How To Cook The Best Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe

Families love celebrating the yuletide season. Undoubtedly, Christmas is the most awaited and most beautiful time of the year. The lovely once in every year event is a helpful way of gathering families to open new gifts together. Apart from opening new gifts, the season's main highlight indulges in unique and delicious food recipe.

In a typical Christmas celebration dining set-up, Filipino families will never forget to have ham and queso de bola. These are the stars of the dining table, alongside the Lechon. However, we never turn a blind eye on the recipe and treats placed on the side, for they are known to be the silent assassins that makes our stomachs full and turn us sleepy after Noche Buena.     

Among the many recipes, Chicken Macaroni Salad is traditionally anticipated during the Christmas season for Noche Buena. You may remember your mom or grandma letting you help in the kitchen and teaching you how easy to make the recipe that can be stocked up for weeks and even for a year (because technically, the following week after Christmas is a brand new year already). One can also remember a relative known for its special chicken macaroni salad as a default contribution for family reunions, birthdays and other gatherings. 

It is just exciting how a delicious meal can help lighten up your mood. It might be impossible to crave and makes chicken macaroni salad without having a nostalgic back dive to all the happy memories. It can be attributed to the media, as most advertisements featuring this delectable dish associate it with the holidays. So this meal is almost automatic and this version of the dish completes the feast and is a staple for the occasion. 

The chicken macaroni salad was not excused from the wave of food commercialization as you can buy a cup of serving from several convenience stores. Without a doubt, these recipes / packed foods are not as satisfying when and tested against the homemade version. So in case, homesickness kicks in, or if you can't wait until Christmas to have a super delicious bowlful of chicken macaroni salad delight, we have crafted this dish for you to test and count on how to make yourself one regardless of the occasion!

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What Is A Chicken Macaroni Salad

It is one of the most popular recipes during Christmas. It is usually made using the elbow macaroni, and shredded chicken breasts or white meat is used as it contains little to no fat and can be served cold without the grease. It is called a chicken macaroni salads because it is a cold dish with a mix of fruits, raw vegetables, and dressing. Other recipe adding zest and mustard on it to make it more delicious.  

Different families have various recipes and distinct ways of creating their chicken macaroni salad with broilers as if it is an heirloom. There is no strict rule in making the dish, as there are also some international recipe that replace the chicken with cubed ham, fresh tuna or canned tuna, or even tofu and replace the fruits with other citrus and root crops. However, we guarantee that the macaroni salad recipe is the basic but one of the most delectable.

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Variations Of Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe

Taking some wise words from Williman Cowper, "Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor." The dish opens itself to several variations that are suitable for different seasons and gastronomic preferences. Browse our different takes on this easy chicken macaroni salad recipe and give it a go!

With Peas, Mangoes, and Peaches

Adding peas in your chicken salad will make it more filling, and at the same time, healthier! If you plan on giving away the dish to elderly relatives, this recipe is a good idea! These small but terrible greens are low in calories but are a great source of protein; they also contain high dietary fibers, vitamin A, iron, folate, and vitamin C.

A chicken macaroni salad variant with peas is also known as Summer Chicken Macaroni Salad (as coined by Taste from Home) only that it is added with mangoes and peaches and dressed with yogurt. This seemingly new recipe is typically enjoyed during a summer picnic or swimming snack, as its refreshing tastes can beat the summer heat. 

Macaroni Salad With Condensed Milk

Meanwhile, this second style is one of the most popular recipe suited for those with a sweet tooth. It might sound weird for non-Filipino readers as they would not imagine how a mix of broilers, macaroni, and condensed milk would make a delectable combo, but it won't hurt to try! 

Kids love to eat sweets like this borderline dessert and appetizer variant! Just taking a spoonful will instantly give them a sugar rush! It is usually served chilled, so make sure to produce a generous amount of the condensed and cream mixture to soak up the macaroni.

Chicken Macaroni Salad With Pineapple

In case you need a reminder on how to whip up the classic favorite served by your family during holidays, here's the recipe of the usual yet extraordinary macaroni salad with broilers and fresh pineapple. 

The primary procedure for cooking the macaroni and preparing the rotisserie chicken is similar to the previous version. Once you're already shredded the chicken and cooking the macaroni, combine the ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Then, put on the carrots, pineapple bits, cheese, and mayonnaise and mix them thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Put it in the refrigerator couple of mins before you eat.

With Mustard, Relish, and Apple Cider Vinegar

This is one of the recipes that is met with much unfamiliarity. While it may be true that mustard, zest, and apple cider vinegar may not familiar and maybe new to many Filipinos, the addition of the three new ingredients opens us to the inevitable that will surely spice up our recipe.  

To achieve this, you will need to have uncooked macaroni, mayonnaise, mustard, zest, apple cider vinegar, leftover rotisserie chicken. You will also need iced hard-boiled eggs, diced celery ribs, chopped red onions, and sliced red bell pepper or green bell peppers. 

