I’m thinking that this chicken macaroni pasta salad may be the best side dish of summer. Yeah, I said it!
It’s got a tangy, creamy dressing, lots of crunchy veggies plus protein from lean chicken.
This easy recipe can be made ahead and enjoyed at barbecues, picnics and all of your outdoor festivities.
Ingredients
- Cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken is the easiest and best choice here, but you could also cook your own boneless, skinless chicken breasts. More on that below.
- Macaroni, or any other type of short cut pasta.
- Bell peppers
- Red onion
- Celery
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Sweet pickle relish
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
How to Make Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad
Cook the Macaroni
Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions for al dente.
In this case, it’s okay to rinse the pasta with cold water when you drain it. It will stop the cooking process and cool the pasta down before we toss it in the dressing.
Chop the Chicken and Veggies
Cut your chicken, bell peppers, onion and celery into small pieces and set them aside.
Make the Dressing
We’ll make the dressing in the same bowl that we will use to combine all the pasta salad ingredients, so choose a large bowl that can hold everything.
In the bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together.
Combine the Ingredients
Finish by adding the chicken, macaroni and chopped veggies to the bowl of dressing.
Toss everything together gently until it’s all coated in the dressing.
Variations and Substitutions
1. Substitutions for Sour Cream: Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream in this recipe for a similar result. If you want to do a non-dairy version of this creamy chicken macaroni salad, substitute mayo for the sour cream. The dressing won’t be as tangy, but it will still be delicious.
2. Try Different Veggies: Get creative with the fresh veggies in this pasta salad. Try diced carrots, green onion or green bell peppers.
3. Gluten Free Option: Using gluten free macaroni is an easy way to adapt this recipe for gluten-free diets. For best results, choose a gluten-free pasta that is rice-based, not corn-based. The corn pastas tend to crumble.
Options for the Cooked Chicken
While using rotisserie chicken is the easiest option, here are some other options if you’re going to be cooking your chicken:
1. Grill: Heat the grill to 350F degrees. Season chicken breasts (or chicken thighs, if you prefer) with salt and pepper. Grill until the juices run clear, about 5-6 minutes per side.
2. Oven roast: Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet or into a glass baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, until juices run clear.
3. Air fry: Preheat air fryer to 375F degrees. Coat the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes and then flip. Cook for another 6-7 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
As a Side Dish: Enjoy this macaroni salad as a side dish for all of your favorite mains like barbecue, grilled meats, hamburgers and hot dogs.
As a Main Course: Try this cold, refreshing pasta salad as a main dish! It has protein, after all. Serve a loaf of crusty bread or light green salad to complete the meal.
Make Ahead and Storage
Like most mayonnaise-based salads, this chicken mac salad tastes better if it sits for a little while (in the fridge, of course).
Make it up to 1-2 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Same rules apply for storing leftovers. Leftovers will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
FAQs
Any type of pasta can be used in this recipe, as long as it is a short-cut type of pasta. Fusilli, rigatoni and penne are all good options.
Because of the added protein, it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy this creamy pasta salad as a light dinner.
You can make this recipe dairy free by replacing the sour cream with mayonnaise. You’ll lose some of the tanginess that sour cream lends, but a totally mayo-based dressing is still really yummy.
Try adding a little more lemon juice or even some white wine vinegar for more flavor dimension.
When you make this easy chicken macaroni salad recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more side dish recipes, try these:
- The Best Summer BBQ Potato Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Restaurant Style Coleslaw (Just like KFC)
Chicken Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz. dry macaroni
- 4 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast 2 lbs.
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup orange bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Boil and drain the macaroni according to package directions for al dente. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Make the dressing: whisk all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces. Dice the bell peppers, celery and onions.
- Add the chicken, vegetables and cooked macaroni to the bowl of dressing. Stir well to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
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