Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Tender buffalo chicken tossed with pasta, fresh vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing for a bold, satisfying cold dish.

# 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 fresh chives or parsley, chopped, optional

# 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 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.
05 - Pour the dressing over the 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, garnish with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It holds up beautifully at room temperature, so you can set it out without worrying about wilting greens or runny dressing.
  • The buffalo sauce gives it a bold flavor that stands out in a sea of mayo-heavy picnic dishes.
  • You can make it the night before and let all those flavors get cozy together in the fridge.
  • It uses rotisserie chicken, which means dinner can happen even on the nights when cooking feels like too much.
02 -
  • Rinse your pasta well after draining or it will clump into a sticky mass that no amount of dressing can fix.
  • Don't skip the chilling time, this salad tastes flat and one-note if you serve it warm.
  • If you're making it the night before, hold back a few tablespoons of dressing to toss in before serving since pasta keeps soaking it up.
03 -
  • Use a pasta shape with ridges or curves, smooth noodles let the dressing slide right off and you lose all that flavor.
  • Dice your celery small and uniform so it blends in instead of poking out in big awkward chunks.
  • If you're taking this somewhere warm, pack it in a cooler with ice packs, dairy-based dressings don't do well sitting out in the heat.
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