Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

This easy Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is a spicy, tangy, and extra creamy twist on classic pasta salad. It’s made with tender macaroni, juicy chicken, and crisp veggies, all tossed in creamy buffalo sauce. The perfect healthy side dish for summer BBQs and potlucks!

Classic pasta salad but for the buffalo wing sauce lovers? Yes, please. Imagine al dente elbow macaroni, tender shredded chicken, creamy mayo, ranch dressing, fiery buffalo sauce, and bits of celery and onion for crunch in every bite. YUM!

I love all things buffalo sauce, so I’ve developed this amazing pasta salad that’s perfect for summer and has that zesty, tangy chicken wing flavor. It combines crisp vegetables (celery and onion), tender chicken breast, and pasta, all tossed in a creamy buffalo sauce.

This recipe also makes a great meal prep for grab-and-go lunches or easy summer dinners. You get to control how spicy you let your dish become, which I love. Go mild, or ramp up the heat and devour it spicy!

🫙Make Your Own Buffalo Sauce

For this recipe, you can either make homemade buffalo sauce or buy your favorite bottled store brand. To make buffalo sauce, melt 1/3 cup of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of hot sauce, like Frank’s RedHot, and a pinch of garlic powder. Mix everything together and let it simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors, stirring occasionally. Adjust the taste if needed. Let the sauce cool a bit before using it on wings or as a dip.

🥣 How To Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

1️⃣ Cook pasta al dente. Start by cooking your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Then, immediately pour into a colander and rinse under cool water. Let the pasta drain well.

2️⃣ Make pasta salad sauce. Add the buffalo sauce, mayo, and ranch dressing to a large mixing bowl, and whisk into a smooth sauce.

3️⃣ Toss pasta salad. Then, dump the cooled and drained pasta, cooked chicken, diced celery, and diced onion into the bowl. Toss everything together until incorporated and the pasta and chicken are well coated in creamy buffalo sauce.

4️⃣ Chill pasta salad. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 2 hours. Give it another toss and serve cold. Enjoy!

👩🏻‍🍳Chef’s Tips

• Cooling the pasta – Once the pasta is fully cooked, drain and then run cold water over the pasta to cool it down. This is going to help stop the cooking process. If you don’t cool down the last it will become mushy as it will continue to cook until it cools down enough.
• Chilling the salad to develop flavors – Make sure that you allow time for the pasta salad ti sit in the fridge in a covered container. This is going to allow all the flavors to blend and deepen the flavors of the salad. Otherwise, it will lack flavor if you make and serve right away.
• Best types of pasta to use for pasta salad – Use medium-sized pasta for this recipe. Rotini, penne, elbow, shells, farfalle, etc. The sauce will soak into the pasta and get in the nooks and crannies for added flavor. Just cook the pasta as directed on the back of the box.
• Season chicken – You can season the chicken with salt and pepper or your choice of sauce when you go to cook up the chicken. I recommend at least seasoning with salt and pepper to prevent your chicken from being bland.
• Toss salad well before serving – Make sure you take the time to toss the salad well before you go to serve. The pasta will soak up the sauce, and some will end up at the bottom of the container. So mixing ensures a more even distribution.
• Garnish before serving – You can add on fresh herbs, green onions, or even shredded cheese right before serving. This adds a stunning presentation value but added flavor.
• What to serve – Serve buffalo chicken pasta salad with a fresh salad or garlic bread to balance its spicy flavor. Crisp air fried veggies or a fruit salad can add a fresh touch, while corn on the cob or grilled vegetables are great for a fuller meal.

🥗How To Prevent Soggy Pasta Salad

Make sure to cook your pasta till it is al dente, as directed on the box. Then run under cold water once you drain it from the pot. These two steps are going to help ensure you don’t end up with soggy pasta.

🫑Customize Your Chicken Wing Pasta Salad

• Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta for this recipe. Also, make sure all the other ingredients are gluten-free or made in a gluten-free facility.
• Vegetarian: Leave out the chicken and swap it with chickpeas, a meat substitute, or even some black beans. 
• Add cheese:  Blue cheese is a great pairing for this, as the blue cheese is going to balance out the acidic and spice of the buffalo sauce.
• Add veggies: Load up on vegetables in this salad—diced peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, snap peas, shredded carrots, celery, etc. Go ahead and create more flavor and texture with various vegetables.
• Pasta: You can alter the texture of the salad by using a different shape of pasta. Break spaghetti noodles in half, opt for protein pasta, or use elbows, bowties, or rigatoni!
• Without chicken: Just leave the meat out and make the recipe as is, or do some extra vegetables or even tofu for added texture.
• With shredded chicken: If you have some pre-cooked shredded chicken on hand (I love meal prepping) it is a great way to grab and use the chicken you have on hand. Or if you own an air fryer, try my air fryer shredded chicken, which is another great way to cook up boneless, skinless chicken.
• Healthy (lighter) – Greek yogurt is a great way to add protein and create a lighter version of this pasta salad which reduces the fat. If you want use a reduced-fat mayo as well, as that will help lighten up the salad.