I still remember the first time I had this Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip at a party. I was kind of blown away! I think it was the first time I had any kind of a dip that had chicken in it, for one! So right away that was a whole new concept for me. It was served from a slow cooker (love that for a big party) and rich and creamy and spicy! That one was actually VERY spicy….this one’s a bit tamer.
Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip
But then beyond that heat, it was all the flavors that just jumped all over the place. The Ranch (even though I’m not the biggest Ranch fan, it has its place, and that’s with Buffalo chicken if you ask me!) added a zesty vinegar taste and that mixed so well with the hot sauce, but what made it for me was the Bleu cheese in this dip. That was the kicker. That for me was just the touch needed to keep the dip from being too creamy, too rich.
About Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip:
So I’ve had Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip (and not so classic ones) many times since that party, served both hot and cold, and I’ve never failed to be impressed by it. Everyone seems to have their own Ninja ways when they make this dip and it seems no two are the same. It’s a dip that’s born to be tinkered with, I think. And while I love mine just as is, this is the perfect recipe to use as is or adapt and add your own little touches.
You’ll find variations with all kinds of different cheeses (so if you don’t like Blue cheese, no problem) like grated cheddar or mozzarella or both, maybe different hot sauces (Frank’s is the original!) or kicked up spicing, and I’ve even sampled one or two with a touch of beer. You won’t want too much if you go that route…Buffalo Chicken Dip has to have a good amount of heft to so it sticks to whatever you serve it with.
Try crackers or pita chips, any kind of pretzel and it never hurts to throw in a few veggies for a lower carb option, especially since the dip is low carb itself. Carrot and celery sticks, maybe green onions, just like you might see with Buffalo Wings at a restaurant. You couldn’t go wrong, either serving Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip with good crusty bread or maybe something toasted, like crostini.
Making Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip:
There’s nothing to making this dip, once you have the chicken. You can cook up your own chicken or use something like a rotisserie chicken that’s already prepared. To cook your own, either cook on the stove or in an Instant Pot. For the stovetop version, add chicken breast to a pot, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, cover with about an inch of water and bring to a boil. Turn down to a low simmer and cook until done all the way through, about 10 to 12 minutes. To cook chicken in the instant pot, add a cup of water to the bottom of the instant pot. Cut the chicken into several chunks. Sprinkle with a little salt. Set to High Pressure, 8 minutes and use a five-minute natural release before manually releasing the remaining pressure.
However the chicken is cooked, cooling it at room temperature in the broth and then shredding before refrigerating will result in the tenderest chicken. Making several slices through the chicken the long way and then shredding finely is the way to go. Large shreds or chunks are difficult to handle when the dip is served.
It’s easiest to mix in the hot sauce and ranch if the cream cheese is well mixed first. This can be done by hand but if you’re making a larger amount (doubling or tripling the recipe) it won’t hurt to pull out a mixer. If you are using grated cheese rather than the Blue cheese, it pays to grate your own for the creamiest dip. Pregrated cheese has anti-caking agents that can cause the cheese not to melt well. This amount wil do well in a small appetizer-sized slow cooker but is not enough as is to use in a larger slow cooker. Only use a larger one if you double or triple or it will just dry up in the bottom.
Saving Money on Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip:
While this dip is going to be easiest made with a purchased rotisserie chicken, price-wise, you’re going to better off buying on sale chicken. If you get in the habit of always picking up chicken at a low, usually those are in big family packs, and freezing it in sizes your family will use, you’ll always save quite a bit of money. Don’t have a freezer? If you cook, you should. For that matter, if you don’t usually cook and rely on frozen food, you’ll still save money if it’s packed with sales priced items.
For the remainder of the items, look for them on sale, too. Condiments are always at their lowest during the summer but will show up on sale around any major sporting events throughout fall and winter. If you see a great price, get in the habit of picking up one to use and one (or more) to stock your pantry.
Items like cheese, if you’re using it instead of Bleu cheese, go on sale regularly, usually, in deals where you buy so many, you’ll get a discount. Since packaged store cheese keeps for weeks, unopened, it’s a great item to stock up on. Cream cheese is usually on sale around any holiday and has a shelf life about six weeks. Blue cheese is a specialty item. Don’t be fooled into picking up the crumbles; they’re really not the best and usually quite a bit more expensive if you look at the per pound pricing. The crumbles will almost always be next to a block, but the crumbles generally are in three-ounce packages for about $3.99 or so. At least in my area. The blocks are usually slightly more expensive, say a dollar more but usually have twice as much cheese. Check and see how many ounces are in each package.
Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip
Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip
Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip is fantastic served cold or warm! Easy to double or triple for a crowd.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizers & Munchies
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 11 ounces chicken, raw)
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup FRANK’S Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbles
- finely chopped chives or thinly sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
Mash or stir cream cheese by hand or mix with an electric mixer. Mix in the wing sauce, garlic powder and pepper. Slowly mix in ranch. Fold in the bleu cheese crumbles and shredded chicken. Serve warm or cold, garnished with chives or green onions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add mixture to an oven proof dish, leaving about an inch of space between the dip and the top of the dish; dip will expand as it heats . Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If heating from cold, add a couple of extra minutes.
Notes
May be served in a small slow cooker set to low to keep warm. If using a larger slow cooker, use a larger amount amount of dip.
Keywords: Spreads and Dips, Cream Cheese, Ranch Dressing, Cheese, Bleu Cheese, Chicken, Chicken Breast, Appetizer, low carb
———————————–
I’ll be posting Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip to Fiesta Friday #294 this week. It’s being hosted this by Antonia @ Zoale.com
6 thoughts on “Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip”