Monday, June 6, 2016

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

 Won't you join me for some Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad today out by my waterfall?  It's finally sunny here in Texas, after so much rain, and it's nice to enjoy the sunshine.  I love the old fashioned look of peonies that I remember so well from my aunt's garden in Pennsylvania, with the rows of pretty peonies.  I also remember how much the crawling ants liked them, too!  My peonies had to be purchased from Trader Joe's, as I've never seen any grown here in Texas.

 I'm using the trio set that is one of six that my late Great Aunt Kitty painted for me.  The pretty flowers are the same color as my store-bought peonies.  


The inspiration for this dish came from www.Allrecipes.com, but my adapted version uses feta cheese and ranch dressing in place of the blue cheese dressing.   I also used more dressing because I don't like a dry pasta salad.   Here's my version, if you'd like to give it a try.  It makes for a great summer salad.



Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad -inspired by Allrecipes


1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta (I used penne)
1 packet of Ranch Dressing mix, mixed according to the back of the packet
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
2-3 cups of leftover cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced 
about 1/2 cup or more of feta cheese, plus extra for garnishing
parsley, dried or fresh, for garnish
  1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the pasta, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
  2. Stir together the ranch dressing,  buffalo wing sauce, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, bell pepper, red onion,  cooked pasta, and feta cheese,  and toss to coat with the dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving. I sprinkled a little parsley on top for color, and extra feta cheese.
I am sharing this with these lovely parties:
  Thank you for your visit!  xo


54 comments:

  1. Ooh, I love all things Buffalo flavored Kitty, your salad sounds great! While certainly not as severe as TX, I think we've had enough rain for a while too... Have a great week:@)

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  2. SWOON Kitty...what gorgeous peonies! I so miss having a Trader Joe's nearby for their flowers and their produce. Your Aunt Kitty's painted teacup so pretty and your Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad sounds and looks wonderful too. ♥

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  3. I have peony envy Kitty, those are gorgeous! What a great idea to kick up pasta salad with buffalo sauce- so glad the sun has finally come out, you've had some rough weather to say the least!
    Jenna

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  4. Hi Kitty and thank you for another great recipe presented in a beautiful setting. This sounds so good and I will be trying it too. Love your gorgeous trio set. So summery and the prettiest painting. Peonies are a favorite here but I have never been able to grow them in my garden. Just too hot in Texas. My mother grew the loveliest peonies and I remember the ants loving them too.

    Enjoy the sunshine this week. So glad we are getting a break from all the rains. It sure helped the water bill however!! haha
    Blessings and Love xo

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  5. Your painted dishes are so beautiful, how wonderful that you have them. The pasta salad would be a nice lunch item for a father's day celebration.

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  6. This recipe sounds yummy perfect for a picnic ...& the tea cup which I love the colors of pink & green together :)

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  7. Yummy looking salad, Kitty! I love seeing your Aunt Kitty's hand painted china and yes, it does look beautiful with your peonies. I would love to have a Trader Joe's here. It sounds like they carry all kinds of great products, including tea. Thank you for sharing and have a lovely week, my friend.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  8. Such a lovely tray Kitty. The teacup and saucer's design looks like your pretty peonies from Trader Joe's. I haven't had much luck with them here in AL either. I should try again because I do love them so. The salad looks delicious. Lovely post……...

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  9. Your salad looks scrumptious, Kitty. I have peonies growing in my front garden and every spring, I wage a battle against the ants crawling on my front porch. I've tried to repel them with vinegar, lemon, paprika pepper, and baby powder but none of these worked. Ants 4, Margie 0.

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  10. Yum! I wish I had some of this salad right now! Just trying to figure out what's for dinner. :) I love all things with the Buffalo flavor so will definitely try this.

    The peonies are gorgeous! I just love them, alas, too hot in Texas for them...and for me too! :) So happy to have sunshine...just wish our temps would not increase.

    Have a wonderful week my friend!
    xo
    Pat

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  11. What? No peonies in TX?? This recipe sounds luscious!

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  12. What? No peonies in TX?? This recipe sounds luscious!

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  13. Such a pretty tea tray with the peonies by the waterfall. Peonies need a dormant period like we have over winter but at least you can purchase some for a vase. I just started cutting a few myself and the fragrance is wonderful.

