Best Macaroni Chicken Salad Recipes

COLD CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add chicken; continue to boil until no longer pink in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then dice into small bite-sized pieces.
• While chicken cooks, bring a second large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water.
• At the same time, place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water, and peel.
• Mix mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, onion salt, salt, mustard, and pepper together in a large bowl. Mix in eggs, pasta, and chicken, adding a little more mayonnaise if too dry. Chill for 1 hour, to overnight.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Cook corn according to package directions; drain and cool. , In a serving bowl, combine the macaroni, corn, chicken, celery, egg, green pepper and onion. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

CHICKEN AND PINEAPPLE MACARONI SALAD (FILIPINO STYLE)

Steps:

• Boil Macaroni till cooked, set aside in fridge as you are preparing the following ingredients.
• dice chicken breast into cubes.
• dice pineapple (tidbit size).
• peel and dice apple.
• dice cheddar cheese.
• mix raisins along with the cooked macaroni and all diced ingredients in a large bowl, stir in enough mayonnaise to bind all ingredients together as you don't want your salad too fattening and too creamy.
• Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, you may serve this delicious salad at room temp or cold from your fridge. enjoy!

CHICKEN CAESAR MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Cool completely., For dressing, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, dressing mix, sugar, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine chicken, artichokes, Parmesan, capers and macaroni. Add dressing and toss gently to coat. , Refrigerate until serving. Top with croutons and additional capers if desired.

SUMMER CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, mix chicken, peas, onions, celery, basil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drain macaroni; rinse with cold water, then drain again. Add to chicken mixture., Mix yogurt, mayonnaise and remaining lemon juice. Add to salad and mix well. Add peaches and cheeses; toss gently. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with pistachios before serving.

BBQ CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Cook 8 ounces elbow macaroni as the label directs; drain and rinse under cold water. Whisk 1/3 cup each mayonnaise, sour cream and barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons relish, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard and 1 teaspoon sugar in a large bowl. Add the macaroni, 2 cups cubed barbecue-flavored rotisserie chicken, 1 diced red bell pepper, 3 chopped celery stalks, 1/2 diced red onion and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

CHICKEN AND BACON MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Fry bacon until crispy and put on a plate with paper towels to drain off the grease. Put aside.
• 2. Hard boil 6 eggs, about 7 minutes. Then peel under cold water and slice into pieces. Put aside.
• 3. Boil macaroni until soft. Add some oil and salt to the water prior to boiling. Removed and put in a colander to drain. Rinse with cold water until cool. Drain again and put in a large bowl.
• 4. Open can of chicken breast and flake (leftover chicken is also good for this recipe). Add the eggs and chicken to the macaroni mixture.
• 5. Crumble the bacon and add to the mix.
• 6. Cut the tomatoes into cubes and add to the macaroni.
• 7. Cut the onion into tiny diced pieces and add to the mix.
• 8. Season with garlic powder, parsley flakes, kosher salt and seasoned pepper (salt and pepper to taste).
• 9. Mix well until everything is combined evenly. Fold in the chopped hard boiled eggs.
• 10. Add mayonnaise. I start with a cup and mix to coat the entire mixture.
• 11. Then add around a half a cup as needed from there on until it is the consistency I like.
• 12. Once everything is mixed sprinkle paprika on top for color.
• 13. Refrigerate. It is best when it is allowed to get really cold. Enjoy!

COLD TUNA OR CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the mayo, lemon juice, salt and tabasco sauce; blend well.
• Add macaroni, tuna or chicken, celery, onion and green pepper, mix well; over and chill 2 hours; toss the salad before serving.
• Suggestions: Use a different pasta, such as rotini or penne rigate.
• NOTE: prep time covers the chopping of veggies and cooking of pasta only; cooking time covers the assembly of the salad and chilling.

CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then shred with two forks. Set aside 4 cups of shredded meat.
• In a medium pot with boiling salted water cook elbow macaroni until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together the cooked chicken, drained vegetables, shredded lettuce, and mayonnaise. Add basil, pepper, salt, and garlic powder to taste.
• Add drained elbow macaroni to chicken mixture. Toss to coat.
• Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

CHICKEN TACO MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Cool completely., For dressing, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, taco seasoning, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine chicken, peppers and macaroni. Add dressing; gently toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Top with cilantro if desired.

MACARONI SALAD WITH BARBECUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water; shake off the excess.
• Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, barbecue sauce, relish, mustard and sugar in a large bowl. Add the macaroni, chicken, red bell pepper, celery, red onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Chill before serving.

