Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad | 3-Day Chicken Meal Prep

Up your meal prep game with this simple twist on a classic. Buffalo chicken pasta salad is a quick and easy dish to throw together — especially when your kitchen supplies are running low.

Each serving packs a powerful 49g of protein and comes in at under 500 cal, making it the ideal option when you're trying to hit your macros without sacrificing flavour.

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Is This a Meal Prep Recipe?
• Variations & Add-Ins
• Equipment Needed
• Recipe
• FAQs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are plenty of reasons you’ll keep returning to this recipe. Creamy, spicy, and satisfying, it’s the exact sort of meal you always look forward to eating, and with 49g of protein per serving, it’s a great way to fuel up for a gym session.

Is This a Meal Prep Recipe?

This recipe is ideal for batch cooking. Fine tune the quantities to suit the number of meals you want to make, and you’re set for the week.

How to Store

To keep the salad fresh, store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Avoid freezing as the pasta and dressing can lose their texture.

Variations & Add-ins

Make it vegetarian

Swap the chicken for a meat-free alternative like tofu or seitan — both pair well with the buffalo flavour.

Make it vegan

You’ll need to make two simple swaps if you want to make it completely plant-based. First, you’ll need to swap the butter for margarine or similar. Second, you’ll need to replace the ranch with a vegan substitute.

Extra toppings

• Crumbled blue cheese
• Chopped green onions
• Sliced jalapenos
• Chili flakes
• Sliced avocado

Equipment You’ll Need

• Knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Meal prep containers
• Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
• Saucepan

Recipe

Makes 3

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (160g) cooked pasta
• 3 breasts cooked chicken
• 2 stalks celery
• Handful cherry tomatoes
• 1 yellow pepper
• 2 tbsp. reduced-fat ranch dressing
• Large handful mixed leaves

• 6.3 oz peri-peri sauce
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 4 tbsp. reduced-fat butter or margarine
• Pinch salt

Method

1. Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add the peri-peri sauce and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes, then add butter and salt and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

2. Chop celery, tomatoes, and pepper into bite-size pieces and then shred the chicken using two forks. Place into a large mixing bowl with the cooked pasta.

3. Pour over buffalo sauce and toss it through the pasta salad. Divide amongst 3 meal-prep containers, drizzle a little ranch dressing over each, and serve with a handful of mixed leaves or your favourite side salad. Refrigerate for up to 3 days and enjoy hot or cold.

FAQs

What type of pasta shape is best?

While any pasta will work, short shapes like fusilli, penne, or farfalle tend to hold the sauce best.

Is this recipe spicy?

It has a kick, thanks to the sauce, but it’s not too hot. If you prefer a milder taste, use a sauce that isn’t so hot.

How long does it keep in the fridge?

Stored in an airtight container, it’ll stay fresh for up to three days in the fridge.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes — in fact, this recipe is perfect for meal prep. Just keep the dressing separate until you're ready to eat if you want to maintain the best texture.

Can I eat it cold?

Definitely. This pasta salad can be enjoyed chilled from the fridge, no reheating needed.

What can I use instead of ranch dressing?

If you don’t have ranch, try a low-fat sour cream or yogurt-based dressing. A drizzle of blue cheese dressing also goes well with the buffalo flavours.

Want to see more exciting meal prep recipes? Check ‘em out here!