Chicken Macaroni Holiday Salad (Printable)

Festive Southern-style cold macaroni with tender chicken, celery, and tangy mustard-relish dressing.

# What You 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 (approximately 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

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Prepare elbow macaroni in boiling salted water following package instructions until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled macaroni with drained chicken, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and sweet pickle relish until evenly distributed.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the macaroni mixture and gently toss to coat all ingredients uniformly.
05 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend and the salad to chill.
06 - Before serving, sprinkle chopped parsley and a dash of paprika for garnish. Serve cold.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, including chill time, so you can actually enjoy your day instead of stressing over dinner.
  • The tangy-sweet dressing sneaks in flavor that makes people ask what you did differently, even though it's honestly just good instincts and three pantry staples.
  • It tastes even better the next day when everything gets cozy together in the cold, so make it ahead without guilt.
02 -
  • Rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water is non-negotiable—it stops the cooking, prevents clumping, and keeps the salad from turning mushy and warm after an hour in the fridge.
  • Drain that canned chicken thoroughly and break it into smaller pieces by hand as you add it—wet chicken makes the dressing watery and chunky chicken makes every bite inconsistent.
  • The dressing needs at least an hour in the cold to taste right; rushed serving tastes thin and separate, but patience makes it come together like magic.
03 -
  • Toast your measuring spoon under hot water for a second before measuring mayo and mustard—it slides right off instead of sticking and clumping, saving you from wasting perfectly good dressing.
  • If you prefer Greek yogurt for health reasons, replace half the mayo but not all of it—all yogurt makes it tangy and thin, but half and half gives you the creaminess with a slight brightening.
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