Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Tender buffalo chicken, crunchy vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing tossed with pasta for a 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
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

# How To Make:

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 and well combined.
05 - Pour the prepared 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 and develop.
07 - Before serving, garnish with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better cold, so you can make it hours ahead and let the flavors deepen while you do other things.
  • The buffalo sauce gives you that restaurant wing flavor without the mess or the deep fryer.
  • Every bite has crunch, creaminess, and a little kick all at once.
  • Leftovers actually improve overnight as the pasta soaks up more of the tangy dressing.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta under cold water after draining or it will clump together and absorb too much dressing before you even mix it in.
  • Don't skip the chilling time, the flavors need at least 30 minutes to come together or it will taste like separate ingredients instead of a cohesive dish.
  • If the salad looks dry after sitting in the fridge, stir in a tablespoon or two of ranch or a splash of milk to loosen it back up.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken and you'll cut your prep time in half, plus the seasoning on the chicken adds even more flavor.
  • If you want it lighter, swap Greek yogurt for the sour cream, it still tastes creamy but has more protein and less fat.
  • Dice the celery and onion small so every bite has a little bit of crunch without big chunks that some people might avoid.
  • Toss the pasta with a tiny drizzle of olive oil right after rinsing to keep it from sticking together while it cools.
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