Chicken Macaroni Salad

This chicken macaroni salad is made with tender chicken, crisp apples, elbow macaroni, and a creamy homemade dressing. An easy, budget-friendly side dish for parties, picnics, and cookouts.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword apples, chicken, cold pasta salad, macaroni

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Refrigerate 1

Total Time 1 40

Servings

Calories 414kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

8 ounces Elbow Macaroni cooked to package directions, drained, and cooled (other short pasta can also be used)
8 ounces Cooked Chicken skinless, boneless, cubed, and chilled
¼ cup Finely Diced Celery plus 1-2 teaspoons for garnish if desired
2 tablespoons Finely Diced Onion use white, red, or yellow onion
1¼ cup Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard or yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Sweet Pickle Relish
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar or red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Salt plus 1 tablespoon for the macaroni cooking water (and extra at the end if needed)
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Sweet Apple peeled, cored, and diced (we used Red Delicious)
1-2 teaspoons Chopped Parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

Cook macaroni to package directions. Remember to add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water. Go a little past al dente but not totally soft. Use a colander to drain it and then immediately run them under cold water until they are cool.
Drain the pasta well and transfer it to a bowl. Add the celery and onion and refrigerate until it is chilled.
In the meantime, make the dressing. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle relish, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Stir with a fork or small whisk until the dressing is smooth.
Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to put the macaroni chicken salad together.
Peel, core, and cut the apple into small cubes.
Add the diced apples and cubed chicken to the macaroni.
Pour the dressing on the macaroni chicken mixture and stir well until coated and combined.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with parsley and extra diced celery, if desired.

Notes

Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the macaroni just past al dente. Rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking.
Chill before assembling: Refrigerate the macaroni until chilled before adding the dressing so it doesn't absorb too much and dry out the salad.
Prepare the apple last: Peel and dice the apple just before assembling the salad to help prevent it from browning.

Nutrition