Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Zesty cold pasta with spicy buffalo chicken, fresh vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing. Perfect for picnics and family meals.

# 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

# How To Make It:

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 completely.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss the cooked chicken with buffalo wing sauce until evenly coated.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the 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 the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Cover the salad 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. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It satisfies every craving at once: creamy, spicy, crunchy, and tangy all in one bowl.
  • You can make it hours ahead and it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge.
  • It turns leftover rotisserie chicken into something people will ask you to bring to every gathering.
  • The buffalo heat is balanced perfectly by cool ranch, so it never feels overwhelming.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water, or it will keep cooking in its own heat and turn gummy by the time you serve it.
  • Toss the chicken with buffalo sauce while it is still slightly warm so the sauce soaks in instead of just sitting on the surface.
  • Always refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, because the flavors taste flat and disconnected if you serve it right away.
  • If you are making this the night before, hold back a few tablespoons of dressing to stir in before serving, since pasta absorbs liquid as it sits.
03 -
  • Toast the pasta in a dry skillet for one minute after draining to give it a slightly nutty flavor and firmer texture that holds up to the dressing.
  • Reserve a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water and stir it into the dressing if the salad looks too thick or dry after chilling.
  • Swap Greek yogurt for the sour cream if you want a tangier, lighter dressing that still has plenty of body and creaminess.
  • Use a mix of green and red bell peppers for extra color and a slightly sweeter, more complex veggie flavor.
Return