking immediately and helps cool it down fast so it doesn’t steam and soften further.
Chill before serving: Once everything’s mixed, let the salad chill in the fridge. This helps the flavors meld without making the pasta too soft.
How to Keep the Salad From Drying Out
Make sure the salad is well-coated. Pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, so it’s okay if it looks a little extra creamy at first.
Stir the salad before serving. Give the salad a good mix to redistribute any dressing that may have settled at the bottom.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 14g