Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip is the recipe I get asked for the most every football season, and it never lasts more than ten minutes on the table. It's creamy, spicy, loaded with cheese, and comes together with a handful of ingredients you can grab from any grocery store. This recipe uses shredded chicken, cream cheese, and Frank's RedHot sauce to recreate everything you love about a plate of buffalo wings, minus the bones and the mess.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Meat shredding claws
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz blocks cream cheese softened; 16 oz or 450g total
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken about 300g; rotisserie chicken works great
- 3/4 cup Frank's RedHot Original Sauce about 180ml
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing about 120ml
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided; about 170g
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese about 115g
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese optional
For Serving
- tortilla chips for serving
- celery sticks for serving
- crackers for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed with an electric hand mixer for about 30 seconds until smooth and free of lumps, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour the Frank's RedHot sauce and ranch dressing into the bowl. Mix on low speed until fully blended with no streaks remaining; the mixture should look pale orange and smooth.
- Add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, all of the mozzarella cheese, and the sliced green onions. Fold together by hand with a spatula until evenly distributed; do not use the electric mixer for this step.
- Spoon the mixture into the greased baking dish and spread into an even layer, pressing gently to remove gaps. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is fully melted and the edges are bubbling. For a golden top, broil for the final 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and extra sliced green onion, if using, and serve warm with tortilla chips, celery sticks, and crackers.
Notes
- Let the cream cheese come fully to room temperature before mixing, or you'll end up with lumps.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time and add extra flavor.
- Taste the sauce mixture before adding the chicken, and adjust the hot sauce to your preferred spice level.
- Don't skip greasing the baking dish, since the cheese can stick to the edges.
- Let the dip rest a few minutes after baking so it firms up slightly and doesn't run off your chips.
- Make ahead: mix everything together and store covered in the baking dish in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking; add a few extra minutes if baking from cold.
- Slow cooker version: combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Storage: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months (texture may soften slightly once thawed).
- Reheating: warm covered in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until warm.
- Variations: add diced jalapeno or cayenne for extra spice, reduce hot sauce to 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup extra ranch for a milder version, fold in 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon, or swap ranch for an equal amount of sour cream.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 15gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 700mgPotassium: 180mgSugar: 2gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!