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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Buffalo chicken pasta salad with buffalo-coated chicken, celery, and blue cheese crumbles tossed in ranch dressing. Bold hot sauce flavor with a cool, creamy finish—great for game day or potlucks.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta Use penne or rotini for sturdy scoops.
  • 3 cooked chicken breast, diced About 3 cups diced chicken.
  • 0.5 cup buffalo sauce Adjust heat level if desired.
  • 1 cup celery, diced Dice small for even bites.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved Halve for juicy bursts.
  • 1 cup ranch dressing Choose regular or reduced-fat.
  • 0.5 cup blue cheese crumbles Reserve some for topping.
  • 0.25 cup green onions, sliced For a fresh, sharp finish.
  • salt and pepper to taste Season in multiple steps as needed.

Method
 

Cook and rinse the pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta out briefly so it cools down quickly before mixing.
Coat the chicken
  1. Toss the diced cooked chicken breast with the buffalo sauce until every piece is well coated.
  2. Season the buffalo chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the cooled pasta, buffalo chicken, celery, and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl.
  2. Add the ranch dressing and toss until the pasta looks evenly coated and creamy.
  3. Gently fold in most of the blue cheese so it stays in crumbles rather than fully melting into the dressing.
  4. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and the texture set.
Serve
  1. Before serving, top with the remaining blue cheese and the sliced green onions for visible color and crunch.
  2. Taste and adjust with a little more salt and pepper if needed, then serve cold.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta cold and cool the buffalo-coated chicken briefly before assembling so the ranch dressing doesn’t loosen. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the pasta may absorb more dressing, so stir before serving. Freezing is not recommended because the ranch and tomatoes can break down. Dietary swap: use reduced-fat ranch or a lighter ranch-style dressing to cut calories while keeping the same tangy flavor.