Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printer-friendly)

Zesty cold pasta salad with tender buffalo chicken, crunchy 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, optional
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley, optional

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water, then 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 fully 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 develop and meld together.
07 - Before serving, top with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like buffalo wings without the mess, and you can eat it with a fork in your lap.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're never stuck in the kitchen when guests arrive.
  • The contrast between spicy chicken and cool creamy dressing makes every bite interesting.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day once the flavors soak into the pasta.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta under cold water after draining or it will clump together into a sticky mess by the time you add the dressing.
  • Toss the chicken with buffalo sauce separately before adding it to the salad, or the sauce won't coat evenly and you'll end up with bland bites.
  • Let the salad chill for at least thirty minutes because the flavors taste flat and separated when it's warm.
  • Add the blue cheese and herbs right before serving so they stay fresh and don't get soggy sitting in the dressing.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken and pre shredded cheese to cut your prep time in half without sacrificing flavor.
  • Rinse diced red onion under cold water for thirty seconds to take the harsh bite out and leave just the sweetness.
  • Taste the salad after it chills and adjust the buffalo sauce or ranch if the balance feels off, because everyone's heat tolerance is different.
  • Double the recipe if you're feeding more than six people because it goes faster than you think.
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