Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

By Becky Hardin

Updated May 26, 2026

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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect BBQ side dish. I love the classic Buffalo Chicken flavors, so adding it to a pasta salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. I find this salad has just the right amount of spice and heat to make it a great addition to my summertime spreads. I take cooked chicken, toss it with homemade Buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and then throw in veggies for crunch, top it all with cheese, and voila, a supercharged summer salad that’s loaded with texture and flavor that comes together in just a few minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad has become one of my favorite pasta salads because it features one of my favorite flavors, Buffalo sauce. I’m not a big lover of chicken wings, so I had never tasted the sauce before. I went to a New Year’s Eve party, where someone had brought Buffalo chicken dip. I tried it and was hooked! Since I started learning to cook, I have been obsessed with recreating this delicious flavor combo in any way I can.

For this pasta salad, I’ve taken one of my favorite pasta shapes, bowtie pasta, as the creamy, savory sauce clings to the little nooks and crannies. I then throw in chopped celery for some crunch, green onions for a subtle peppery hit, and then top it all with cheddar and blue cheese for a tangy and scrumptious side ideal for those hot summer nights. From start to finish, this salad takes about 35-40 minutes, including a few minutes in the fridge for the flavors to develop and mingle.

Tips for Beginners

• Make ahead. I like to prepare this pasta salad recipe ahead of time, so that it’s ready to go when I’m ready to eat. It needs about 15-20 minutes to properly cool before serving. However, letting it sit in the fridge a little longer makes it even more flavorful.
• Adjust the amount of cheese. I am a true cheese lover, so I like to pile on the cheese, but you can add as much or as little as you like.
• Use a pre-made rotisserie chicken. Sometimes I’ll cook my own chicken, but for the sake of ease and speed, it’s just too easy to pick up a chicken at the supermarket.
• Make a big batch. I like to double this recipe, so I have leftovers to use up the rest of the week.
• Add some spice. I like to stir in hot sauce as there’s something about the heat of the sauce mixed with the cool pasta that is the perfect combination.

Recipe Card

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Difficulty: Easy

4.48 from 19 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Cool time: 15 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Author: Becky Hardin

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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect BBQ side dish with classic buffalo chicken flavors. With just the right amount of spice and heat, it's perfect to add to your summertime spread.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10 oz. bowtie pasta
• ▢ ½ cup light ranch
• ▢ ½ cup Buffalo sauce store-bought or homemade
• ▢ 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup diced celery
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped green onion
• ▢ ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ▢ ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese optional

Instructions 

• Prepare pasta according to box instructions, drain, and set aside to cool.
  10 oz. bowtie pasta
• Combine all other ingredients and toss with the cooled pasta.
  ½ cup light ranch, ½ cup Buffalo sauce, 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, ¼ cup diced celery, ¼ cup chopped green onion, ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
• Cool in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before serving. Stir and enjoy!

Serving: 1servingCalories: 625kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 30gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1470mgPotassium: 379mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 2.2mgCalcium: 135mgIron: 2.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Store

The awesome thing about pasta salad is that you can make it ahead of time, let it sit in the refrigerator so flavors blend perfectly after it sits for a while. Like a marinade, the longer it’s in the fridge, the more flavorful it gets! So, of course, this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is so great to keep around as leftovers too.

Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Eat straight from the fridge or let it come to room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

I like to make this Buffalo chicken pasta salad as a side dish for our backyard BBQs, along with traditional BBQ eats like juicy smash burgers and perfectly charred grilled hot dogs. I usually add a few other sides like this simple and quick homemade coleslaw, and when corn season hits, grilled corn on the cob. It’s just the right amount for my family of 4 as a side. If I’m expecting a big crowd, I’ll double the recipe.

More Buffalo Chicken Recipes To Try

• This Crockpot Buffalo Chicken features spicy chicken, perfect for sandwiches, tacos, nachos, and more.
• I make this Buffalo Chicken Dip with shredded chicken, cream cheese, ranch, more cheese, and a touch of red hot sauce.
• In this Buffalo Chicken Wrap recipe, chicken breasts are marinated in Buffalo sauce and rolled in tortillas with ranch dressing, lettuce, celery, avocado, and cheese.

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