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Cold Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe

Cold Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe
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★★★★★

5.3 from 11 reviews

A classic Cold Chicken Macaroni Salad featuring tender chicken breast, perfectly cooked macaroni, and a creamy dressing with mayo, Dijon mustard, and dill relish. This refreshing dish is loaded with crunchy vegetables like celery, red and green onions, and red bell pepper. Ideal for potlucks, picnics, or a light lunch, it’s best served chilled and garnished with a sprinkle of paprika for a pop of color.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 3½ cups dried macaroni pasta

Protein

  • 1½ pounds cooked white meat chicken breast, cubed or shredded
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed

Dressing

  • 1½ cups mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup dill relish

Vegetables

  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 5 green onions, sliced
  • 1 red onion, diced

Seasoning & Garnish

  • 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
  • Paprika (to garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook macaroni: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.
  2. Prepare eggs: Chop or crumble the hard-boiled eggs, then set them aside for later use in the salad.
  3. Make dressing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and dill relish. Stir well until all ingredients are fully blended.
  4. Add vegetables and protein: To the dressing, add the diced red bell pepper, sliced green onions, diced red onion, diced celery, cubed chicken breast, and chopped eggs. Gently fold these ingredients together until well combined.
  5. Combine with pasta: Add the cooked and cooled macaroni to the bowl and fold gently until the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing and mixed with the other ingredients.
  6. Chill the salad: Transfer the macaroni salad into a refrigerator-safe serving dish, cover it with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight to allow flavors to meld.
  7. Serve and garnish: When ready to serve, remove the salad from the fridge, discard the foil, sprinkle the top with paprika for a touch of color and mild flavor, and allow guests to serve themselves with a spoon or ladle.

Notes

  • Any macaroni shape like elbow, cavatappi, or rigatoni works well for this recipe.
  • Keep the pasta salad refrigerated until serving to maintain freshness.
  • Store leftovers promptly in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best quality.
  • Adjust seasoning salt according to taste to control sodium levels.
  • The salad can be prepared a day in advance to enhance flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken macaroni salad, cold pasta salad, chicken salad, picnic salad, summer salad, easy macaroni salad, creamy chicken salad

Find it online: https://islawhite.com/cold-chicken-macaroni-salad-recipe/