With the stretchiest of cheeses and just enough hot sauce to give it that warm kick, you’ll be the hit of the cookout if you take along a big, bubbling crock of this Buffalo Chicken Dip.
There is no party or family-pleaser that is easier and faster to fix than this Buffalo chicken dip. With just six ingredients, you can throw it together in mere minutes (especially if you use store-bought rotisserie chicken).
No matter how much of this Buffalo chicken dip I make, it’s the first casserole dish to be emptied at every gathering and office party of the season. And make sure to bring dippers – people WILL use their fingers if you have none nearby and handy.
And you hate to be, like, eating all of your own appetizer, but I have to literally sit on my hands to keep from devouring this myself because a. I know how good it tastes and b. everyone’s reaction the minute they taste it makes me even hungrier. Luckily, I know I have one waiting for me to devour when I get home, in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep.
I Didn’t Invent Buffalo Chicken Dip But I Want To Thank Whoever Dreamed This Up
My youngest daughter, she’s the one who thought air fryers were for frying air (that was SO cute), takes things very literally. When she asked me what I was fixing yesterday, I replied “Buffalo chicken dip.” She said, “I don’t know what buffalo taste like, are they good?”
Which brought to mind the question–where did this ‘buffalo’ come from in the name Buffalo chicken dip?
Buffalo chicken wings, they say, come to us courtesy of a couple named Frank and Teressa Bellissimo who owned the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, who invented this dish in the 1960s. According to Frank Bellissimo, the restaurant received an incorrect shipment of chicken and instead of getting the usual supply of backs and necks that Theresa used to make their infamous spaghetti sauce, they received a large shipment of wings. Not wanting to waste the chicken wings, Frank asked Teressa if she could invent a new dish out of the wings and she chopped the wings in half, drenched them in a hot sauce and melted garlic butter mixture, and tried them out as a new appetizer.
The dish was so popular that news about it spread all around New York and, soon, America. And now we have Buffalo chicken dip, wings, Buffalo chicken salad, and a whole host of other beloved dishes courtesy of their invention.
How to Make Ahead and Store
Yes, you can freeze this dish but only if you add the cream cheese and ranch dressing later. Both of these convenience foods are notorious with chefs and caterers for NOT freezing well. If you want to make this ahead by a week and freeze it fine, just stir in your ranch and cream cheese after you’ve thawed it, first in the fridge, then to room temperature, not letting it sit at room temp too long. And stir these into the now stir-able dip. I wouldn’t freeze shredded cheese too long. The texture is always affected.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with every single thing, I think, if you want to make a happier world! But seriously, since you’re having meat in your appetizer, you could fix you and your family a Loaded Veggie Pasta with some crusty garlic bread and some Bacon Wrapped Asparagus. And for dessert, this quick and easier than it sounds Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries. It’s a dessert that hits every taste bud and makes some new ones!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup hot sauce preferably a cayenne pepper sauce
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- Celery sticks and tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce, stirring until smooth.
- Fold in the shredded chicken, 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, and the mozzarella cheese until well mixed.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dip is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve warm with celery sticks and tortilla chips for dipping.
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