Every Filipino party I grew up going to had a folding table lined with dishes, and the macaroni salad bowl was always the first one scraped clean. My mom's version is the one I still make.
Creamy, a little sweet, loaded with chicken and pineapple. Nothing like the macaroni salad you grew up with if you didn't grow up Filipino.
This version is simple enough for a weeknight but still earns its spot at birthdays, Christmas, and fiestas. Rotisserie chicken keeps it fast. The rest comes together in one bowl.
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Jump to:
- What Makes Filipino Macaroni Salad Different
- Ingredients
- Substitution and Additions
- How to Make Filipino Macaroni Salad
- Tips for Getting It Right
- Make-Ahead and Storage
- Variations Worth Trying
- What to Serve With It
- Recipe FAQs
- More Filipino Recipes to Try Next
- Did you try this recipe?
- Filipino Chicken Macaroni Salad
What Makes Filipino Macaroni Salad Different
If you're used to American-style macaroni salad, the first thing you'll notice is that this one is sweet. Not dessert-sweet, but there's condensed milk in the dressing, pineapple throughout, and raisins for little pops of sweetness threaded through the savory mayonnaise and cheese.
That sweet-savory balance is the whole point. It's what makes this salad distinctly Filipino, and it's the one thing you shouldn't try to tone down. The condensed milk isn't a mistake. Don't skip it.
Ingredients
Here's what you will need:
- Pasta: Elbow macaroni is traditional and holds the dressing well, but any small shape works, including rotini, shells, or ditalini. Cook it al dente. It keeps softening as it sits in the dressing, so slightly underdone beats overdone here.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is the move. Shred the breast, skip the skin, and you've got tender, already-seasoned meat with zero extra work. Boiled chicken breast works too if that's what you have. Poaching it in lightly salted water keeps it moister than a hard boil, which matters more if you're making this for a gathering.
- Mayonnaise: I use Kewpie. It's richer and a little tangier than regular mayo, and it makes a noticeably better dressing. Regular mayo works fine too, but Kewpie is worth tracking down. Most Asian grocery stores carry it, and a lot of regular ones do now as well.
- Condensed milk: Just two tablespoons, stirred straight into the mayo. It rounds out the sweetness and adds that signature creaminess. This is what separates Filipino macaroni salad from every other pasta salad.
- Pineapple tidbits: Drain them well. Excess pineapple juice is the main reason macaroni salad turns watery.
- Carrots, red onion, green bell pepper: Mince them small so they blend into the salad instead of overwhelming any one bite. You want the flavor without the crunch of a big chunk.
- Cheese: I use Eden cheese here, but cheddar or anything similar works.
- Raisins: Non-negotiable for the classic version. If you really can't stand them, leave them out, but they add little bursts of sweetness that balance the savory ingredients in a way nothing else quite does.
- Sweet pickle relish: Just a couple tablespoons. Adds a gentle tang that cuts through the richness of the mayo.
- Spices: Salt and pepper.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitution and Additions
- Turkey: Swap in leftover holiday turkey instead of chicken. Works well the week after Thanksgiving when you've got extra on hand.
- Greek yogurt: Replace some or all of the mayonnaise for a lighter version. Start with half yogurt, half mayo so the dressing doesn't turn tangy instead of sweet.
- Apples: Add diced apples for extra crunch and natural sweetness alongside the pineapple.
- Ham: Diced ham alongside (or instead of) the chicken adds more protein and a saltier edge. Common in a lot of Filipino kitchens.
- Celery: Finely diced celery adds crunch and a little freshness to cut through the richness.
How to Make Filipino Macaroni Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, then set aside to cool completely. Cooling matters here: warm pasta will start to break down the mayo dressing.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled macaroni with the shredded chicken, minced carrots, red onion, green bell pepper, raisins, drained pineapple tidbits, diced cheese, and the rest of the dressing ingredients. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Fold rather than stir hard so the pasta doesn't break down.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors come together. Give it a final stir before serving, and taste. If it looks dry after chilling, a spoonful of mayo brings it right back.
Tips for Getting It Right
- Don't skip the chilling time. Thirty minutes isn't enough. An hour minimum, overnight is ideal. The salad that comes out of the fridge the next morning is noticeably better than the one that went in the night before.
- Drain your pineapple well. This is the single most common reason macaroni salad turns watery. Run it through a fine mesh strainer, then press it with a paper towel before adding it in.
- Mince the vegetables small. Carrots, onion, and bell pepper should be fine enough that you taste them in every bite without hitting a raw chunk. A rough chop makes the salad feel sloppy, so take the extra two minutes.
- Expect the pasta to soak up dressing overnight. That's normal, not a sign you did something wrong. If the salad looks dry after chilling, stir in a spoonful of mayo before serving to bring it back.
- Make a big batch. This scales up easily, and it's usually the first bowl to empty at a party. If you're bringing it somewhere, just double it.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Filipino macaroni salad is one of the best make-ahead dishes because it genuinely improves with time. Make it the day before, keep it covered in the fridge, and give it a final stir and taste before serving.
It keeps for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Don't freeze it. The mayo breaks down when thawed, and the texture turns grainy and separated.
