Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

If you love buffalo chicken, this buffalo chicken pasta salad is going to be your new go-to. It’s got all that familiar heat and tang, but served cold, scoopable, and made for summer. The kind of dish people ask you to bring every single time.

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Quick and Easy Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

If you’re a buffalo chicken fan, this one’s for you. This buffalo chicken pasta salad is exactly what it sounds like, and that’s what makes it so good.

You get bold, tangy heat from the buffalo sauce, coolness from the ranch, a little crunch from the celery, and just a hint of sweetness from the carrots. It works as a side or a main, and if you have leftover crockpot buffalo chicken, it comes together in about 10 minutes.

It really shines in summer when you want something you can prep ahead and serve cold. Every time I bring it to a BBQ, it’s the first thing to disappear.

Ingredient Notes

Find the full printable recipe with directions below.

• Rotini pasta: Cooked to al dente and chilled before mixing. Rotini works great because the spirals hold onto the dressing, but penne or bowtie work too.
• Chicken: You’ll need one cooked and shredded chicken breast, about 1 cup. Rotisserie chicken is the easiest shortcut.
• Celery and carrots: hopped celery and shredded carrots add the perfect crunch to every bite.
• Ranch dressing: Store-bought works fine, but homemade ranch takes it to another level.
• Buffalo sauce: I love my homemade buffalo sauce recipe but Frank’s Red Hot works in a pinch. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste depending on how spicy you like it.
• Blue cheese: Crumbled on top for that classic buffalo flavor. Not a fan? Mozzarella or cheddar work great too.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Start by cooking your rotini to al dente, then rinse it under cold water and let it chill. This step matters! Warm pasta will soak up the dressing and turn the whole thing gummy.

While the pasta cools, mix together the ranch, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese in a small bowl. Give it a taste and adjust the heat now before it goes on everything.

Toss the pasta, shredded chicken, celery, and carrots together in a large bowl, then pour the dressing over the top and stir until everything is evenly coated. That’s it!

Serve straight away or pop it in the fridge until you’re ready. It actually gets better as it sits.

Recipe Tips

• Cool your pasta completely before mixing or the dressing will absorb right in and you’ll lose that creamy coating.
• Taste the dressing before it goes on. It’s much easier to adjust the heat in the bowl than after it’s tossed with everything.
• No rotisserie on hand? Make shredded chicken ahead of time and you’re good to go.
• Make it ahead. Buffalo chicken pasta salad actually gets better after an hour or two in the fridge once the flavors have had time to meld.

Variations

• No blue cheese? Swap in mozzarella or cheddar.
• Gluten-free? Sub your favorite GF pasta, rotini, penne, or elbows all work well.
• Make it a meal. Add avocado, bacon crumbles, or diced red onion to bulk it up.
• Make it vegetarian by skipping the chicken and adding extra veggies like bell pepper or tomato.
• Serving to kids? Leave out the hot sauce and toss with ranch only.

What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

This works great as a side or a main depending on how you load it up. As a side, it pairs perfectly with anything coming off the grill. Think burgers, hot dogs, or grilled chicken. As a main, just serve it in a bigger bowl and call it dinner.

Here are a few favorites to round out the meal:

• BLT Pasta Salad: if you’re doing a full spread and want another crowd-pleasing salad on the table.
• Corn on the cob, watermelon, or chips and dip to keep things casual and summery.
• Buffalo cauliflower for fellow buffalo fans who want to double down.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

4.91 from 22 votes

Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6

This buffalo chicken pasta salad is creamy, spicy, and ready in 10 minutes. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and summer entertaining.

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Ingredients 

• 2 cups rotini pasta , cooked to al dente and chilled
• 1 chicken breast , cooked and shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 stalks celery , chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• 2 Tablespoons buffalo sauce , more to taste (I used Frank's Red Hot)
• 2 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

• Mix together the ranch, blue cheese and buffalo sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Test the spiciness of the dressing and add more hot sauce to taste.
• Toss the cooked and cooled rotini, shredded chicken, celery and carrots together in a large bowl.
• Pour dressing over the pasta and stir until evenly coated.
• Divide into bowls and serve!

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Gluten-free: Make gluten free by subbing regular pasta for your favorite gluten free rotini, penne or macaroni noodles.

Cheese: You may also use shredded or crumbled mozzarella in place of blue cheese. 

To make-ahead: Pre-cook your noodles and have all ingredients chopped and ready to go in the fridge. A few minutes before serving, dump all ingredients in one bowl and top with dressing.

To store: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving. Do not freeze.

See Nutrition Info

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 486mg, Potassium: 340mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 3715IU, Vitamin C: 3.2mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.