A Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe that could easily be a creamy macaroni salad. The addition of the boneless skinless chicken breasts and some great veggies really kicks it up a notch.
It makes a great summer dinner when you add some dinner rolls and a dessert, and can quickly be doubled for a potluck.
Feel free to make substitutions for the vegetables and herbs, based on what you have on hand or family preferences – it’s sure to come out tops on your list of quick and easy salads.
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- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups small elbow macaroni cooked according to package directions
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1/2 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1/2 cup carrots diced and lightly steamed
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil julienned
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
- 2 cups shredded lettuce romaine or iceberg
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- pinch of paprika
- Season the boneless chicken breasts with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the chicken breasts until they are cooked through. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Cook the small elbows until they are al dente, or still a little firm. Refrigerate until needed.
- When the macaroni is well chilled, combine it with 1 cup of the mayonnaise. To the same bowl, add the cooked chicken and the vegetables. Season the mixture with the garlic powder, lemon juice and more kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Add the remaining 1 cup of mayonnaise and the shredded lettuce, then thoroughly blend all the ingredients.
- Portion the salad onto chilled plates and sprinkle a little paprika over each serving. Serve well chilled.
Good To Know – You can lighten the calories in this recipe by substituting non-fat or low fat mayonnaise. You may even find that 2 cups of mayonnaise is more than enough, so feel free to reduce it a little if you choose.
If you need a great lunch or a light dinner try this Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe.
Be sure to follow Foodgasm Recipes on Pinterest for more great recipes!