Pasta salad is one of my favorite meal prep lunches because it’s easy to make, macro-friendly, holds up well in the fridge, and it’s something I look forward to eating every day.
This high-protein buffalo chicken pasta salad is my latest addition, and it’s honestly one of my best.
We combine seasoned, finely chopped chicken, high-protein pasta, celery, and carrots all tossed in a creamy buffalo ranch dressing.
It takes just 35 minutes to make, has under 500 calories, and 48 grams of protein per serving.
Get Your FREE 7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan
Struggling to eat enough protein? I'll send you a full week of meals with the shopping list.
You'll also get my new meal plan every Saturday. Unsubscribe anytime.
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- 48 grams of protein per serving. Between the chicken, the pasta, and the greek yogurt dressing, there is nearly 50 grams of protein, meaning you’ll be full and satisfied all afternoon long.
- Under 500 calories per bowl. This is the type of recipe that fits into almost any meal plan.
- 35 minutes from start to finish. Cook the pasta while the chicken roasts, then simply chop and combine.
- Made for meal prep. In just 35 minutes, you have healthy, high-protein lunches covered for the whole week ahead.
- Tastes like buffalo chicken dip in pasta salad form. If you love the OG, you gotta give this high-protein buffalo chicken pasta salad a try.
Love pasta salad as much as I do? My High-Protein Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a must-try. Easy to make and packed with flavor.
Key Ingredients
This high-protein buffalo chicken pasta salad is surprisingly simple.
- High-protein pasta: You can use lentil, chickpea, or even just whole wheat.
- Chicken breast: Season, roast, then finely chop. This brings tons of protein and sustenance to this pasta salad, and you can’t really have buffalo chicken without the chicken.
- Greek yogurt: This is the base of the dressing that forms your creamy buffalo ranch. It also adds a bit of protein, which never hurts.
- Buffalo sauce: You definitely can’t make a buffalo chicken pasta salad without some buffalo sauce. I’m partial to Frank’s RedHot, but anything will work here.
- Celery and carrots: For a little cold crunch and extra veggie boost, I like to add finely diced celery and shredded carrots.
Love buffalo sauce? Try my High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Salad. It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site.
Save this recipe
Love this recipe? Get it sent to your inbox.
How to Make It
This recipe comes together in just 35 minutes from start to finish. Simply cook up your chicken, prep your ingredients, and combine.
Cook & chop your chicken
Season your chicken breast with some olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt, then roast in the oven or air fryer until cooked through. Rest for a couple minutes, then finely chop.
Cook your pasta
Boil your pasta 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will prevent you from having a mushy pasta salad in a day or two.
Whisk your dressing
In a large bowl, whisk together greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and black pepper until smooth. Adjust your seasoning and add a bit more buffalo sauce if you like things a little spicier.
Toss and chill
To the same bowl, add the pasta, chicken, celery, carrots, and green onions, then combine until everything’s well coated in the dressing. Chill for 30 minutes before serving (if patience allows).
My High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Wrap is another great high-protein lunch idea with a lot of the same flavors.
Victoria’s Tips
These are a couple of tips that take this high-protein taco salad from good to great.
- Use rotisserie chicken. If you’re not in the mood to cook your own chicken, rotisserie chicken breasts work great here. Finely chop and use the same quantity.
- Make the ranch seasoning yourself. You can use any store-bought ranch seasoning or make your own with a couple of simple ingredients. You can even make a big batch to keep on hand. The exact blend is in the recipe notes below.
- Adjust to your desired level of spiciness. The recipe is written for mild to medium heat, but if you like things a little spicy, add extra buffalo sauce or even a good pinch of cayenne.
Storage & Meal Prep
This high-protein buffalo chicken pasta salad stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it a quick stir before serving.
For meal prep, portion into four individual containers with the green onions on top, and hold back about one-third of the dressing to stir in midweek, as the pasta absorbs the dressing and can dry out slightly.
FAQ
This recipe is designed for meal prep. It’s actually even better on day two. If keeping for up to 4 days, hold back some of the dressing and stir it in right before enjoying, once the dressing is fully absorbed and the pasta salad starts to get a bit dry.
I’m partial to Frank’s RedHot buffalo sauce, but any buffalo sauce will work.
Any short shape with ridges or curves, like rotini, shells, or cavatappi, since they grab the dressing. Chickpea or lentil pasta keeps the protein highest, whole wheat works too. Whatever you use, cook it al dente or it’ll be mush by day 2.
High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
Save this recipe
Love this recipe? Get it sent to your inbox.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Coat 1½ lbs chicken breasts all over with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and salt to taste.
- Oven: Place on a baking sheet and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, until the internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C).Air fryer: 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until 165°F (74°C) internal.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then finely chop.
- Boil 8 oz high-protein or whole wheat pasta for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says, then drain and rinse under cold water until cool. This stops the cooking and keeps the pasta firm once it's dressed.
- In a large bowl, whisk together ¾ cup plain greek yogurt, ⅓ cup buffalo sauce, 2 tbsp ranch seasoning, and black pepper, to taste until smooth. Taste it. Add more buffalo sauce if you want it hotter.
- Add the pasta, chopped chicken, 2 finely diced celery stalks, 1 cup shredded carrots, and most of 3 thinly sliced green onions to the bowl with the dressing.
- Fold until everything is coated. Chill for 30 minutes before serving if you can wait that long. Top with extra green onions for garnish.
Nutrition
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir before serving. Don’t freeze it, the yogurt dressing splits when it thaws.
- Homemade ranch seasoning: For every 1 tablespoon you need, mix ¾ tsp dried dill, ¾ tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp dried chives (optional), and ¼ tsp salt. Double it for this recipe, or make a big jar and keep it with your spices.
- Pasta choice: High-protein pasta (chickpea or lentil) keeps the macros highest and also makes the salad gluten-free. Whole wheat has about half the protein but holds its bite just as well. Either way, cook it properly al dente or it’ll be mush by day 2.
- Save some dressing: Hold back a few spoonfuls in a jar and stir them in on day 3. Pasta keeps absorbing dressing as it sits so it will start to get a little dry.
Get Your FREE 7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan
Struggling to eat enough protein? I'll send you a full week of meals with the shopping list.
You'll also get my new meal plan every Saturday. Unsubscribe anytime.
More Recipes To Try
- 10 High-Protein Pasta Salad Recipes
- 10 Dense Bean Salad Recipes Perfect for Meal Prep
- The 13 Best High-Protein Salad Recipes to Keep You Full
Pin this Recipe
Save this High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad to Pinterest so you can easily find it again later.
Such a tasty meal prep option