Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Zesty cold pasta salad with tender buffalo chicken, crunchy vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing—ideal for gatherings.

# What You 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

# How-To:

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 completely.
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 and develop.
07 - Before serving, garnish with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It brings the bold, tangy heat of buffalo wings into a dish you can actually bring to a potluck without worrying about sauce on everyone's fingers.
  • The crunch of celery and peppers against creamy ranch and spicy chicken hits every texture you didn't know you were craving.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.
  • It uses rotisserie chicken, so you're halfway done before you even start chopping.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta with cold water immediately after draining or it will clump into a sticky mess that no amount of dressing can fix.
  • Don't skip the chilling time, the salad tastes bland and one dimensional when it's still warm.
  • If you're making this a day ahead, hold back a little dressing and toss it in right before serving because pasta absorbs liquid as it sits.
03 -
  • Toss the hot pasta with a tiny drizzle of olive oil before chilling to prevent clumping, even after rinsing.
  • Taste the salad after it's been in the fridge and adjust the seasoning, cold dulls flavors so you might need a pinch of salt or an extra squeeze of lemon.
  • Serve it in a clear bowl if you can, the colors look incredible and people eat with their eyes first.
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