Filipino-style Macaroni Salad is a must for any party or celebration! Loaded with chicken, ham, cheese, and crushed pineapple, it’s hearty, delicious, and a sure crowd favorite.
Like spaghetti, Filipino-style macaroni salad is one of the dishes we adapted from the west and gave our own Pinoy twist. Bursting with tropical flavors, it’s the perfect fit for our tastes.
This recipe was first published in September 2013 but I am giving it a little makeover today with new photos and cooking tips because, well, Christmas is almost here. No Filipino party or gathering is complete without chicken macaroni and if I may say so myself, this version of mine is THE mother of all macaroni salads!
With a delicious hodgepodge of hearty pasta, shredded chicken, cubed ham and cheese, crushed pineapples, plump raisins, diced carrots, and chopped eggs, it’s a smorgasbord of flavors and textures your guests wouldn’t be able to get enough of. They will be lining up for seconds thirds!
Good thing this macaroni salad recipe can be easily doubled (or tripled) for a large crowd and can be prepped in advance for less-stress entertaining.
Tips on How to Make Filipino-style Macaroni Salad:
- Macaroni is the highlight of the show here so make sure it’s cooked right. As pasta tends to turn chewy when it cools, you might want to cook it a minute more than package directions but don’t overcook where it gets mushy. It’s tossed with an overwhelming amount of mixed ins and you want the pasta firm enough to hold up.
- My favorite trick in this recipe is poaching the chicken and not “boiling”. This gentle method of cooking ensures chicken pieces are moist and succulent instead of dry and stringy. I used boneless chicken breasts but a combination of dark and white meat will work well, too.
- Like poaching the chicken, blanching the carrots is another step that makes a difference. By parboiling in hot water and then immediately shocking them in iced water, the carrots are vibrant and tender-crisp.
- I like to dice sweet gherkin pickles for extra crunch but feel free to swap sweet pickle relish.
- Do not skip the condensed milk! The half a cup adds creaminess and a touch of sweetness which counterbalances the savory flavors of the dish.
- The pasta salad will be a little loose when first combined but it will thicken beautifully after an hour or so in the fridge. I know everyone will be excited to dig in but give it a little time to cool completely and meld.
How Long Can You Keep Macaroni Salad
Although you can prep the salad in advance, I don’t recommend keeping it at room temperature for more than 4 hours or for more than 3 days in the refrigerator due to food safety. With mayo, eggs and other protein-rich ingredients, it will spoil quicker than most foods.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the ingredients, this chicken macaroni salad does not freeze well. The fats and oils in the mayonnaise break down and lose creaminess when frozen and thawed.
Include this Filipino macaroni on your holiday menu and make A LOT as it’s sure to be a crowd favorite!
Watch the Video and See How Easy it Is to Make this Filipino-style Macaroni Salad
Filipino-style Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked medium elbow macaroni
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh meat
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 cup ham, cubed
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 14 ounces crushed pineapple
- 1 cup Eden or Velveeta Cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, bring about 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for about 8 to 9 minutes or until firm to bite. Drain well.
- In a pot, add chicken meat and enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top. Lower heat, cover, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Drain from the liquid, allow to completely cool and shred. Set aside.
- In a pot, bring water to a boil. Add diced carrots and cook for about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove from water and plunge into an ice bath until completely cool. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine macaroni, chicken, carrots, ham, eggs, crushed pineapple including packing juice, cheese, sweet pickle relish, raisins, onions, mayonnaise, and sweetened condensed milk. Gently stir together until evenly distributed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to cool completely and to allow flavors to meld.
Nutrition
ayan fuentes says
March 26, 2019 at 3:53 pmThis is definitely not pilipino style macaroni salad. Pilipino style has no onions, carrots or raisins but it has hotdog. You invented this and someone I know copied it and was embarrass at work coz its disgusting.
Lalaine says
March 26, 2019 at 5:53 pmI’ve never heard of macaroni salad with hot dogs, are you referring to Baked macaroni perhaps? And no, I did not invent this. I am sorry that someone you know was embarrassed at work, but I am not sure why people would embarrass someone bringing free food. I won’t call this macaroni salad disgusting. Unless of course, you add hot dogs to it then that would really be gross.
Jesse says
April 16, 2019 at 1:35 pmHow can he/she say that the recipe is not Pinoy macaroni salad??? I may prepare mine with less ingredients but yours is totally a macaroni salad! And his/her version is with hotdogs?? OMG! That’s just gross!
Thanks, Lalaine! I haven’t tried this yet but I’m sure it’ll be delicious!
Lalaine Manalo says
April 18, 2019 at 10:24 amThank you, Jessie 🙂
April says
June 3, 2019 at 9:21 pmThere’s a lot of variations in our cooking, depending on what flavour we are looking for. If one prefers to add hotdogs in hers coz it pleases her tastebuds or palate, then so be it, we respect it. We dont call it diisgusting. Maybe better if we say, “i dont prefer hotdogs in mine”. Only immature people make those rude comments. If i prefer to put ham in mine or shrimps, please respect it coz to me it isnt only very asian, but is also very tasty. Again, if u dont like this recipe Ms Lailani has shared us, we expect u dont copy it. If u want your own recipe, we totally respect it. See, i honestly dont put everything in almost every recipe i see someone had posted. But those recipes give me an idea what ingridients i need, what i may not include that i dont prefer of what i may add that may be some of my favourite ingridients. If u are an experienced cook, u can figure out what u like. Ti thank you all those who posts and share their recipes online. Keep up the good work! Remember, we cant please everyone but still there is lots of people out there who ate pleased with your recipes. Pls dont let critics turn u down? Good job Lailani. And Ms Ayan Fuentes, if Lailani invented this, that even raises more my compliments on her.
