Description

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is a flavorful and satisfying cold pasta dish combining tender rotini pasta, spicy buffalo chicken, crunchy celery, fresh cherry tomatoes, and sharp cheeses. Tossed in a creamy buffalo wing and ranch dressing, this salad is perfect for potlucks, game days, or a quick summer meal. It’s easy to prepare and can be chilled ahead of time to meld all the delicious flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

12 ounces rotini or penne pasta
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup red onion, finely diced
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
Chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Dressing

½ cup buffalo wing sauce
½ cup ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing

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Instructions

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini or penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, typically about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta completely.
Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, shredded or diced cooked chicken, diced celery, halved cherry tomatoes, finely diced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled blue cheese if using. Gently toss these ingredients together to combine evenly.
Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing (or blue cheese dressing) until well blended, creating a creamy, spicy dressing.
Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta and chicken mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the buffalo ranch dressing.
Season and Chill: Taste the salad and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill.
Garnish and Serve: Just before serving, garnish the salad with chopped green onions if you like for a fresh pop of color and flavor. Serve cold and enjoy!

Notes

Rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe and saves time.
For extra heat, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to the dressing.
You can substitute Greek yogurt for part of the ranch or blue cheese dressing to lighten the salad.
This salad is perfect for preparing ahead and keeping chilled until serving.