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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Salads

    The BEST Chicken Macaroni Salad

    By: Jessica · Posted: May 11, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe 33 comments
    4.98 from 48 votes

    Chicken Macaroni Salad: An easy pasta salad recipe using pasta, mayonnaise, mustard, seasoned salt, pepper, celery, onion, and chicken to create a side dish or main course, favorite!

    This chicken noodle salad is ready in 30 minutes and great for a summertime picnic, or even as a holiday side dish.

    chicken macaroni salad in brown bowl

     

    Whether it’s a special occasion or just a recipe to add to your favorite lunch recipes, this, along with our delicious shrimp macaroni salad will be a hit.

    You may also love this curry chicken salad recipe!

    Why You’ll Love This Chicken Macaroni Salad

    This is one of the simple pantry staple side dish recipes and salad recipes that you’ll want to hang on to. With the chicken in it, it could also easily be considered one of the easiest and lightest main dish recipes you could make for summer! It’s similar to the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, that has gone viral and that everyone seems to love!

    It’s a simple creamy dressing tossed with tender pasta, chicken, celery, and onion that’s done in a flash.

    Hey Fantabulosity readers! It’s Meg from Meg’s Everyday Indulgence popping in with a delicious recipe to satisfy all your carb cravings.

    How ready are you all for summer food? I adore any kind of pasta or macaroni salad, especially when the weather is warm, and I’m hoping you all feel the same way.

    Chicken macaroni salad in serving bowl.

    This recipe is incredibly easy so beginner cooks will love making it and experienced cooks will love how something so easy, tastes so delicious!

    We know you’ll also love this cold tuna pasta salad recipe!

    Ingredient Checklist

    You only need a few ingredients to make this easy chicken macaroni salad recipe. Here’s everything you need:

    • Pasta (we use macaroni noodles but feel free to use whatever pasta you prefer!) You can also use elbow macaroni to make this macaroni and tomatoes recipe!
    • Mayonnaise
    • Classic yellow mustard
    • Seasoned salt – If you don’t have seasoned salt, don’t fret. You can use kosher salt in its place and it will still be delicious. I prefer the seasoned salt here because it just gives it that extra little interest and flavor.
    • Black pepper
    • Celery
    • Onion
    • Chicken (We use boneless chicken breast, but you can use canned chicken to make it even easier!) Or, you can even boil chicken breast ahead of time, use leftover chicken or use a rotisserie chicken!

    I’m betting you already have everything you need on hand to make this macaroni salad.

    What Kind of Pasta to Use for Macaroni Salad

    I chose to use elbow macaroni to keep it looking classic but you can use whatever short cut pasta that you have in your pantry. This could be made with pasta shells or even rotini.

    How to Make Easy Chicken Macaroni Salad

    Mixing up this Chicken Macaroni Salad couldn’t get easier.

    1. First thing, cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the mayo, mustard, seasoned salt, and pepper. Set that aside while you prep the onion and celery.
    2. Thinly slice a large stalk of celery and dice ½ cup of onion. You can use a sweet onion for a milder flavor or a red onion if you love that pop of color. Any variety will work here. Mix the chopped veggies into the dressing and it’s ready for the pasta.
    Dressing mixture in one photo and chicken and veggies added to dressing in 2nd photo.
    1. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, rinse it with cold water and drain it well. You don’t want to add hot pasta to a cold, mayo-based dressing.
    2. You can serve it right away or refrigerate it and serve later. However, it’s recommended to make it the day of, so that creamy mayonnaise dressing won’t soak in too much!
    Two images: one showing the cooked macaroni being added to bowl of dressing, and then the other photo showing it all mixed.

    What to Serve with Chicken Macaroni Salad

    Macaroni salad pairs really well with so many dishes but here are some of our favorites:

    • cheeseburgers
    • hot dogs
    • pork steaks
    • smoked chicken
    • fried shrimp
    • beef tenderloin
    • air fryer chicken wings
    • oven baked steak
    • baked bratwursts
    • air fried chicken tenders
    • chicken legs in the air fryer
    • pork roast tenderloin
    • oven roasted turkey
    • venison steak
    • bbq ribs on the grill
    • pulled pork sandwiches
    • burnt ends
    • smoked meats

    Pasta Varieties

    If you want to experiment and add in other items to this pasta salad, here are some great ideas to try:

    • chopped bell peppers
    • cheddar cheese
    • chopped carrots
    • chopped hard boiled eggs made in the Instant Pot
    • sweet pickle relish
    • sour cream
    • chopped green onions
    • Fritos (Yeah! Wouldn’t that add a fun crunch?)
    • Sriracha
    • liquid smoke (but just a drop! It’s very overpowering if you add too much.)
    • fresh basil leaves or fresh parsley
    Chicken macaroni salad in round serving bowl.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do I keep macaroni from absorbing mayonnaise?