Lalaine Manalo says
June 4, 2019 at 2:13 pmThank you, April. Well said 🙂
Grace says
December 7, 2018 at 1:37 amI am.preparing this tonight for my husband’s Christmas Party with fellow Pinoys tomorrow night.
Thank you for the recipe.💕💕💕
Lalaine says
December 8, 2018 at 1:05 pmYou’re welcome! I hope they enjoyed it 🙂
Dany says
November 1, 2018 at 2:47 amI love this recipe.
Lalaine says
November 1, 2018 at 5:14 amThank you!
Cee says
June 9, 2018 at 7:45 amThis is an awesome recipe! Enjoyed making it and so delicious. thank you so much for sharing
Lalaine says
June 9, 2018 at 12:12 pmThank you so much, Cee, for the feedback. I am glad you enjoyed it!
Bea Veserie Agbayani says
June 16, 2018 at 2:20 amHow much does this cost if I would buy it?😅
Lalaine says
June 16, 2018 at 4:04 amHahaha, I know there is too much to prep and it’s would be much easier to just order it. 🙂 Unfortunately, I don’t cater but one trick I do when I am craving this salad but don’t want to do the work, I use rotisserie chicken and premade macaroni salad from the grocery stores. I just add the rest of the ingredients and it tastes 🙂
Regine Condiman says
March 13, 2017 at 8:27 amthat looks delicious, i really like macaroni salad ever since i was a kid. love this recipe, i will try it for sure
Regine Condiman says
March 13, 2017 at 8:17 ami really like macaroni salad, it’s really sweet and tasty, i will surely try this one
Lalaine says
March 13, 2017 at 12:29 pmI hope you do, it’s so good! 🙂
Ken Webb says
August 10, 2016 at 12:25 amWe. Have found a Filipino place we love in Lake Forest called Pam’s Best Filipino Food and they make a macaroni salad to die for. This seems super close except for the sweetened condensed milk. I have been hunting down the Filipino mayo/sandwich spread my hubby remembers as a kid,..even found heirloom carrots that are all kinds of colors. What if we use a sweet onion like a Walla Walla instead on a standard onion? And how about a Canadian style bacon ham? I don’t want it to taste “smoked” and wondered if I should use quail eggs or regular dark yolk hard boiled? I also noticed the raisins were very soft and thought I should over night them in apple juice ?
Lalaine says
August 10, 2016 at 6:52 pmHello Ken
I live in Orange County so Lake Forest is not that bad of a drive. I’d love the restaurant as it has good reviews on Yelp. I add condensed milk as it adds a touch of sweetness to sort of balance of tangy pineapple. Sweet onions will be great for this recipe as it’s on the sweet side. I don’t think it’s necessary to soak the raisins as they will soften when mixed together with the rest of the ingredients. I usually just use regular boiled eggs bu quail eggs I guess will be alright. Smoked ham might be an interesting combination, I am sure it will be compliment the sweet and tangy flavors of the macaroni salad, just cube into bite size pieces. Please let me know how it turns 🙂
KW says
August 10, 2016 at 7:15 pmThanks. I will. I have most of the stuff to try this out. I will make a big heaping bowl of it. We love the stuff at Pam’s.
Lalaine says
August 10, 2016 at 7:29 pmEnjoy!
Chris Juricich says
May 2, 2016 at 5:08 amI like the recipe more or less, but find the addition of cheese, ham and raisins to be…for me…over the top. Too rich! But the baseline is pretty good. And making the dish ‘better’ is relative and stating is presumptuous and opinionated; such a western view!
Both have their aspects of goodness, just as two different recipes for the same dish can each shine in their own way.
suzanne castruita says
June 3, 2016 at 11:48 amNote “Filipino style” macaroni salad!?? Very good Filipino style recipe!
helen smits says
March 31, 2016 at 3:08 pmLove your recipe. They are very easy to follow. I agree it improve my cooking and this one is awesome good.
Lalaine says
April 4, 2016 at 12:58 pmThank you, Helen 🙂
Andrew says
December 24, 2015 at 6:08 pmIf youre using this recipe drain the pineapple instead of using the juice. I used the juice and my salad turned out too sweet/acidic
Regina Osborn says
October 15, 2015 at 3:12 pmI wanted to try this recipe to take too my friends 50th birthday party. I did however leave out the carrots and I used shredded cheese instead of velveeta.
Esteban says
June 7, 2014 at 5:47 pmHi. The recipe is good, thanks for sharing. I’m just writing in because of the phrase “By debasing a classic recipe…”
Lalaine says
June 7, 2014 at 8:55 pm🙂
rr says
June 20, 2017 at 6:46 pmWow, what an unnecessary comment!
On a happier, non-debasing note, YUM recipe 🙂
Lalaine says
June 21, 2017 at 10:33 pmThank you 🙂
Patrick Amanse says
January 13, 2014 at 10:25 amHello! I am making this macaroni salad right now and was just wondering, what happened to the 6 pieces of coarsely chopped egg?
Thanks and good day!
Lalaine says
January 13, 2014 at 10:45 amHello
The chopped eggs are mixed in with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks.
Ktine says
December 21, 2013 at 7:05 amLove reading ur recipes..it help impR0ves my c0okng aBlty,
Lalaine says
January 25, 2014 at 12:49 amThanks 🙂
jeiby says
October 17, 2013 at 6:32 pmloooll sorry didnt read it carefully
Lalaine says
October 20, 2013 at 12:15 am🙂
jeiby says
October 17, 2013 at 6:26 pmwonder what you need to do with the carrots.. lol you just sliced it and eat? lol
thanks..