Buffalo dip always fan favorite on game night
I have a weakness for many different foods, but Buffalo chicken anything is right up there at the top of the list.
I know I’m not the only one who will gravitate to this hot Buffalo chicken dip like a moth to a flame. I have seen it happen at many Super Bowl shindigs.
Yes, this is the unabashed, unapologetic, nostalgic favorite that graces many game-day tables. It is spicy, creamy and salty, which means it hits just about every flavor pleasure center.
I made a few small changes to the popular recipe on the Frank’s Redhot sauce bottle, adjusting the amounts of ranch dressing and blue cheese, and running the dip under the broiler for an extra boost of color and attractive cheese melt. A few tablespoons of pickled jalapenos brightened and intensified the heat as well.
Thankfully, this is a temptation I find myself
encountering once, maybe twice, a year, so I’m not going to apologize for using a little store-bought ranch dressing — and definitely not for the hot sauce, which already is a refrigerator staple in my house. It’s basically just hot peppers and vinegar anyway. And I guarantee that if you serve this dip at a party, you won’t have to worry about eating too much of it yourself, because your guests will devour it.
The recipe scales up easily for a large crowd. It also is simple to adapt to your taste, whether you want to increase or decrease the hot sauce or swap out the cheese (try mozzarella if you aren’t a blue cheese fan).
Add your choice of garnishes at the end, such as scallions, chopped celery (or other crunchy vegetables), chips or crackers, and enjoy.
HOT BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
Hot Buffalo chicken dip
divided
½ cup hot red pepper sauce,
such as Frank’s Redhot ¼ cup ranch dressing
2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapeno slices, 8 to 16 slices Position the racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, add the chicken, cream cheese,
½ cup blue cheese, hot sauce, ranch dressing and chopped jalapenos and mix until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into a shallow 1-quart baking dish, ideally one that is broiler-safe.
Bake (middle rack) for 20 minutes or until the mixture is heated through and bubbling at the edges. If your dish is broiler-safe, turn the broiler to high, sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup blue cheese on top, and move the dish to the upper rack. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the blue cheese has softened and a few dark spots appear on the surface. Let cool slightly, then serve.
The dip can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day in advance. Let it come to room temperature while the oven preheats; you might need to add a few minutes of baking time.
PER SERVING: 240 calories, 16 g protein, 0 fiber, 1 sugar, 18 g fat (9 g saturated),
70 mg cholesterol, 780 mg sodium