Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable View)

Zesty cold pasta salad with buffalo chicken, crunchy vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing. Ideal for gatherings and meal prep.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions 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, garnish with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like buffalo wings without the mess on your fingers or the napkin pile.
  • You can make it hours ahead and it actually gets better sitting in the fridge.
  • The crunch from the celery and peppers keeps every bite interesting.
  • It feeds a crowd without turning on the oven in summer.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the pasta, it clumps into a gummy mess and the dressing slides right off instead of coating it.
  • Adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm makes it absorb too much and turns the whole thing dry and sad by serving time.
  • Taste the buffalo sauce before you commit, some brands are way hotter than others and you don't want to accidentally weaponize a picnic dish.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken and skip the cooking step entirely, it's already juicy and saves you fifteen minutes.
  • Dice your veggies small and uniform so every bite has a little bit of everything instead of random chunks.
  • If you're not a blue cheese person, try shredded cheddar or pepper jack instead, it still works.
  • Make a double batch because people always ask for the recipe and then immediately ask for seconds.
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