Description
A creamy and flavorful Chicken Macaroni Salad featuring tender macaroni, shredded chicken, crisp vegetables, cheddar cheese, and hard boiled eggs, all mixed in a zesty mayonnaise dressing. Perfectly chilled for a refreshing side or light main dish.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni
- 1 ½ cups shredded chicken
- 1 bag frozen peas (about 12 ounces)
- 2 large carrots, shredded
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed
- 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
Dressing
- 2 cups light mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni: Prepare the macaroni according to the package instructions until it is tender. Once cooked, drain the macaroni and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta down.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add the drained macaroni, frozen peas, shredded carrots, cubed cheddar cheese, and shredded chicken. Gently toss them together to distribute evenly.
- Prepare the dressing: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the light mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and yellow mustard until fully combined and smooth.
- Mix dressing with salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Stir carefully until every ingredient is coated well with the creamy dressing.
- Add eggs and chill: Gently fold in the diced hard boiled eggs to maintain their shape. Cover the salad and chill it in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- Use light mayonnaise to reduce fat content while keeping the creaminess.
- Shredded chicken can be replaced with cooked diced chicken or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Ensure macaroni is well cooled before mixing to prevent the mayonnaise from melting.
- This salad tastes best when chilled for at least an hour but can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Feel free to add celery or bell peppers for extra crunch and flavor.