If you're prepping for a large gathering, cook the pasta, prep the vegetables, and shred the chicken up to a day ahead. Store everything separately and combine it a few hours before serving so the pasta doesn't sit in the dressing too long before the party even starts.
Variations Worth Trying
- Use all-purpose cream in the dressing. Some Filipino cooks swap a portion of the mayo for Nestlé all-purpose cream. It makes the dressing silkier and a little lighter. Start with ¼ cup in place of some of the mayo.
- Try the fruit cocktail version. The sweeter, dessert-style take skips the chicken and vegetables entirely and goes full fruit: canned fruit cocktail, kaong, nata de coco, pineapple, raisins, condensed milk, and mayo. It's closer to a pasta-based fruit salad than a savory side, and it's especially common at fiestas and Christmas. Same name, two different dishes.
- Add hard-boiled eggs. Some versions include sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs for extra richness. Stir them in gently at the end so they don't break apart.
What to Serve With It
- Chicken Inasal: The smoky, tangy grilled chicken plays off the sweetness of the salad instead of competing with it.
- Grilled Liempo: Savory grilled pork belly complements the sweetness of the macaroni salad.
- Fried Chicken or Katsu: A crispy classic that holds up well next to a cold, creamy pasta side.
- Garlic Shrimp: A seafood option that balances the richness of the salad.
- Spam Musubi: A Hawaiian-inspired pairing with salty-sweet flavors.
- Pork Barbecue: The smoky-sweet skewers are a natural match.
- Pork Steak or Beef Steak: Savory, garlicky meat that grounds the meal next to something this creamy.
- Lumpiang Shanghai: Crunchy spring rolls are always a hit at the same table.
- Bistek Tagalog: Filipino beef steak brings savory richness to the table.
Recipe FAQs
The sweetness comes from condensed milk in the dressing, pineapple tidbits, and raisins. It's a defining characteristic of the Filipino version and what sets it apart from American-style macaroni salad, which tends to be purely savory or tangy. The sweet-savory balance is intentional and it works.
Eden cheese is the traditional choice — a processed cheddar-style cheese that's a staple in Filipino cooking. It's available at Filipino and Asian grocery stores. Regular cheddar is a great substitute. Some people use Velveeta in a pinch.
You can, though the texture won't be as good as rotisserie or freshly cooked chicken. If using canned, drain it well and break it up finely so it distributes evenly through the salad.
Usually from undrained pineapple or pasta that wasn't fully cooled before mixing. Drain the pineapple thoroughly, pat it dry, and make sure the pasta is at room temperature or colder before combining everything.
You can, but it won't taste quite right. The condensed milk is a small amount, just 2 tablespoons and it does a lot for the flavor. If you don't have it, a teaspoon of sugar stirred into the mayo gets you partway there.
Always cold. Straight from the fridge is perfect.
More Filipino Recipes to Try Next
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Filipino Chicken Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- 1 MIxing Bowl
- 1 medium pot (for cooking macaroni pasta)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry macaroni
- ½ pound rotisserie shredded chicken breast or boiled chicken breast
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup carrots minced
- ½ cup red onions minced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper minced
- ½ cup raisins
- 1½ cup pineapple tidbits
- 1 cup cheese diced small
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoon condensed milk
- salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.8 ounces dry macaroni
- Drain the macaroni and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled macaroni, shredded chicken and the rest of the ingredients.½ pound rotisserie shredded chicken breast, 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup carrots , ½ cup red onions, ¼ cup green bell pepper, ½ cup raisins, 1½ cup pineapple tidbits, 1 cup cheese , ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, 2 tablespoon condensed milk, salt
- Gently toss everything together until all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Taste the salad and adjust the salt if needed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
- After chilling, give the salad a final stir and transfer to a serving dish.
- Enjoy your macaroni salad cold as a side dish or a light meal.
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Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente. It continues to soften as it sits in the dressing. If it's already fully soft when you drain it, it'll be mushy by the time you serve it.
- Cool the pasta completely before mixing. Warm pasta melts the mayo and makes the dressing greasy and thin. Rinse under cold water, spread on a sheet pan for a few minutes if needed, and make sure it's fully at room temperature before combining.
- Drain the pineapple really well. This is the main reason macaroni salad turns watery. Drain in a strainer, then press gently with a paper towel before adding.
- Kewpie mayo makes a difference. It's richer and slightly tangier than regular mayo. Worth using if you can find it. Regular mayo works fine too.
- Mince the vegetables small. Carrots, onion, and bell pepper should be fine enough to blend into every bite. Big chunks make the salad feel uneven.
- The condensed milk is not optional. Just two tablespoons, but it's what gives this its signature Filipino sweetness. Don't leave it out.
- Chill for at least one hour before serving. Overnight is even better. The flavors meld and the salad firms up to the right consistency after resting in the fridge.
- It may look dry after chilling. The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits. Stir in an extra spoonful of mayo before serving if needed to bring it back together.
- Eden cheese is the classic choice. Available at Filipino and Asian grocery stores. Regular cheddar works perfectly as a substitute.
