Description
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is a flavorful, spicy, and creamy dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or meal prep. It combines tender cooked pasta, shredded chicken tossed in a zesty buffalo wing sauce mixed with ranch and mayonnaise, and crisp vegetables for a satisfying cold salad with a kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 8 ounces rotini or penne pasta, cooked and cooled
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
Dressing and Seasonings
- 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Vegetables and Cheese
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded cheddar
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool.
- Prepare Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together buffalo wing sauce, ranch dressing, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked pasta, shredded chicken, diced celery, red bell pepper, shredded carrots, and cheese to the dressing. Toss everything gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly.
- Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle chopped green onions over the top and optionally add more buffalo wing sauce or ranch dressing for extra flavor.
Notes
- Great for picnics, potlucks, or meal prep due to its convenient make-ahead nature.
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy shortcut.
- Substitute blue cheese with shredded cheddar for a milder, creamier flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
