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Chicken Macaroni Salad on a serving platter
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Chicken Macaroni Salad

Chicken Macaroni Salad is the perfect all-around pasta salad for parties or summer lunches. Light, creamy, crunchy, filling -- it has it all!
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken and pasta recipes, Chicken Macaroni Salad, chicken pasta salad recipes, macaroni salad recipes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 994kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 large orange, zested zested
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2--3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salad

  • 1 pound elbow pasta
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, cut in cubes
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped in chunky pieces
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups celery, diced
  • 3 tablespoons shallots, very finely minced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (it should taste like the sea). Cook macaroni until just al dente. Drain, rinse briefly with cool water to stop cooking, and let cool completely.
  • Plump the cranberries. Soak dried cranberries in warm water or a little orange juice for 10–15 minutes. Drain well. This makes them softer and more flavorful.
  • Prep the shallots. Finely mince the shallots, then rinse briefly under cold water and drain well to mellow their bite.
  • Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, orange juice, zest, Dijon, vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon, chives, and garlic powder (if using) until smooth. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld
  • Assemble the salad. Assemble the salad. Add the cooled pasta, chicken, cranberries, pecans, celery, and shallots to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
    Fold in the eggs. Add the chopped hard-boiled eggs and gently fold them in just until combined, keeping the pieces intact.
  • Chill and finish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (2–4 hours is even better). Stir before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

  1. The dressing will be salty but the pasta will need it.
  2. Butcher like a pro: Hate taking apart rotisserie chickens? Some tips I’ve picked up are, first of all, to thoroughly let your chicken cool. No one wants to handle scalding hot meat. This also frees you up to use your hands (in rubber gloves) to break down your chicken, which I’ve always preferred — it lets you really get in there to make sure you get all the meat.
    • There’s a good step-by-step chicken walkthrough here!
  3. Cranberry Rehydration: One tip you’ll see in the recipe below is to soak the dried cranberries. Why? Doing this rehydrates the berries a bit, making them plumper and giving them a fuller, yummier flavor.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 994kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 233mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 737mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2.8mg