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Drain pineapple, reserving 1-1/2 teaspoons juice; set juice aside. In a small bowl, combine the pineapple, macaroni, chicken, celery, green beans and almonds., Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, salt and reserved pineapple juice. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Chill until serving.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED BBQ CHICKEN WITH MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• For the macaroni salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni in the boiling water until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and let cool.
• Toss the macaroni with the tomatoes, radishes, bell peppers, scallions and cucumbers in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the vinegar, mustard, sugar and garlic salt. Add the dressing to the macaroni and vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving.
• For the chicken: Heat a grill to medium-high heat.
• To butterfly the chicken, first remove the giblets and discard. Put the chicken on a cutting board breast-side down. Use kitchen shears to cut along each side of the backbone to remove. Trim any excess fat and discard. Flip the chicken breast-side up and firmly press each breast to break the bone and flatten.
• In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Season both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture. Use a pastry brush to brush the chicken with the canola oil.
• Place the chicken skin-side down on the grill. Cover and let cook 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Flip the chicken again for 10 more minutes, then flip again and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, an additional 10 minutes.
• Use a pastry brush to coat each side of the chicken with the barbecue sauce and cook just to let the sauce caramelize, about 2 minutes per side. Tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into pieces--it will be falling apart by this time! Serve with more barbecue sauce on the side and the lime wedges.

CREAMY CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain.
• In a small bowl, whip mayonnaise and 2 T sugar together. Taste for your preference on sweetness before adding the third tablespoon.
• In a large bowl place chicken breasts, cut grapes, diced celery, sliced almonds and the macaroni. Toss ingredients together.
• Add mayonnaise to the large bowl and stir to coat all ingredients.
• Garnish with mandarin oranges.
• Chill until time to serve.
• May serve on individual plates that have been prepped with romaine leaves.

EASY CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Boil macaroni in water according to the package instructions. This typically takes around 5-10 minutes depending on which type of pasta you use. Drain off any excess water, and leave the macaroni to cool down completely.
• Meanwhile, boil your chicken in water on the stove for around 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through. Use two forks to shred the meat. Leave the chicken to cool down.
• Combine diced onion, celery, carrots, and peppers in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chilled cooked macaroni and shredded chicken. Stir to combine the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish with fresh parsley.
• Leave the salad to rest in a sealed container in a refrigerator, or serve immediately.

EXTRA MEAT CONFETTI MACARONI & CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Season the chicken parts with spices of your choice, add to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until meat is tender and can be pulled away from the bone easily. Remove foam from top of water as it begins to boil.
• 2. Allow chicken parts to cool, remove the bones, outer skin and gristle, then chop and set aside till needed.
• 3. While chicken cooks, chop & shred all of the vegetables.
• 4. Cook pasta until al Dente according to directions on package or box. I cooked mine about 8 minutes, then rinse under cold water and set aside till needed.
• 5. I used both Dijon and yellow mustard, with the mayonnaise plus the addition of Balsamic vinegar and Sweet gherkin pickles. Add the mustards mayonnaise to a large bowl, and using a large spoon or spatula, stir until mixture is blended together.
• 6. Add in the chopped chive and chopped cooked chicken, and stir till blended together.
• 7. Add in the rainbow of chopped and shredded veggies, and stir to blend together. Add in the cooked pasta, sugar and spices, stir till thoroughly mixed, then taste and adjust spices if needed.
• 8. Pour into a large container with lid, and garnish top with a few of the chopped and shredded veggies if desired, refrigerate until ready to serve.

EASY CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare macaroni according to package instructions.
• While cooking, dice onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and chicken.
• Put in bowl and add mayo and dressing mix.
• When macaroni is done, drain and rinse with cold water, and mix with other ingredients.
• Put in fridge until use, or use immediately.

SIMPLE RANCH CHICKEN AND MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Boil macaroni until tender, drain and pat dry.
• In a med bowl, mix together the celery, olives,mayo, sour cream, milk, chicken and ranch dressing mix. Stir in the macaroni until well blended. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Stir and sprinkle paprika over the top before serving.

CINDI'S CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• In a very large bowl, add all the ingredients.
• Chill several hours before serving.
• Note: When preparing this salad, I added 3 cups of chicken or turkey, since I like more meat in mine. You can also substitute a mild cheddar cheese for the colby. I think Kraft's Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing, makes this macaroni salad taste best, but you can use a regular ranch salad dressing.

BUFFALO CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD (WEIGHT WATCHER FRIENDLY)

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions.
• Rinse under cold water and drain.
• Refrigerate until cold.
• In a large bowl, combine dressing, mayonnaise, blue cheese, hot sauce and paprika.
• Add chicken, celery, onion and macaroni. Mix well to combine.
• Stir in tomatoes.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 30 mins.Gently stir again before serving.