Delicious Chicken Salad made with chicken breast meat, elbow macaroni, grapes, and toasted almonds. This salad had all the pleasant textures and flavors all at once with the pop of fruity sweetness and an almond crunch. Bring it with you to picnics and potlucks or serve it at your next barbecue party.
CHICKEN SALAD
For any potluck, picnic, or any other summer party, my absolute favorite salad to prepare is this chicken and macaroni salad. I’ve been making it for nearly fifteen years now.
I first tried this recipe back when my family owned a restaurant, it was often our lunch special because it was so popular. That was my first experience with having sweet fruit in savory dishes and it blew my mind. If you haven’t tried chicken salad with fruit in it, can’t wait any longer. Try it now. A pop of fruity sweetness in a savory dish is an amazing food experience.
Over the years, I’ve improved this recipe and it’s about time I share my improved version of this salad.
HOW TO MAKE MACARONI CHICKEN SALAD
Cook pasta according to box instructions, drain, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil and season it with salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Add chicken and cook chicken over medium heat until fully done. Take chicken out and set side to cool until it can be handled.
Once chicken is cooled enough, dice it into small cubes and add it to pasta. Add chopped grapes and almonds to the bowl as well. Season with some salt and pepper and mix well.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and grated garlic. Mix mayo mixture into the salad, making sure it’s all evenly distributed.
Refrigerate in an air-tight container for a couple of hours before serving.
HOW TO SERVE CHICKEN AND MACARONI SALAD
You can serve this chicken and macaroni salad on the bed of lettuce, as a salad. Add some fresh vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes and cheddar cheese cubes would go great with this chicken salad.
Use large tortillas to wrap some spinach, chicken salad, slices of cheese, and fresh veggies to make this delicious chicken salad into a wrap.
You can wrap this chicken salad in lettuce to make low-carb lettuce wraps.
Serve this chicken salad with crackers at parties or as an appetizer. Slices of cheese and crackers will work very well with this salad.
SOME MORE RECIPES TO TRY
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
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Macaroni Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 1 1/2 cups red grapes cut in half
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds chopped
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- salt and fresh cracked pepper
- 2/3 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil and season it with salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Add chicken and cook chicken over medium heat until fully done. Take chicken out and set side to cool until it can be handled.
- Cook pasta according to box instructions, drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Once chicken is cooled enough, dice it into small cubes and add it to pasta.
- Add chopped grapes and almonds. Season with some salt and pepper and mix well.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and pressed garlic. Mix well.
- Mix mayo mixture into the salad, making sure it's all evenly distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on September 19, 2014. Updated June 17, 2019.
Suzy says
Full of flavors, and textures, all in a wrap to go, I love it.
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Suzy!!
Zack says
This looks delicious because of it’s simplicity – the large ratio of grapes is making me want it! Gotta get busy and make this soon. Thanks!
LyubaB says
haha I do like a good amount of grapes in my chicken salad! I hope you like it!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
You totally take chicken salad to the next level by adding pasta! Do.Want.LOTS of carbs when I eat a savory, full of flavor recipe and this fits the bill. LOVE the addition of grapes for a pop of sweetness. Great recipe, Lyuba!
lyuba says
Haha! That’s right, chicken salad 2.0!
Thank you, Julie!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
This looks amazing Lyuba! I can see why you have been making it for 15 years!
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Julie!
I still can’t believe I can say that I’ve been making something for 15 years 🙂
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
I can see why you have continued to make this recipe. Chicken salad sandwiches are my all time favorite sandwich. I have never done it with macaroni in it before, but I think that is an inspired idea for a wrap!
lyuba says
I hope you will try it as soon as you can, Carol! Thank you!!
Desiree @ The36thAvenue says
So yummy! Pinning!
lyuba says
Thank you, dear! 🙂
Liz says
Love all the recipes Lyuba. Thank you.
Lyuba says
Thank you so much, Liz!
Frances says
Your chicken salad is delicious and fancy. I was impressed with this dish!
LyubaB says
Thanks, Frances!
Jack says
The chicken salad you made was delicious and a perfect snack. thank you
LyubaB says
Thanks, Jack! 🙂
Jayme Silvestri says
This chicken looks so beautifully succulent and flavourful, and coriander and lime is such a great flavour combination. Love your suggestion for turning this into a salad to. Yum!
LyubaB says
Thank you, Jayme!