Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
This isn’t your average, bland pasta salad. This is bold, spicy, and loaded with shredded chicken, creamy dressing, and a serious kick of buffalo sauce. Crunchy celery and crisp bell peppers balance out the heat, while blue cheese or ranch cools things down. It’s smoky, tangy, and just messy enough to remind you it’s worth every bite. Perfect for cookouts, meal prep, or just eating straight from the bowl like an unapologetic legend. If you love buffalo wings but hate sticky fingers, this pasta salad fixes that problem. Just try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
A fiery, creamy pasta salad packed with buffalo chicken, crunchy veggies, and a cool dressing to balance the heat.
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta rotini or bowtie work great
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded (grilled or rotisserie)
- ½ cup buffalo sauce Frank’s RedHot or your favorite
- ½ cup ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing if you’re feeling fancy
- ½ cup celery chopped (for that crunch)
- ½ cup bell pepper diced (red or green, your call)
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped (because flavor)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese because why not?
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles optional but amazing
- 1 tbsp olive oil to keep things smooth
- ½ tsp garlic powder because garlic makes everything better
- ½ tsp salt adjust to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper trust me, it helps
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Shred cooked chicken while pasta cools (or use pre-shredded if you’re feeling lazy).
- Whisk together buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
- Combine pasta, shredded chicken, celery, bell pepper, red onion, cheddar cheese, and blue cheese crumbles in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the dressing over everything and toss until well coated.
- Chill for 15 minutes (or don’t, if you’re impatient), then serve.
Notes
Nutritional Values (Per Serving)
- Calories: 420
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
Vitamins & Minerals (Per Serving)
- Vitamin A: 15%
- Calcium: 12%
- Iron: 10%
- Vitamin C: 20%
- Potassium: 10%
Additional Notes & Tips
- Swap ranch for Greek yogurt dressing to lighten it up.
- Add chopped jalapeños if you like things extra spicy.
- Serve with extra buffalo sauce on the side for true heat lovers.
- Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Try mixing in some crispy bacon for an extra smoky kick.
