USA · Sauces and Dips
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo chicken dip is everything a chicken wing delivers — hot sauce, butter richness, cooling dairy, sharp cheese — in a scoopable baked format that works for a crowd without the mess.
Ingredients
- shredded cooked chicken450 g
- full-fat cream cheese225 g
- Frank's RedHot or hot cayenne sauce120 ml
- ranch dressing120 ml
- sharp cheddar cheese150 g
- garlic powder1 tsp
- spring onions3
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
Method
- 1Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before starting. Cold cream cheese does not mix smoothly and will leave lumps in the finished dip. Preheat the oven to 190 C.
- 2Make the base. Melt the butter in an oven-safe skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and garlic powder and stir for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low. Add the cream cheese in chunks and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until fully melted and smooth. The mixture should look glossy with no visible chunks.
- 3Add chicken and ranch. Add the shredded chicken to the cream cheese mixture and stir until completely coated. Pour in the ranch dressing and stir until incorporated. Taste the base at this point: it should be spicy, creamy, and well-seasoned. Adjust hot sauce if needed.
- 4Top with cheese and bake. If using a stovetop-safe baking dish, transfer to it now. Scatter two-thirds of the grated cheddar over the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbling around the edges. Switch to the grill or broiler setting for the final 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese top is golden and slightly charred in spots.
- 5Finish and serve. Remove from the oven and scatter the remaining cheddar and sliced spring onions over the top. Serve immediately in the baking dish with tortilla chips, celery sticks, and carrot sticks. The dip holds heat well in a cast-iron pan but begins to set as it cools.