Island-Style Chicken Macaroni Salad

July 14: Macaroni Day

Macaroni salad is a popular side dish scooped onto plate lunches in the Hawaiian Islands.  This version is fortified with chicken and sweetened with pineapple, pickle relish, raisins and condensed milk and mixed with vibrant vegetables to embody Hawaii’s colorful rainbows and ethnic melting pot. Islander’s Mommy sometimes makes this island-style chicken macaroni salad as a light lunch in itself instead of as a side dish. This pasta is perfect for plate lunches and especially for Macaroni Day.

Recipe

(From Mommy)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups cooked macaroni
• 2 cooked chicken breasts
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 carrot, washed and peeled
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, juice drained
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 packet of raisins
• ¼ – ½ cup mayonnaise (we recommend fat-free or light)
• ¼ – ½ cup sweetened condensed milk (we used fat-free)

Directions

Cook the macaroni al dente according to the package directions. Drain well and set aside to cool.  Shred or chop the chicken into small pieces. Cut the celery stalk into slivers. Grate the carrot. In a large bowl, put the chicken, celery, carrot and drained pineapple and mix well.

Gently add the macaroni to the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir in the pickle relish and raisins. Mix in the mayonnaise and condensed milk. Put the macaroni salad in a container. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend. To serve, scoop onto plates.