Chicken Macaroni Holiday Salad (Printable)

A Southern-inspired cold salad featuring macaroni, chicken, crisp veggies, and a tangy mustard-based dressing.

# 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 (about 2 stalks)
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 (optional)

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

# Method:

01 - Boil salted water and cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled macaroni, drained chicken, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and sweet pickle relish.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour dressing over macaroni mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour to allow flavors to blend.
06 - Before serving, optionally top with chopped parsley and a light dusting of paprika. Serve cold.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of salad that tastes better the next day, so you can actually relax before your gathering.
  • No cooking skill required, just honest ingredients and a gentle hand when tossing.
  • It travels beautifully in a covered bowl and feels special without looking like you fussed all morning.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step on the pasta—warm pasta will wilt the vegetables and make everything mushy instead of crisp.
  • The salad actually tastes noticeably better the next day because the flavors have had time to become friends rather than strangers sitting next to each other.
  • If you're making it ahead, store it without the fresh parsley garnish and add that just before serving so it stays bright green.
03 -
  • Use kitchen shears instead of a knife to chop the parsley—it's faster and keeps the herbs from bruising.
  • If your salad feels too thick the next day, add a tablespoon of mayo mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar to loosen it back up without diluting the flavors.
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