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  14. Thank you for the recipe. I hope to make it soon! YUM! I have a few peony plants. At least you can buy some to enjoy. Love Trader Joes.
    warmly,
    deb

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  15. ummm...this really sounds good..something my family would love with that Buffalo sauce....I pinned it so I can find it again...xoxoxo

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  16. Hi Kitty: That pasta looks so good. You can always make me hungry. Love the tea cups you shared today. Have a wonderful week. Hugs, Martha

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  17. Those peonies are on your tray certainly caught my eye! I've been interested in planting a bush in my backyard but not sure we have the right soil or climate. Like you, I've been buying them at Trader Joes and they have been really lovely.
    Great pasta salad recipe. I think this would be a nice side dish for a bbq or a main dish on a hot summer night. I can't get enough feta cheese.

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  18. I'd be happy to join, this looks delicious and I LOVE a garden party.
    Amalia
    xo

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  19. Oh Kitty,
    What gorgeous pale pink peonies and I love your Aunt Kitty's hand painted pink and green china. Your recipe looks perfect for our warm weather that is here already on the West Coast. Blessings Sweet Friend, Karen

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  20. Oh Kitty,
    What gorgeous pale pink peonies and I love your Aunt Kitty's hand painted pink and green china. Your recipe looks perfect for our warm weather that is here already on the West Coast. Blessings Sweet Friend, Karen

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  21. I would dearly love to join you for a little Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad and a lovely cup of tea from that pretty cup, but alas, 'tis just a little too far. Love those beautiful pink Peonies. Spring is certainly busting out all over in your neck of the woods.

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  22. Oh Kitty, the tea cup and saucer are so beautiful. I love those colors. The peonies are perfect with that set. Chicken salad looks delicious and it's perfect timing because I'm on the lookout for some new salad recipes for summer. Have a great week!

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  23. Kitty, I'm sorry, I used to work as an editor, and I couldn't help laughing about the crawling AUNTs on the peonies! I could just picture a group of older ladies crawling around on their hands and knees in the garden!! hee, hee
    But my, what a gorgeous setting you have there. The painted china is gorgeous, and looks so beautiful with those lovely peonies. Such beautiful colors together. And the chicken salad sounds delicious. I will definitely have to try this. xo Deborah

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  24. Absolutely gorgeous - and your auntie was quite the artist - that is amazing gorgeous china, Kitty!

    Hugs! ♥

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  25. Hi Kitty, I'm so glad that the weather is better for you. I do hope it did not affect you in any way. This pasta salad looks so good. I love the pretty tea cup and flowers. Thanks for sharing this at Cooking and Crafting with J&J. Enjoy the week.
    Julie

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  26. Wow...this sounds so delicious!

    I would love for you to add this to my Recipes and Crafts Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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  27. What a great pasta salad, with a little spice. The peonies are beautiful. I just wished they lasted longer. The tea cup is beautiful...You must have a huge collection. Thanks so much for sharing at DI&DI Kitty. xo

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  28. Great looking pasta salad! Beautiful peonies.
    If only I had a Trader Joe's!!! No peonies on sale anywhere in Alabama that I know of. Now, that is a shame. We would buy them!!!!
    You are so blessed your "Aunt Kitty" left you beautiful china painted teacups. I know she was special.

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  29. Your painted dishes are so wonderful. Peonies are one of my favorites, and I am going through withdrawal since my sister sold her house that had 100 peony bushes. I used to pick buckets of them every year! What a great pasta salad full of flavor. Have a good week. xo

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  30. I love your painted dishes! I thought they were "lefton" when I first saw them!

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  31. I love your painted dishes! I thought they were "lefton" when I first saw them!

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  32. Oh, I adore peonies. They are my favorite flower. My mom once told me that the ants are good for them. Not sure if that is true, but it's what she said, and I've never forgotten that.

    Your painted teacup is beautiful. I love the pink and green combination.

    Were you named after great Aunt Kitty?

    The pasta salad looks yummy. I am going to pin the recipe. I will probably have to alter the amount of hot sauce. A few weeks ago, I made a buffalo chicken salad, and it was WAY too spicy for me to enjoy.

    Have a wonderful day.

