Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printer-Friendly)

A zesty cold pasta salad with spicy buffalo chicken, fresh vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing. Ideal for gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
03 - 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup celery, finely diced
05 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Dressing

08 - 3/4 cup ranch dressing
09 - 1/4 cup sour cream
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Garnish

11 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

# Direction Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss cooked chicken with buffalo wing sauce until evenly coated.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, buffalo chicken, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, sour cream, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
07 - Before serving, garnish with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like your favorite buffalo wings but without the messy fingers or need for napkins.
  • The salad stays delicious for hours at room temperature, so its actually better for picnics than most cold dishes.
  • You can make it the night before and let all those flavors get cozy in the fridge together.
  • Its hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but light enough that you dont feel weighed down on a hot day.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta under cold water after draining or it will stay warm and make your veggies soggy and sad.
  • Dont skip the chilling time, the salad tastes okay warm but absolutely incredible once its had time to sit in the fridge.
  • If you make it the night before, hold back a little dressing to toss in before serving because pasta soaks it up as it sits.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken and save yourself 20 minutes, nobody will know and it tastes just as good.
  • Taste your buffalo sauce before adding it to the chicken, some brands are way hotter than others and you can always add more but you cant take it back.
  • If youre not a blue cheese person, try shredded cheddar or pepper jack instead, it still gives you that cheesy hit without the funky flavor.
Go Back