Chicken Macaroni Holiday Salad (Printer-friendly)

Southern-style macaroni with chicken, celery, bell pepper, and a tangy mustard dressing chilled for gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

→ Protein

02 - 2 cans (10 oz each) cooked chicken, drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup celery, finely diced (about 2 stalks)
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

→ Dressing

07 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
08 - 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish (optional)

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Paprika for sprinkling

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil macaroni in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled macaroni with drained chicken, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and sweet pickle relish.
03 - Whisk mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour dressing over macaroni mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
06 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley and paprika if desired before serving cold.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It gets better as it sits, so you can make it the night before and actually enjoy your event instead of cooking all morning.
  • The mustard and relish give it a flavor that's brighter and more interesting than typical mayo-heavy salads.
  • It's hearty enough to be a light meal on its own, but still feels right at home on a crowded buffet table.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the pasta after draining, the residual starch will make the dressing gummy and thick instead of creamy.
  • Always taste the dressing before mixing it in, because different brands of mustard and relish vary wildly in sweetness and salt.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken instead of canned if you want a deeper, more savory flavor, just shred it finely.
  • Let the salad sit out for about 10 minutes before serving so it's cold but not ice-cold, which lets the flavors come through more clearly.
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