Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Zesty cold pasta with tender buffalo chicken, crisp vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing.

# 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:

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.
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 coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Cover 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 as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight, which means less stress on the day of your event.
  • The buffalo sauce gives you that game-day flavor without turning on the oven or deep fryer.
  • Every ingredient stays crisp and bright, so it never turns into a soggy mess at the bottom of the bowl.
  • You can dial the heat up or down depending on who is coming to dinner.
02 -
  • Rinse your pasta under cold water immediately after draining or it will stick together in one giant clump.
  • If you add the blue cheese too early, it will dissolve into the dressing and lose its punchy texture.
  • Always taste the buffalo sauce before tossing it with the chicken, because some brands are much hotter than others.
03 -
  • Rinse your chopped red onion under cold water for thirty seconds to take away the harsh bite without losing the flavor.
  • Chill your serving bowl in the fridge for ten minutes before adding the salad so it stays cold longer at outdoor events.
  • If you have picky eaters, set aside a portion before adding the buffalo sauce and toss it with plain ranch instead.
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