A couple years ago, I took over grilling duty from my husband and it's my favorite way to cook during New England summers — protein + veggie + a side salad of some sort. Pasta salad always hits the spot, and is a great way to incorporate whatever veggies are fresh in the garden at the moment, but sometimes you want a little extra oomph with your carby goodness. Enter: this chicken macaroni pasta salad.
Not a meat eater? Don't love mayo? Want something a little bit lighter? No problem — you might like this cherry tomato pasta salad or this simple summer salad instead.
For the shredded chicken in this recipe, I cooked up a couple frozen chicken breasts in the InstantPot, but you could grab a rotisserie chicken or poach the breasts, instead. For the InstantPot cooking method I simply add a cup of water, a few dashes of salt and pepper, and seal the vent then press the "poultry" button and natural release. Voila! Perfectly cooked chicken to shred to your heart's delight.
I whipped this up recently to bring to our friends' house for an impromptu swim and BBQ playdate, and was able to make it in under an hour while my kids romped around the playroom. I hate showing up to a get-together empty handed!
Storage
I feel like this goes without saying, but I am a stickler about keeping any sort of pasta, egg, or potato salad cold at nearly all times. Not today, food poisoning! Keep refrigerated until you're ready to serve, then immediately refrigerate leftovers. I keep this chicken macaroni pasta salad for a max of 4 days in the fridge, but I err on the side of caution.
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📖 Recipe
chicken macaroni pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1 lb cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups light mayonnaise
- ½ cup pickle juice
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar divided
- 1 large carrot peeled and grated
- 1 celery rib finely chopped (or sub in cucumber for extra crunch)
- ½ cup chopped radishes
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup chopped pickles use your favorite—spicy, sweet, or dill
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 scallions thinly sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. While still warm, toss the pasta with 1 tablespoon of the apple cider vinegar. Let cool for 10–15 minutes.
Make the dressing:
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the mayonnaise, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, pickle juice, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Assemble the salad:
- Add the shredded chicken, carrot, celery, red onion, radishes, and chopped pickles to the cooled pasta. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss until everything is well coated.
Chill and serve:
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) to allow the flavors to meld. Just before serving, garnish with sliced scallions.
Notes
- Mayo options: Full-fat, light, or even half-and-half with Greek yogurt all work well here.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken, poached chicken breasts, or leftover roast chicken all work well.
- Pickles: Use your favorite! I love a mix of spicy and sweet pickles for contrast, but classic dill adds just the right sour crunch.
- No radishes? Swap in thinly sliced cucumbers or extra celery for crunch.
- Make it vegetarian: Sub in canned chickpeas or white beans for the chicken.
- Storage: This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir before serving to refresh the dressing.
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