Chicken Macaroni Holiday Salad (Printable Version)

Southern-style cold salad with macaroni, canned chicken, celery, and tangy mustard-relish dressing, perfect for potlucks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

→ Protein

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

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water.
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 the macaroni mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Before serving, sprinkle chopped parsley and paprika if desired; serve cold.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's deceptively simple but tastes like you actually fussed over it, which is the best kind of recipe.
  • The mustard-relish dressing cuts through the richness of the mayo in a way that feels almost bright and refreshing.
  • You can make it the day before, so holiday stress gets one fewer thing to worry about.
02 -
  • Rinse the hot pasta under cold water or it will keep cooking and turn into mush—I learned this lesson by making a batch that felt like baby food the next day.
  • Make the dressing in a separate bowl first so you can actually taste and adjust it before it touches the pasta, giving you control instead of regret.
03 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse on the hot pasta—it stops the cooking and prevents the salad from becoming one sad, overcooked mess.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it on everything, because you want it assertive enough that it actually flavors the pasta instead of just coating it.
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