Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect summer entree or side dish! Pasta mixed with a colorful blend of fresh veggies, juicy shreds of chicken, and tossed in a spicy and creamy buffalo sauce.

Lightened up, easy, and delicious!

Easy Buff Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

Summer is pasta salad season. And this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is one of my favorites! It’s perfect for an easy lunch, a side dish with dinner, or for snacking out of the fridge every time you walk by. 😉 

This easy pasta salad recipe is loaded with the pasta of your choice, the perfect blend of fresh veggies, and shredded chicken all tossed in a homemade spicy buffalo sauce. It’s a healthier version and it’s quick, easy, and so delicious!

I love all things buffalo chicken like my Buffalo Chicken Taquitos, Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, and this dish is no exception to the list!

Ingredients Needed:

• Cooked Pasta: any pasta shape will work. Try rotini, penne, bow-tie, macaroni, you name it!
• Veggies: shaved or shredded carrots, cooked corn, diced bell pepper, diced scallions. See below for other ideas!
• Cilantro: chopped cilantro adds delicious freshness to the mix.
• Chicken: leftover shredded chicken or short cut… shredded rotisserie chicken!
• Mayo: I use avocado oil mayo, but any type of oil will work. 
• Hot Sauce: I like to use Frank’s hot sauce, but use your favorite variety!
• Seasonings: a mix of fine sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder takes the flavor in the dressing to the next level.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

This pasta salad with chicken comes together as quickly as you can cook the pasta and chop the veggies. So simple and so delicious! 

1. Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta according to box directions. Cool completely.
2. Combine: In a bowl, mix together all of the veggies, cilantro, chicken, and cooled pasta.
3. Add the sauce: Whisk together mayo, hot sauce, and seasonings, then pour the mixture over the pasta. Adjust the seasonings as needed, then serve and enjoy or store in the fridge.

Add Ins & Variations

• Make it cheesy. A sprinkle of crumbled bleu cheese would be perfect!
• Add other veggies. Try chopped grape tomatoes, finely diced celery, diced red onion, or chopped avocado.
• Make it vegetarian. Simply leave out the meat or add a can of chickpeas to compensate.
• Make it vegan. Swap the regular mayo out for a vegan variety and use chickpeas in place of the chicken.

What Foods Go With Pasta Salad?

Pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish or entree. It’s delicious served on its own or with any of your favorite summer recipes! 

Enjoy it at a BBQ next to some Grilled Corn on the Cob or serve it as a side dish without the chicken and next to Air Fryer Salmon, Buffalo Chicken Burgers, Grilled Pork Chops or Dry-Rub Grilled Wings.

Can You Make Pasta Salad Ahead of Time?

You can! This chicken pasta salad gets even better as it sits in the fridge so I like to make it a couple hours ahead of time to give the flavors time to soak into the veggies and pasta. 

If you want to prepare it even further ahead of time, I recommend pre-cooking the pasta, chopping all the veggies, and making the sauce in advance and storing them all separately in the fridge for a couple of days. When you’re ready to serve, mix it all up and it’s ready to go! 

How Long is Pasta Salad Good for in the Fridge?

Once assembled, this pasta salad will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Can You Freeze Pasta Salad?

I don’t recommend freezing this pasta salad. The texture of the fresh veggies will be affected and the mayo will separate and become watery when thawed.

More Pasta Salad Recipes to Try

• Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Gluten-Free Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Watch The Video