Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable version)

Tender buffalo chicken, fresh vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing tossed with cold pasta for an easy crowd-pleasing dish.

# 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 Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It brings serious flavor without turning on the oven, which makes summer hosting so much easier.
  • You can prep it the night before and let it chill, so the day of your event stays stress free.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day once everything has mingled in the fridge.
  • It satisfies both the salad lovers and the people who need something hearty and filling.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water, or it will clump together and turn gummy as it cools.
  • Toss the chicken with buffalo sauce while it is still warm so the flavors penetrate deeper and do not just sit on the surface.
  • Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, but if you can give it a couple of hours, the taste improves dramatically.
  • Add the blue cheese and herbs at the last second so they stay fresh and do not get soggy or lost in the mix.
03 -
  • Dice your celery and onion small so they blend into every bite instead of standing out in awkward chunks.
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and shred it while it is still warm for the easiest prep and the most flavor.
  • Taste the salad before you serve it and adjust the buffalo sauce or ranch if it needs more kick or creaminess.
  • Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour if you can, the flavors really come alive after they have had time to get to know each other.
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