Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Zesty cold pasta salad with tender buffalo chicken, fresh vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing. Ideal for gatherings.

# 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like buffalo wings but without the messy fingers, which means you can eat it politely at outdoor gatherings.
  • The cool creamy ranch balances the heat so perfectly that even people who claim they don't like spicy food end up going back for seconds.
  • You can make it hours ahead and it actually gets better as it sits, soaking up all those tangy flavors in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the pasta under cold water or it will clump together into one giant starchy mass that no amount of dressing can fix.
  • Add the blue cheese at the very end, not before chilling, or it will dissolve into the dressing and lose that sharp crumbly texture people love.
  • If you're making this the night before, hold back a few tablespoons of dressing to stir in right before serving since pasta absorbs liquid as it sits.
03 -
  • Use kitchen shears to cut the cooked chicken instead of a knife, it's faster and keeps your cutting board cleaner.
  • If you want deeper flavor, toss the chicken with buffalo sauce while it's still warm so the heat helps it absorb better.
  • Taste the salad right before serving and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if it needs brightening, because cold dulls flavors and a little acid brings everything back to life.
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