This chicken macaroni pasta salad is my go-to for potlucks, cookouts, and casual summer dinners on the patio. It’s inspired by the Hawaiian mac salad I can never get enough of when we’re in Kauai—ultra creamy and just the right amount of sweetness.
For this version, I’ve added chicken to give it a little extra oomph making it equally ideal as a main dish or a hearty side. It’s simple, satisfying, and the perfect dish for feeding a crowd.
The best part about this recipe though? You can make it ahead, and it only gets better as it chills. The flavors intensify, the noodles soak up the creamy dressing, and all you need to do before serving is give it a quick stir (or maybe a little extra mayo if you like it super creamy).
It’s the kind of dish that feels nostalgic and familiar, but with just enough twist to make it stand out from the usual pasta salad lineup.
While you're at it, want to make the ultimate Hawaiian-inspired feast? Serve this pasta salad along with mango coconut margaritas, loco moco, Spam musubi, tuna nachos, and pineapple dole whip! Everyone will love it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- uncooked elbow pasta
- celery
- carrots
- yellow onion
- fresh parsley
- fresh dill
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- granulated sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Next, season the chicken with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook in hot oil for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from the skillet and let rest 5 minutes before cutting into bite-size pieces.
- Then, make the dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, and remaining salt and pepper.
- Finally, combine the cooked macaroni, dressing, celery, carrot, dill, and parsley in a large bowl. Fold in the cooked seasoned chicken and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Hint: If you're serving this pasta salad right away, it'll be its creamiest. If you'd like to make it ahead of time, the pasta will soak up some of the dressing. (That's okay and it's one of those recipes where the longer it sits, the better it gets.) Add extra mayonnaise just before serving if you'd like to restore the extra creaminess.
Hint #2: Use a box grater to grate both the carrots and the onion. Grating the onion (instead of chopping it) releases the flavorful juices and allows the onion to mix into the dressing more evenly.
Hint #3: If the chicken breast is very thick, you may want to pound it slightly so it'll cook faster. If you notice that the chicken is getting too browned on either side before the center is done, pop it in the oven at 350°F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until it's cooked through.
Substitutions
Need some ingredient substitution ideas? Here are some options:
- Macaroni - Any small pasta shape will work great for this recipe. You can try fusilli, corkscrew, penne, bowtie, ditalini...the list goes on!
- Fresh herbs - I love to add herbs to this recipe to give it some freshness. If all you have is dried herbs, that's okay too. Go down to 2 teaspoons of dried parsley and 1 teaspoon of dried dill.
- Herbs - If you'd like to change things up from the parsley and dill, other fresh herbs like basil, oregano, and chives would also be delicious.
- Yellow onion - Instead of a yellow onion, you can use a white onion, sweet onion (I like Vidalias), or red onion.
- Sour cream - Plain yogurt works great in place of sour cream.
- Mayonnaise - I'm a Duke's mayonnaise girl, so you better believe that's what's going in my pasta salad. It doesn't have sugar, so if you use another mayonnaise that does contain sugar, like Hellman's mayonnaise, you may not need as much sugar in the dressing. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Apple cider vinegar - White vinegar, white wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, and sherry vinegar are good options to use instead of apple cider vinegar. Lemon juice will also work. I don't recommend using regular balsamic vinegar, mainly for appearance. It'll make your pasta salad look muddy.
- Boneless chicken breasts - You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Leftover chicken is another option. I don't recommend using canned chicken though.
Variations
This recipe is so versatile! Here are some more ways to change things up:
- Spicy - Give this pasta salad a little kick by adding some cayenne pepper to the dressing. Remember that a little goes a long way. Start with ¼ teaspoon and add more as you go.
- Hawaiian Mac Salad - The base of this pasta salad is inspired by my favorite creamy pasta salad: Hawaiian mac salad. To make this authentically Hawaiian, omit the chicken and dill. Parsley is also an optional ingredient, but I love to add it to Hawaiian mac salad for some freshness.
- Macaroni Salad with Shrimp - Instead of chicken, sprinkle peeled and deveined raw shrimp with the seasonings and cook in hot oil for 2 minutes until it turns pink. It's a delicious option!
- Rotisserie Chicken Macaroni Salad - Save some time and use chopped rotisserie chicken.
- Veggie Packed Macaroni Salad - Give this pasta salad even more oomph by adding in fresh veggies. Chopped red bell pepper and/or green bell peppers, chopped green onion, and even chopped blanched broccoli would be great to add in.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this easy chicken macaroni salad recipe:
- pasta pot
- colander
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- box grater
- dry measuring cups
- large skillet
- tongs
- whisk
- medium bowl
- large bowl
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This recipe doesn't freeze well.
Tasty Tip
What's my secret to perfectly seasoned pasta salad? Make sure the pasta water is salted enough--you want it to taste like the ocean. Waiting to salt the pasta after it's cooked is a no-no. It'll never seem seasoned enough!
Frequently asked questions
The great thing about this recipe is that it can be served as a one-dish meal! If you'd like to add another vegetable side, a green salad, cucumber salad, or fresh broccoli salad are all great options.
Yes! Rinsing the pasta cools it down and stops the cooking process. It also removes the extra starch from the noodles, preventing a sticky pasta salad.
This is totally a personal preference. It's delicious eaten right away, but pasta salad is one of those recipes that actually improves in flavor the longer it sits.
The pasta is going to naturally absorb the dressing and that's okay! You want it to for ultimate flavor. That said, you don't want the pasta to be soggy, so make sure you have al dente pasta and rinse the pasta under cold water to remove the extra starch. Doing both of those will help slow down absorption.
You likely didn't salt the water enough for boiling the pasta. Be sure to add plenty of salt to a large pot of water to cook the pasta--enough to make the water taste like the ocean.
Depending on how long in advance you made the pasta salad, it may not be as creamy when you serve it. This is totally normal--as the pasta salad sits, it will absorb the dressing. To make it creamier, add more mayonnaise (or increase the total amount of dressing).
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with creamy chicken macaroni salad:
🍽Get the recipe
The Best Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad with Chicken
Equipment
- pasta pot
- colander
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- box grater
- dry measuring cups
- large skillet
- tongs
- whisk
- medium mixing bowl
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
- ¼ cup shredded yellow onion
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and let cool completely.
- Season the chicken with the paprika, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let cool before coarsely chopping.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, and remaining salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Combine the pasta, chicken, celery, carrot, dill, and parsley in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with more parsley and dill before serving.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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