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Creamy Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad is mouthwatering, filling and by far a summer BBQ favorite. This salad will knock your socks off with nostalgic flavors. Just like the store bought but BETTER.
Why Make Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad
Macaroni pasta salad has been a childhood favorite. Every time I have it I feel nostalgic of my upbringing, my mom cooking on the grill and serving us a tub of store bought chilled Macaroni pasta salad. Making it at home from scratch makes it 100000% better.
- Easy to Make. only a few simple steps, and lots of chopping.
- Simple Ingredients. Mostly made from pantry staples.
- Customizable Flavors.
- Meal Prep/Make Ahead Friendly. This salad keeps well n the fridge!
Ingredient Notes
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- Cooked Chicken Breasts. I use 2 large chicken breasts seasoned with my favorite blend (garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, Italian blend). Rotisserie will also work well!
- Macaroni Pasta. You can use any smaller shape (shells work great!)
- Bell Peppers. Any color bell pepper works, traditionally the salad has red.
- Celery. This is a must for the authentic style pasta. It adds color and crunch you will love.
- Onion. Use yellow or white onion.
- Parsley. This is just for garnish, and it’s optional!
Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad Sauce Ingredient Notes
the sauce is the BEST part. It tastes like “Bic Mac” sauce and you will love it.
- Seasoning. Garlic Salt. You can also combine garlic powder & salt if needed.
- Mayonnaise. This adds a little tangy creamy flavor.
- Sour Cream. I learned this trick from Dolly Parton recently. She adds a little sour cream to make the flavor more robust so that’s how we do it!
- Yellow Mustard. This is the traditional mustard my mom always used but dijon will also work.
- Relish. I use sweet relish, this makes the sauce taste like “big mac” sauce and it’s so dang good.
Recipe Variations
Make it Dairy Free! Use plant based sour cream to keep this recipe dairy free.
Add Extra Mix Ins. This is great with chopped dill or dill pickles. You can also add matchstick carrots.
Make it Healthier. Use plain greek yogurt in place of the mayo. It will be a bit more tangy but adds extra protein.
Steps To Make This Recipe
Step One. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook elbow macaroni according to package directions, salt the water generously for ultimate flavor.
Step Two. Meanwhile, in a mixing jar or bowl mix together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, relish, garlic salt, black pepper. Add 1-2 Tbsp of water to the jar (to thin the sauce) and shake really well. Give it a taste, adjust if needed.
Step Three. Finely chop the onion, celery, bell pepper and cube the cooked chicken, I prefer small bites. Once pasta is finished cooking, run some cold water over it to prevent sticking and cool the pasta off. Drain it well!
Step Four. Add the macaroni, veggies and 3/4ths of the dressing. Mix well. Add more dressing if desired or save it for leftovers (the pasta does soak up the sauce a little when sitting in the fridge).
Recipe Pairings
This Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad is a meal in itself, it checks all the boxes but it’s heavy! I would recommend it as a side dish to any cookout or BBQ!
- Sides that pair well; Greek Cucumber Salad, Lemon Feta Orzo, Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
- Make it a meal and serve with BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Spicy Chicken Burgers or Juicy Turkey Burgers.
Recipe Tips
- Taste as you go! I always recommend tasting the dressing before pouring over everything, make sure you don’t want some extra relish or mustard.
- Cook the macaroni al dente. If it’s over cooked it will fall apart in the mix.
- If the pasta soaks up all the dressing, you can add an extra Tablespoon or two of sour cream.
- This is a great dish to make ahead of time. It lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days wonderfully! It gets a bit watery if frozen so I do not suggest that.
Yes, this salad if great as a meal prep or made ahead of time .Just store in the frdige for up to 5 days. It’s bet enjoyed chilled or room temperature.
Use gluten free Macaroni to make this dish gluten free.
Other BBQ Recipes To Try
Equipment
- large pot to boil water
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 16 oz macaroni pasta, about 2 cups dry pasta
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and diced, about 2 large chicken breast. Rotisserie will also work.
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1¼ cup celery, diced
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
Pasta Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 3 Tbsp yellow mustard , or dijon
- ¼ cup sweet relish , more as needed (I like ⅓ cup personally!)
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp water, to thin the dressing
- chopped parsley for garnish , optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook elbow macaroni according to package directions, salt the water generously for ultimate flavor.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing jar or bowl mix together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, relish, garlic salt, black pepper. Add 1-2 Tbsp of water to the jar (to thin the sauce) and shake really well. Give it a taste, adjust if needed.
- Finely chop the onion, celery, bell pepper and cube the cooked chicken, I prefer small bites. Once pasta is finished cooking, run some cold water over it to prevent sticking and cool the pasta off. Drain it well!
- Add the macaroni, veggies and 3 quarters of the dressing. Mix well. Add more dressing if desired or save it for leftovers (the pasta does soak up the sauce a little when sitting in the fridge). Garnish with parsley is desired.
Notes
-
- Taste as you go! I always recommend tasting the dressing before pouring over everything, make sure you don’t want some extra relish or mustard.
-
- Cook the macaroni al dente. If it’s over cooked it will fall apart in the mix.
-
- If the pasta soaks up all the dressing, you can add an extra Tablespoon or two of sour cream.
-
- This is a great dish to make ahead of time. It lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days wonderfully! It gets a bit watery if frozen so I do not suggest that.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My favorite childhood classic recipe (upgraded!)