    Cold pasta will help keep the mayonnaise from absorbing in to the noodles. So a good thing you can do is either refrigerate the pasta after cooking, or you can simply run cold water over the noodles while in a colander until the past has cooled off.

    How long does macaroni salad last?

    Macaroni salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, if stored in an air-tight container.

    Do you eat macaroni salad cold or hot?

    You can eat it cold or hot but most of the time it’s served cold.

    Related Recipes:

    If you need more ideas of what to add to your barbecue, keep this Amish Potato Salad, Summer Side Salad, Easy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, crab salad recipe and Tomato Mozzarella Avocado Salad in mind.

    • Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
    • Italian Pasta Salad
    • Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
    • Italian Chopped Salad

    Pro Tip

    If you make a batch of shredded chicken in the slow cooker, you can use it in this recipe, along with other chicken recipes here on the blog!

    Did You Make This?
    Snap a pic and hashtag it #Fantabulosity — I love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook.

    Originally published: March 2020
    Republished and updated: 2025

    Recipe

    Chicken macaroni salad in a bowl.

    Chicken Macaroni Salad

    Jessica Burgess
    Chicken Macaroni Salad: An easy recipe using pasta, mayo, mustard, seasoned salt, pepper, celery, onion and chicken to create a side dish favorite!
    4.98 from 48 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 356 kcal

    Video

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
    • 1 cup mayo
    • 4 teaspoons yellow mustard
    • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup chopped onion
    • ½ cup sliced celery, about 1 large stalk
    • 2 ½ cups diced cooked chicken

    Instructions
     

    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook elbow macaroni according to package directions.
    • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the mayo, mustard, seasoned salt, black pepper, onion, celery and chicken. Set aside.
    • Rinse elbow macaroni in cold water and drain very well. Add to the bowl of the mayonnaise mixture and stir until well coated. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Notes

    How to keep pasta from absorbing the mayonnaise:
    Cold pasta will help keep the mayonnaise from absorbing in to the noodles. So a good thing you can do is either refrigerate the pasta after cooking, or you can simply run cold water over the noodles while in a colander until the past has cooled off.
    How long does macaroni salad last?
    Macaroni salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, if stored in an air-tight container.
    Do you eat macaroni salad hot or cold?
    You can eat it cold or hot but most of the time it’s served cold.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords chicken noodle salad recipe, chicken pasta salad, easy side dish
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.98 from 48 votes (40 ratings without comment)

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    1. Michael says

      May 02, 2025 at 4:23 pm

      Can tuna be used as substitute for Chicken in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        May 03, 2025 at 8:47 am

        Hi Michael. I don’t see why not. However, I do have a tuna pasta salad recipe too if you’d like to try that!

        Reply
    2. Mary M. says

      August 19, 2024 at 8:59 pm

      My family loves it, I will definitely make it again.😋

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        August 19, 2024 at 9:39 pm

        So happy you loved this chicken macaroni salad, thank you!

        Reply
    3. Christine says

      July 15, 2024 at 10:17 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! I make this recipe at least every other week. I use canned chicken, onion powder for onions. If I have bell peppers on hand, I add that. The noodles do absorb the Mayo, so make sure to add a bit more.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        July 16, 2024 at 9:42 pm

        Love what you’ve shared with me about this macaroni salad! Thank you so much!!

        Reply
    4. Elaine says

      March 29, 2024 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      For years I’ve been making this salad using this recipe. Excellent!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 07, 2024 at 3:26 pm

        Woo hoo!!! Love that you love this old-favorite chicken macaroni salad too! Thank you!

