Chicken Macaroni Holiday Salad (Printable)

Tender macaroni and chicken tossed with celery, bell pepper, and tangy mustard-relish dressing, served chilled.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

→ Protein

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

→ Vegetables

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

# Directions:

01 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled macaroni, drained chicken, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and sweet pickle relish.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour dressing over macaroni mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Before serving, garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of paprika, serving chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It sits in the fridge all day and actually tastes better for it, which means one less thing to worry about when people are coming over.
  • The canned chicken makes it surprisingly hearty without any fuss, and no one ever guesses it didnt come from a rotisserie bird.
  • Every bite has that sweet-tangy balance that keeps you going back for just a little more.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional—it stops the cooking and washes off excess starch that would make the salad gummy.
  • If you skip the chill time, the dressing will taste sharp and the whole thing wont hold together right.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing before you add it—if its too sharp, add a pinch more sugar; if its too sweet, add a splash of vinegar.
  • Dice the celery and onion as small as you can so they blend in instead of sticking out in big crunchy chunks.
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