As many of you may know, I LOVE buffalo sauce. Yes I put it on eggs, sandwiches, salads and pretty much everything else in between. Sadly, I had never made a buffalo chicken pasta salad. Boy, was I missing out! This dish has a little bit of crunch (thanks to the carrots and celery) and is perfect for the summer. It will stand apart from the more tradition summer pasta salads at the dinner table or next summer picnic. The spiciness can be adjusted based on your taste preferences. Best of all it is quick and easy to make and can be made the day before. If you are super short on time you can use a rotisserie chicken instead of grilling or baking your own.
Most pasta salads are laden with mayonnaise or dressings and can feel really heavy for a summer meal. I lightened this one up by using a small amount of light mayo and some olive oil, and relying mostly on buffalo sauce for the flavor. Sprinkling blue cheese crumbles on top gives it a lot of flavor without adding a heavy blue cheese dressing. Using whole wheat or high fiber white pasta gives this dish the fiber power to keep you feeling full.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound whole wheat pasta (some favorites: elbows, penne, spirals)
½ cup Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup canola or light mayonnaise
1 cup diced carrots
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cups cooked and diced chicken breast
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
Black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Cook pasta as directed. Drain and run under cold water.
- Mix in a small bowl: the hot sauce, garlic and onion powder, olive oil, and light mayonnaise and set aside.
- Combine the pasta, carrots, celery and chicken in a large bowl. Pour hot sauce mixture over the top and stir well.
- Sprinkle blue cheese on top and chill for at least 20 minutes. Serve cold.
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (~1 cup)
260 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated), 31 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 17 g protein, 450 mg sodium
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