Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Spicy buffalo chicken tossed with pasta, crisp vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing in a refreshing cold salad.

# 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 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 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 and develop.
07 - Before serving, garnish with crumbled blue cheese and fresh chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It brings all the flavors of buffalo wings without the mess of bones and sticky fingers.
  • The creaminess balances the heat so perfectly that even people who usually avoid spice ask for the recipe.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a while.
  • It travels like a dream and never gets soggy or sad looking at potlucks.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional, or it will clump into a sticky mass that no amount of dressing can fix.
  • Letting it chill for at least 30 minutes is when the magic happens and the flavors stop tasting like separate ingredients.
  • If you add the blue cheese too early, it dissolves into the dressing and loses its punchy texture.
03 -
  • Shred the chicken by hand instead of cubing it, the irregular pieces hold onto more sauce and dressing.
  • Rinse your chopped red onion under cold water for 10 seconds to take the edge off without losing the flavor.
  • Always taste the dressing before adding it to the pasta so you can adjust the lemon or ranch to your liking.
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