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Filipino-style Macaroni Salad

Posted on September 29, 2018 by Lalaine. 32 Comments

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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.

Filipino-style Macaroni Salad in a red casserole dish
Filipino-style Macaroni Salad

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!

serving chicken macaroni salad with a large spoon

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.

elbow macaroni, shredded chicken, diced ham, cheese cubes, diced carrots, chopped eggs, raisins in a red casserole dish to make Filipino-style macaroni

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.

mixing chicken macaroni salad with a large spoon

  • 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.

Filipino-style Macaroni Salad on a serving plate

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

serving chicken macaroni salad with a large spoon
Print Recipe Leave a Comment
3.65 from 107 votes

Filipino-style Macaroni Salad

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.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: chicken macaroni salad, filipino-style macaroni salad
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 600kcal
Author: Lalaine

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

Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 27.5% | Vitamin C: 6.8% | Calcium: 18.6% | Iron: 9.3%
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Kawalingpinoy and hashtag your photo with #kawalingpinoy

 

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Filed Under: Meat and Poultry, Rice, Potatoes and Noodles Tagged With: chicken, macaroni

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Lalaine from Kawaling Pinoy

Hello! My name is Lalaine and welcome to Kawaling Pinoy where you’ll find Filipino and Asian-inspired recipes, cooking tips, and how-to videos. Read more...

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Comments

  1. Grace says

    December 7, 2018 at 1:37 am

    I am.preparing this tonight for my husband’s Christmas Party with fellow Pinoys tomorrow night.
    Thank you for the recipe.💕💕💕

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      December 8, 2018 at 1:05 pm

      You’re welcome! I hope they enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  2. Dany says

    November 1, 2018 at 2:47 am


    I love this recipe.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      November 1, 2018 at 5:14 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Cee says

    June 9, 2018 at 7:45 am


    This is an awesome recipe! Enjoyed making it and so delicious. thank you so much for sharing

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 9, 2018 at 12:12 pm

      Thank you so much, Cee, for the feedback. I am glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
      • Bea Veserie Agbayani says

        June 16, 2018 at 2:20 am

        How much does this cost if I would buy it?😅

        Reply
        • Lalaine says

          June 16, 2018 at 4:04 am

          Hahaha, 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 🙂

          Reply
  4. Regine Condiman says

    March 13, 2017 at 8:27 am

    that looks delicious, i really like macaroni salad ever since i was a kid. love this recipe, i will try it for sure

    Reply
  5. Regine Condiman says

    March 13, 2017 at 8:17 am

    i really like macaroni salad, it’s really sweet and tasty, i will surely try this one

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      March 13, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      I hope you do, it’s so good! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ken Webb says

    August 10, 2016 at 12:25 am

    We. 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 ?

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      August 10, 2016 at 6:52 pm

      Hello 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 🙂

      Reply
      • KW says

        August 10, 2016 at 7:15 pm

        Thanks. 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.

        Reply
        • Lalaine says

          August 10, 2016 at 7:29 pm

          Enjoy!

          Reply
  7. Chris Juricich says

    May 2, 2016 at 5:08 am

    I 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.

    Reply
    • suzanne castruita says

      June 3, 2016 at 11:48 am

      Note “Filipino style” macaroni salad!?? Very good Filipino style recipe!

      Reply
  8. helen smits says

    March 31, 2016 at 3:08 pm

    Love your recipe. They are very easy to follow. I agree it improve my cooking and this one is awesome good.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      April 4, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      Thank you, Helen 🙂

      Reply
  9. Andrew says

    December 24, 2015 at 6:08 pm


    If youre using this recipe drain the pineapple instead of using the juice. I used the juice and my salad turned out too sweet/acidic

    Reply
  10. Regina Osborn says

    October 15, 2015 at 3:12 pm


    I 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.

    Reply
  11. Esteban says

    June 7, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    Hi. The recipe is good, thanks for sharing. I’m just writing in because of the phrase “By debasing a classic recipe…”

    Here’s a link to Googled definition of *debase*:

    https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=debase

    Hope you’ll consider writing, next time, that we Pinoys *altered* or *rewrote* or even *hacked* a classic recipe… because *debased* seem, to me, just too negative. No matter how upbeat the intent of the sentence, the connotations of the term are just too, well, debasing.

    =)

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      June 7, 2014 at 8:55 pm

      🙂

      Reply
    • rr says

      June 20, 2017 at 6:46 pm

      Wow, what an unnecessary comment!
      On a happier, non-debasing note, YUM recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Lalaine says

        June 21, 2017 at 10:33 pm

        Thank you 🙂

        Reply
  12. Patrick Amanse says

    January 13, 2014 at 10:25 am

    Hello! 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!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      January 13, 2014 at 10:45 am

      Hello

      The chopped eggs are mixed in with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks.

      Reply
  13. Ktine says

    December 21, 2013 at 7:05 am

    Love reading ur recipes..it help impR0ves my c0okng aBlty,

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      January 25, 2014 at 12:49 am

      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  14. jeiby says

    October 17, 2013 at 6:32 pm

    loooll sorry didnt read it carefully

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      October 20, 2013 at 12:15 am

      🙂

      Reply
  15. jeiby says

    October 17, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    wonder what you need to do with the carrots.. lol you just sliced it and eat? lol
    thanks..

    Reply

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