        Reply
    5. Reba says

      July 17, 2023 at 5:56 pm

      I was basically looking for the sauce part. I made it with what I had on hand. I used 1 tsp regular salt and boy was it salty. I didn’t have yellow mustard so i used 2 tsps spicy brown mustard. I did not have red onions so I used a 1/8 tsp onion powder. I added a few sprinkles of sugar and another 1/2 cup of mayo to cut down on the saltiness, and it tasted pretty good. I also added 1/2 cup or so of frozen peas.

      Reply
    6. SoCalGal619 says

      January 23, 2023 at 12:02 am

      Did you use red, white, or yellow onion?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        January 24, 2023 at 1:20 pm

        If you have a favorite type of onion, you can use it! But I believe it was a yellow onion in this recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Diane D says

      January 17, 2023 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. I added some orange bell pepper, celery salt, herbs de Provence and fresh lemon juice to punch up the flavor even more. Needed a little more Mayo and mustard too to coat all the pasta. Thanks for this!

      Reply
    8. Pamela G. Fite says

      July 10, 2022 at 8:34 am

      This was a fabulous recipe, and I add a few of my favorite spices, garlic powder, rosemary, and a herb special mixed! Splendid@

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        July 10, 2022 at 8:32 pm

        Oh yum!! Thank you so much for sharing what you did!! It’s always fun to hear.

        Reply
    9. Diane Kratz says

      June 11, 2022 at 11:50 pm

      Yes I made it and it was yummy! Next time I might add crumbled bacon and grated cheese.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 12, 2022 at 10:24 pm

        Oh yum!! Bacon and cheese on this macaroni chicken salad would be great! Thank you!

        Reply
    10. Candy Noble says

      April 21, 2022 at 6:01 pm

      I modified the recipe using 2 cans of chicken breast, and 4-5 sweet gherkin pickles with the pickle juice. It was delicious. My husband and I used it for our evening meal.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 22, 2022 at 12:22 pm

        That sounds great! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    11. Rob C. says

      April 17, 2022 at 8:26 am

      Better than my Mother’s. TY : )

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 17, 2022 at 10:02 am

        Hi Rob! You’re so welcome and thank you for the kind words!

        Reply
    12. Tylor says

      March 12, 2022 at 4:54 pm

      4 stars
      Going to give this a try. Is there a recommended amount of Maui and mustard to use?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 12, 2022 at 7:44 pm

        Hi Tylor!
        You can see all of the measurements for the recipe, in the recipe card at the bottom of the post in case that’s helpful!

        Reply
    13. Linda says

      October 11, 2021 at 4:13 pm

      5 stars
      I added hard boiled eggs, just the yolk because I don’t like the white, green onions, green part too, sweet pickle relish and several mini sweet colored peppers diced.
      The green part of the green onion, relish and mini sweet colored peppers, red, orange and yellow, add beautiful colors and texture to this delicious pasta salad!!!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        October 12, 2021 at 8:16 am

        Oh wow!!! What great additions to this macaroni chicken salad!! I’m going to have to try that. Thank you so much for sharing and for leaving a comment and a review!

        Reply
      • Malina Debrie says

        June 11, 2022 at 5:13 pm

        Sounds delicious. Next time, can you add a picture of the final dish? I would love to see the outcome, but it sounds delicious with or without all the add-ins. Thank you for the add-in recommendations.

        Reply
    14. Jen says

      August 24, 2020 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      I picked up a rotisserie chicken from Costco and made this for lunch. It’s so easy to make and very delicious! I can see this being my new go-to dish for potlucks in the future.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        August 24, 2020 at 4:46 pm

        Thank you so much Jen!!

        Reply
        • Marissa Gonzalez says

          April 20, 2021 at 7:32 pm

          What brand of Mayo do you recommend?

          Reply
          • Jessica says

            April 21, 2021 at 12:04 pm

            I love the Kraft real Mayo! I hope that helps!

            Reply
    15. Beth says

      August 24, 2020 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      I made it for my husband’s lunch and took a bite, and it’s so delicious! Can’t wait to make this again!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        August 24, 2020 at 4:47 pm

        Excellent!! So glad to hear that. Thank you Beth!

        Reply
    16. Melissa says

      August 24, 2020 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      Chicken Mac salad is so good! Great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        August 24, 2020 at 4:47 pm

        Thank you Melissa!!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! - Owner and Creator of the blog and brand, Fantabulosity.

    I’m here to teach you how to make quick and easy recipes, using simple ingredients, that your family will love.

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