The first thing you need to do is to simmer the macaroni until that stick-to-the-tooth texture is achieved. It may take a couple of minutes. Afterward, drain the macaroni. In a large bowl, combine and mix the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, zest, and mustard altogether. After mixing, put the shredded chicken, sliced hard-boiled eggs, celery, red pepper, and red onion. Put on the salt and pepper to taste. Afterward, put it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to 2 hours.

With Cheddar Cheese and Marble Potatoes Recipe

This meal is known to be one of the most sophisticated macaroni recipes. Your chicken macaroni salad would be far better if it were to be complemented by the grated cheddar cheese's creaminess alongside the presence of potato marbles. Their addition is not only complemented sophistication or poshness, but they also complement the chicken salad pasta elbows and the entire recipe.   

To do this recipe, you will need to have canned chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken), carrot, mayonnaise, grated cheddar cheese, pasta elbows, marble potatoes, minced sage, minced rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

The first thing to do is to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius. Dress the marble potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the dressed potatoes on a baking tray and roast for about ⅓ hour until they're golden and soft to the touch. While doing this, cook the macaroni until it reaches that al dente quality. Once the quality is achieved, drain the macaroni. 

When the marble potatoes are roasted, and the macaroni is cooked, combine the carrots, skinless chicken breast, and the marble potatoes with mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese in a bowl. You may put condensed milk to the recipe to add a little bit of sweetness to the chicken salad. You may also opt to bacon tidbits to put more crunchiness to it.      

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Troubleshooting the Chicken Macaroni Salad Pasta Recipe

If you're anxious about messing up your recipe, follow these kitchen-smart troubleshooting guides that we have picked up!

• Use the right size and shape of macaroni - as the cut of the food affects its taste and make or break recipe, the same goes for macaroni. It opens to the fact that macaroni's right shape is determined by the kind of sauce or spices that you will mix it with. In this case, pasta's ideal type to use for pasta salad with broilers is the pasta elbows. 

• Do not overcook or undercook the pasta - The more it is left boiling, the softer and mushier it gets while it cools; it gets chewy and hard. Follow the cooking duration as stated in the package and take one macaroni 5 minutes before the end of the making duration and bite on it to test the softness. It would help if you got that lovely "al dente," or "stick to the tooth" quality. All food recipes require proper timing. 

• Season the macaroni enough - If you're afraid of making the chicken macaroni salad salty, season it little by little and taste it after every trial until your target taste is achieved. This may not be new to hear, but cold dishes require more seasoning, make sure to flavor it well to avoid having a bland pasta. Food recipe also need proper estimation. 

• Dress the macaroni salad while it's still warm - Season it early to be more flavorful as warm pasta elbows will absorb the dressing and other spices when still hot. You may take a half cup of mayo (or other dressing counterparts in your chosen recipe), blend it in the freshly cooked pasta, and then add the remaining when tossed with other ingredients.

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Trivia: Benefits of Good Pasta Chicken Macaroni Salad Ingredients

For the body-conscious, the pasta salad opens to a new form of guilt. To prevent you from taking the body-conscious to guilt-trip from enjoying your chicken macaroni salad, we will share with you some nutritional benefits from the primary contents that make up this irresistible treat! 

• Elbow macaroni salad - recipe that use pasta elbows must know that it's a source of carbohydrates. It isn't new that you need to fuel up on energy, especially if you consume this perfect dish during the holiday season, to keep you from being drained with all the happenings!

• Mayonnaise - mayo is known as a fat-rich dressing, but please do not fret as these fats are mostly unsaturated fat, a kind of healthy fat. And guess what, this may be a new fact for you, but it is also a Vitamin E source.

• Cheddar Cheese - the presence of cheddar cheese in your recipe does not only put on to the dishes aesthetic quality. It also provides nutrients since its consumption can give the human body protein and calcium. Recipe must, as much as possible, use cheddar cheese since it alleviates the risk of dental caries. 

• Condensed Milk - recipes with condensed milk give off extra calories, proteins, calcium, and phosphorus. Undoubtedly, condensed milk helps you develop strong bones while enjoying a bowl of chicken macaroni salad.   

• Carrots - carrot consumption opens you to overwhelming nutritional benefits, so I'll skip the adjectives and get on with its valuable contents. It is rich in beta carotene (which your body converts into Vitamin A), fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. Carrots can help in weight loss, linked to lower cholesterol levels, and improved eyesight. What's not to love about recipe with carrot?  

• Potatoes - the addition of potatoes on your dish is a boon for your overall health. They are a helpful source of Vitamins, Potassium, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, Vitamin B6, and Iron. Recipe must continuously use potatoes since it's fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free.     

• Shredded Chicken - this lean cut is a protein source and low in calories, so it can help you attain better body composition. Recipes with boneless chicken breasts can help you get vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc. 

• Pineapple - this tropical superstar is packed with fiber, vitamin , manganese, vitamin B6, copper, thiamin, folate, potassium, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and iron; fights cancer risk; ease digestion; boosts immunity; can help speed up surgery or injury recovery. What's not to love about recipe with pineapple? 

