Frank's Buffalo chicken dip is the quintessential game day party appetizer. And every recipe is pretty much the same. Except this one. This one is the best. I have reinvented the Buffalo chicken dip to be fresher, simpler, healthier, less greasy and more delicious than you ever imagined. This recipe is full of Frank's RedHot for the ultimate Buffalo flavor.
Buffalo chicken dip is the game day party appetizer that is loved by so many. My husband would be top on that list followed closely by many of my kids. And what's not to love, it is basically a chicken wings recipe in dip form. Bringing everything we love about buffalo wings and adding, creamy and cheesy elements. It is an easy make-ahead dish that travels well.
All that being said, I am a ranch dressing HATER. Like for real. And I have never been able to eat Buffalo chicken dip because of this. Any given recipe has a ton of ranch dressing in it. So I was determined to create a Frank's buffalo chicken dip recipe that is just the ultimate in creamy and delicious, but MINUS the ranch dressing. And boy did I nail this.
Jump to:
Ranch dressing is gross.
And I will die on this hill. I know many of you probably want to stop reading now, thinking I am crazy, but once you taste this recipe you will know I am not crazy. And you will know Buffalo chicken dip can be amazing without the fat and calorie-laden bottle of ranch dressing.
Also, I am definitely not the only one who feels so strongly against ranch dressing. After a quick google search, I found whole articles written on the grossness of ranch dressing.
- Ranch is what's wrong with America
- Ranch is disgusting
- Ranch dressing sucks and I'm not sorry (my personal favorite article)
So that is all I am going to say about that, except that keep with me on this recipe, it is healthier and tastier than anything you could make with a bottle of ranch dressing.
Why this is the best recipe.
I mean, I already gave you my thoughts on ranch, so there's that. But a few quick other thoughts on why this is recipe is better than others, aside from its uniqueness.
- It is exceptionally creamy without being greasy. WIth a blend of cream cheese and greek yogurt you get a rich and creamy dip that is perfectly blended and not at all greasy.
- It has a rich cheesy flavor like all buffalo chicken dips, but again, isn't greasy. Using Merkt's cheddar (or something similar) along with a bit of blue cheese (just a bit). Merkt's cheese is smooth and creamy and has a great sharp cheddar taste, and the blue cheese melts nice and smooth and gives it that traditional buffalo wing flavor everyone loves. This is my best change-up to traditional buffalo dip recipes, and you will never miss the greasy shredded cheddar.
- This is a Frank's buffalo chicken dip...using the master hot sauce of homemade buffalo dip recipes.
- There is crushed up Cheez-Its baked on top. For even more cheesy flavor and a needed bit of crunchy texture, this is a great addition.
Ingredients
This recipe doesn't require much, and since you use pre-cooked, shredded chicken, the steps to making this are quite easy and minimal. Here's what you need:
- Cooked shredded chicken. Use a rotisserie, use left over chicken from another meal. Hell, I used some leftover boneless chicken wings we ate the day before. White meat, dark meat, doesn't matter, just cooked and already finely chopped or shredded.
- Cream cheese.
- Greek yogurt. Can use sour cream if you prefer.
- Merkt's cheddar. Or another brand like Merkt's, like a pub cheese or Kaukauna, just make it a sharp cheddar.
- Garlic.
- Blue cheese. Crumbles, and just a little bit. I promise you won't know it is even in there, it just gives it a sharpness and melts right in. But if you're totally turned off ny blue cheese, just leave it out, consider it optional.
- Frank's RedHot. You could use another hot sauce of your choosing, but this is a Frank's buffalo chicken dip recipe after all.
- Green onion.
- Cheez_Its and chopped celery for garnish.
Instructions
When I say this is simple, I could not be more serious, this sh-t is simple.
Everything in the bowl, and..MIX. The Frank's gives this dip a great color.
Spread the buffalo chicken dip in a baking dish and top with the crushed cheez-Its and bake! This easy dip will bake up until hot, creamy, the ultimate Frank's buffalo chicken dip
Tips for success
Just a few quick reminders to make this the ultimate game day party appetizer for your next game day party or really any party:
- Definitely make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. If it isn't, it won't mix well with the other ingredients.
- Chicken that is already cooked and shredded is best for this. If you cut up and cook chicken to use in this buffalo chicken dip recipe, you're going to end up with large chunk of chicken instead of some chicken in every bit throughout the dish. If you have to, the cook and finely chop the chicken into very small diced pieces.
- The heat level is adaptable. The amount of Frank's I use in this recipe gives you a medium level of heat. My kids love this, but if you're making for a younger kid party, you may want to decrease the heat by using a bit less. If this is for a party of hot sauce lovers, then add more, or even add an additional extra hot sauce to the Frank's to really up the heat level.
What is good with buffalo chicken dip?
One of the best things about this dip is how versatile it is when it comes to serving. It is great with tortilla chips, pita chips or any kind of cracker or small toast. But it is just as good served as a hot dip for all sorts of vegetables. Celery, red pepper slices, small carrots, all would be great for serving this with. Frank's hot sauce is just spicy enough to make it the perfect buffalo chicken dip to go with almost any kind of snack food.
Related
Looking for other great game day party food appetizers? I gotchu covered!
Equipment
- baking dish
- Stand or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup Greek yogurt can use sour cream
- 3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
- ¾ cup Frank’s Red Hot
- ½ cup Merkt’s cheddar or other brand of choice
- 2 tablespoon blue cheese crumbled
- ½ cup green onions sliced
- ½ cup Cheez-it crackers crushed
- Chopped celery and green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 and lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a bowl, preferably of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients except the Cheez-its and the garnish. If using a stand mixer, beat with the paddle attachment until everything is totally mixed and combined. If not using a stand mixer, try to use a hand mixer, as this will make blending everything significantly simpler. If neither mixers are an option for you, use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix THOROUGHLY
- Spread the buffalo chicken dip into the greased baking pan, and sprinkle the crushed Cheez-Its on top. Bake in oven about 20 minutes until bubbly and the top will have slightly browned.
- Garnish the top with chopped celery and additional sliced green onions.
- Serve this with your choice of snacks – tortilla chips and celery sticks are my faves.
Debbie S. says
This is going on our Superbowl menu and pretty much every party menu ever. I am a total ranch hater like you and have always wished there was a way to eat this dip. Now there is, thank you for taking the time to create something for all us lovers of buffalo chicken and HATERS of ranch!
Eileen says
Could you advise on how much chicken? Is it a whole rotisserie chicken?
Thanks
Eileen
Katie Beck says
Hi Eileen! I use 2 cups of the rotisserie chicken, not quite the whole thing, but almost. You could certainly use the whole thing without making any other adjustments - it will just be chunkier 🙂
Justin Emibe says
I liked this more than i thought i would. It is different than the traditional and definitely not greasy like regular buffalo dip. I like that there is not bottled ranch dressing in it (i also find ranch dressing awful) and the blue cheese added a nice sharp taste.