    Love,
    Patti

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  33. I love the hand painted teacup! So glad you were able to enjoy the outdoors again. I would have made the same recipe changes...I don't like blue cheese and love Ranch. Looks like summer to me! Thanks for linking to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!
    Ruth

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  34. Kitty this sounds so delicious! Don't you just love using rotisserie chicken for recipes? It makes it all so easy!

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  35. I don't think I have met a pasta salad that I didn't like! Sounds so good. Peonies are my fave flower. I grew them in Brooklyn, but the ants made me crazy.

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  36. How PRETTY, Kitty! You've combined the flowers & the colors of the hand painted items so beautifully. So blessed to have such treasures! That pasta salad looks scrumptious, too.

    Strangely, I don't get a single ant on my peonies. I remember them well from childhood & these are cuttings from those same plants. I think it might be due to the stuff the landscapers put on all the lawns here to combat grubs & such. Whatever, I'm thrilled to be able to bring them inside & not have to worry about bugs!

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  37. Kitty! Your aunt is so talented. The teacup and saucer are gorgeous!

    The buffalo chicken pasta salad will make a perfect summer lunch or supper. Thank you for sharing your special tea party lunch with us!

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  38. This looks so good, Kitty! I'm with you on not liking dry pasta! Your Aunt's hand-painted tea cups are always a treat to see. The colors are so lovely. So glad that the rain has stopped there! The peonies are so pretty. Hope the rest of your week has sunshine. xx Karen

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  39. Dear Kitty:
    Your salad looks wonderful Kitty. I have company this week so I am late responding with comments. Glad you rain came to a halt finally. I love your Aunt's trio she painted. Thanks for sharing and linking.

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  40. Good Morning Kitty,
    I have been wanting to try buffalo chicken salad and your recipe looks out of this world.
    I have pinned this as well and can't wait to give it a try!
    Perfect for our Texas Summers too.
    So lovely to have you join us at TOHOT too:)
    xo
    Jemma

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  41. YUM...that chicken salad sounds wonderful! Pinning it now Kitty. Love, love, love that beautiful tea cup and saucer. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  42. This sounds delicious, Kitty! So glad you said you've never seen peonies here because I thought I was the only one. I had one bush in Oklahoma but didn't bring it with me. :)

    Happy Thoughts of Home. I'm sharing this on Poofing the Pillows Facebook page.

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  43. Kitty, that sounds wonderful! Please set a place for me at the table by the waterfall!

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  44. Oh my, oh yummy! I pinned this recipe just from reading the title of your post! The ingredients sound wonderful. Thanks for sharing it.

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  45. I can't wait to try this recipe.
    It is perfect for a hot summer supper!
    You are such a great cook Kitty-
    Happy TOHOT!

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  46. My men love buffalo chicken and I can't wait to try this! I have two peony bushes I planted earlier this year and so far they are doing very well. It generally takes a year or two before they bloom. I'll keep you posted. Thank you for so faithfully joining us at Thoughts of Home on Thursday. You are a treasured blogging friend.

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  47. This looks wonderful I love pasta, especially in the summer. Was so nice to meet you the other day at the retreat. Looks like you have some wonderful recipes here, I'm going to have to dive in.

    Carole @ Garden Up Green

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  48. Hi Kitty, your tea time looks so inviting! I love your aunties tea china, what a beautiful talent! I will be making your recipe soon for my grandsons. I know they will love it! Thank you so much for sharing!
    Hugs, Nancy

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  49. Hi Kitty, your tea time looks so inviting! I love your aunties tea china, what a beautiful talent! I will be making your recipe soon for my grandsons. I know they will love it! Thank you so much for sharing!
    Hugs, Nancy

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  50. Just lovely Kitty that tea cup is beautiful. Your recipe sounds wonderful. Have a wonderful weekend with love Janice

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  51. Oh this salad sounds delicious Kitty! Love Peonies. These are very similar to two of mine in my garden. They were gorgeous last week. I didn't get any cut to bring in and now they are just about done.
    :( Wished they lasted longer! Love your beautiful teacup set too! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  52. Hi Kitty,
    Your Peonies are just beautiful and provide a perfect setting for your Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad, we will love this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

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  53. Looks delicious Kitty! I have the ingredients too. Your tea cup and saucer is gorgeous!

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