“Delicious chicken macaroni salad made with macaroni and chicken breast coated in creamy, sweet and sour mayo dressing.  An easy and perfect side dish or main course during celebration and festive season.”

The festive season is almost near and this Filipino chicken macaroni salad is a must-have for any party or celebration! It’s creamy, slightly tangy and sweet, it catches the taste buds of every Filipinos.

The Filipino version of chicken macaroni salad is a recipe worth trying for because it’s filling, flavorful, and has a variety of textures. It’s sweeter than other macaroni salads and better suited to serving as a stand-alone dish or as a side dish.

Aside from fruit salad, buko pandan, this macaroni salad is one of the festive salad we prepare during the Christmas dinners. It’s so nice to come together and enjoy the preparation of food and eat it all together. Nothing beats the feeling of togetherness and enjoying the holiday cheer.

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WHAT IS MACARONI SALAD

Macaroni salad is a cold pasta salad made with cooked elbow macaroni that is frequently dressed with mayonnaise. The classic macaroni salad, like many other salads, was more commonly served as a side dish. It’s usually served with barbecue, fried chicken, or other picnic-style dishes, much like potato salad or coleslaw.

Like many other dish, national and regional variations exist, but it’s generally made with sliced raw onions, dill or sweet pickles, and seasoned with salt and pepper.

In the Philippines, macaroni salad is a moderately sweet dessert or snack. In contrast to western macaroni salads, it generally contains native sweetened jellies, cheese, and other fruits. It’s popular over the holidays, such as Christmas and New Year’s Day, as well as at parties and get-togethers. This chicken macaroni salad is a popular variation that includes shredded chicken with a variety of additional ingredients.

No Filipino celebration or get-together is complete without chicken macaroni salad. It’s an array of flavors and textures that guests won’t be able to get enough of, with substantial pasta, shredded chicken, cubed cheese, pineapple tidbits, plump raisins, sliced carrots, and sweetened by condensed milk and pickled relish. This sure is a crowd pleaser.

This macaroni salad dish may easily be doubled (or tripled) for a large party and prepared ahead of time for stress-free entertaining.

INGREDIENTS OF MACARONI SALAD

This quick chicken macaroni salad dish only requires a few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Macaroni. A terrific source of carbs that will provide energy to your body. I use elbow macaroni for a classic look, but you can use any short macaroni.
• Chicken Breast. For easier cooking and shredding but you can also use whole or left-over.
• Pineapple tidbits & juice. I used canned tidbits but you can also use fresh if you like, you can reserve some juice.
• Onion. White onions are preferable as they are mildly sweet and not too strong. But you can use red onion for added color.
• Carrot. Adds crunch, flavor and color to the overall dish.
• Raisins. High in fiber, iron and a good source of calcium, raisins also adds sweetness to the macaroni salad.
• Mayonnaise. Where the all creaminess comes from.
• Cheese. A good source of calcium, it enhances the creaminess of the salad.
• Condensed milk and sweet pickle relish. Additional sweetener in the macaroni salad.
• Salt and pepper. A salad cannot be complete without these two buddies. You can adjust according to preference.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

It’s simple to make your own Filipino Chicken Macaroni Salad. It will be more enjoyable if everyone in the family involves in the preparation.

There are three simple steps in making this macaroni salad. The first step is to get the macaroni ready. The next step is to prepare the chicken. Finally, combine everything.

First step. Preparing the macaroni.

When preparing macaroni, I recommend following the package directions. You’ll get the finest results if you do it this way.

First, we bring water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of salt and little oil, and then pour the macaroni into the saucepan. Cook for about 9 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Remove the cooked macaroni from the pot and discard the water.

Second step. Cooking and shredding the chicken.  

Cooking the chicken in a saucepan for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. It’s best to add a teaspoon of salt.

Third step. Bring it all together.

The next step is to combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. This is when things start to get interesting.

Before serving, chill your chicken macaroni salad for at least 1 hour for the flavors to come together.

TIPS IN MAKING CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD

• Make sure the macaroni isn’t overcooked. It’ll be tossed with a lot of different ingredients, and you want it to be firm enough to hold up.
• I prefer boneless chicken breasts because it is easy to cook and shred. But you can also use any part of chicken as long as you remove all the bones. Back in the Philippines, we usually boil whole chicken then use our hands to debone it, which is time consuming but you wouldn’t notice it when preparing it together with the family.
• Pro-tip! It’s always a good idea to use up any leftover chicken in the fridge! Cook two extra chicken breasts with dinner the night before or while meal prepping if you know you’ll be cooking this, so assembly is a breeze.
• Carrots should be chopped finely. For easy chopping, I use a manual chopper. It results in finer texture so you don’t need to blanch them. You also have an option to blanch your carrots if you want it a bit cooked and tender-crisp.
• For added taste and color, experiment with various ingredients such as sliced bell peppers or celery.
• Allow the ingredients to cool completely before using. Allow the pasta and ingredients to cool completely before mixing for food safety.
• Refrigerate for a few hours. When you initially combine the ingredients, the pasta salad will be a little loose, but after an hour or so in the fridge, it will thicken beautifully. I know everyone is eager to jump in, but give it a few minutes to cool down and blend.

MORE ADD-INS IDEA

Here are some wonderful additions to this pasta salad if you want to try something different:

• Ham, diced
• bell peppers, chopped
• celery stalk, chopped
• hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• green olives, chopped
• fresh basil leaves or fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Paprika
• Dijon mustard
• All-purpose cream
• Sour cream

HOW TO SERVE

This chicken macaroni salad is usually served cold and fantastic as side dish or main course for special occasions or holiday festivities. It’s also a terrific addition to potlucks, picnics, and BBQs.

FREQUESTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Pasta Should I Use For Macaroni Salad?

For a classic feel and look, I used elbow macaroni, but you can use any short cut pasta you have on hand.

How can I keep mayonnaise from absorbing into the macaroni?

The mayonnaise will not absorb into the noodles if the spaghetti is served cold. So either refrigerate the pasta after cooking, or just run cold water over the noodles in a strainer until they are cool.

What is the shelf life of macaroni salad?

If refrigerated in an airtight container, macaroni salad can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze this chicken macaroni salad?

No. This chicken macaroni salad does not freeze well because of the nature of the ingredients. When mayonnaise is frozen and thawed, the fats and oils in it break down and lose their smoothness.

If you’ve tried this chicken macaroni salad, please rate it and tell me how you liked it in the comments section below; I love hearing from you! Happy tummy!

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