Try this cool and refreshing chicken macaroni dish

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When the weather is hot outside, you need a lunch that's cool, refreshing, light and delicious. This chicken macaroni salad is the perfect dish to prepare for you and your friends, or just a quick lunch for one. Tender chunks of white meat chicken are combined with al dente macaroni pasta and crunchy vegetables in a sweet mayonnaise dressing.
Make this recipe for potlucks or family gatherings. People love the mixture of textures between the chicken, pasta, vegetables and creamy dressing. It's also a smart way to sneak vegetables in for those picky eaters in the room. Since this dish requires hardly any cooking, it comes together in just over half an hour.
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Cooktop Cove
Cold Chicken Macaroni Salad
6-8
25 mins
10 mins
2 hrs 35 mins
3½ cups dried macaroni pasta
1½ pounds cooked white meat chicken breast, cubed or shredded
3 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed
1½ cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup dill relish
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 green onions, sliced
1 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
Paprika (to garnish, optional)
In a large pot of boiling salted water, prepare the macaroni pasta according to the package instructions for al dente. Drain the pasta, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.
Chop or crumble the hard-boiled eggs, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard and relish. Mix to fully combine.
Add the red pepper, onions, celery, chicken and eggs to the bowl. Fold the ingredients together until well-mixed.
Add the cooked pasta to the bowl, and fold to combine.
Once the mixture is fully blended, transfer the salad to a refrigerator-safe serving dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
When it's ready to serve, remove salad from the fridge, and remove the foil. Sprinkle the top with paprika to garnish (optional), and allow guests to self-serve using a serving spoon or ladle.
Pro-tip: Any shape of macaroni would work for this recipe, like elbow, cavatappi or rigatoni.
Pro-tip: Keep pasta refrigerated until ready to serve, and place any leftovers back in the fridge asap for the longest shelf life.
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