• Peas - this green is a source of iron, Vitamin C, and lutein. Also, recipes with peas on it are beneficial since it can alleviate the risk of heart problems and indigestion. Peas can also aid you in your body goals as the vegetables high fiber content and its low-fat and low-calorie quality help in weight loss.    

• Mustard - though mustard's appearance on your plate is new and unusual, its presence in various recipe opens you to a plethora of nutritional values. Mustardadds iron, calcium, selenium, and phosphorus to your meals.

• Relish - this piece does not fail to enhance the flavor of numerous recipes. Zest is a source of Vitamin A. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin K. It's known for being low in terms of Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. 

• Apple Cider Vinegar - little do others know that this liquid provides numerous health benefits. It aids weight loss and as well as helps lower blood sugar levels. The polyphenols chemical in apple cider vinegar prevents cell damage that can lead to severe diseases like cancer. 

This is just an excellent reason for you to enjoy a bowlful of chicken macaroni salad! You may even add green bell peppers and red bell pepper, mustard, and zest to complement the taste. However, please be reminded that it has an equivalent of 771 kcal (based on the pasta salad with broilers and pineapple recipe) per serving, so you should know the calorie intake that your body can burn. Nevertheless, you might need more energy if you keep up with your relatives during the feast, so yes, you can munch on an extra pasta. 

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Tips: Elbow macaroni

It is common to make chicken macaroni salad with broiler recipe with pasta elbows as the primary content due to its distinct characteristics, unlike the other kind of pasta salads.

• Pasta elbows has the most suitable shape - the shape of this dish ideally soaks up the dressing as it seeps through the tiny curved hole. Meanwhile, its small size is almost the same as the other ingredient cut, and it is ideal as it can fit in a spoon scoop and other tasty components, making that one big bite so delish!

• Affordability - In the Philippines, recipes that use pasta elbows are cheaper than other kinds of pasta salads.

• Availability - macaroni salad with broiler recipes is almost omnipresent as you can find it basically anywhere, from convenience stores, groceries, and even in the nearest sari-sari store.

• Other versions - You may opt for a wheat-based pasta elbows if you like to lighten up the dish. You can also replace the dressing with low-fat and low-calorie equivalents.

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Best Served With

Best Served With

If ever you're in charge of the Food Committee and you run out of ideas for the foods to pair with macaroni salads, we got your back!

• Fried Chicken - aside from the fact that this all-time fave is a veteran part of the feast, it is sumptuous to be served with macaroni salad as the fried chicken well complements' saltiness and fat, the light, sweet, and creamy chicken macaroni salad. Most restaurants have developed this pairing and have unique recipes for it.

• Pancit Canton Guisado - this stir-fry noodle dish's saltiness can be balanced by the macaroni's sugariness with condensed milk. Great recipes like this are perfect for an afternoon party or during a picnic!    

• Lumpiang Shanghai - this is one of the Filipino recipes that are excellent tandem with macaroni salads. Grab one bite of lumpia and then take a spoonful of the mac, what a delight!

• Buffalo wings - pairing macaroni salad with these flamin' hot wings is a good idea, especially if you're going on a movie marathon or watching the Superbowl. 

• Breaded pork Chop - This excellent piece of protein companion with the macaroni salad is ideal for a packed lunch to take with you to work or school. Recipes like this one need to be complemented with cola! 

• Barbecue - pasta salad's flavor with mustard and apple cider vinegar is much better when complemented with any barbecue. Recipes like this one are suitable to be enjoyed in your backyard! 

• T-Bone Steak - the tenderness of the chicken of this stake couldn't get any better with the presence of macaroni salad. To add spices to the dining experience, this must be consumed with a wine of your choice! 

• Hamburger/ Cheeseburger - this snack fits perfectly with a cold chicken macaroni salad. Who would say no to the combination of meatiness/cheesiness and the coldness of the macaroni salad.

• Garlic bread - The nutty taste of garlic bread opens you to the creaminess and sweet yet salty aftertaste of the pasta. Undeniably, more recipes with garlic bread tend to look a bit posh.

• Hamon de bola - Together with the pasta chicken macaroni salad, Hamon de bola pairing will spell C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S! The recipes of sweet and savory ham will complement the light and creamy taste of the chicken mac salad. 

• Mango Graham Fridge Cake - Dessert recipes like icebox dessert cake will also provide an excellent bonding experience. It is made with layers of ladyfingers or graham crackers, whipped cream, condensed milk, and diced mangoes. You can serve this together with the chicken macaroni salad whenever you feel like you deserve some treat!

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Conclusion

Chicken macaroni salad is straightforward and easy to make. From the preparation of ingredients to the very moment of having this treat is bliss! Who knows, now that you can make it your own, you can start a macaroni business whenever the season hits, and you can even prepare it in a jar as a gift. 

So the next time you crave chicken macaroni salad, you can already make it by yourself! If you are a homemaker or a person far away from home, this article will be the new guide that opens the doors to how easy to makes macaroni-- a family-favorite dish that resembles a hug in every bite. Finally, let us share this secret with you: for a more enjoyable chicken macaroni salad experience, please share it with the people around you!

For more delicious recipes, visit Eat Like Pinoy!

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