Cookin' & Cussin'

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ahhh fall. I’m beginning to smell it in the air. It’s already a decent 77-degree day in early-September & DAMMIT, I’ll take it. I’m ready for dewy mornings, crisp afternoons & not sweating my ass off. AND – football season is just around the riverbend.

Whenever the weather starts to turn, I immediately think of fun, fall activities & all the yummy food that goes along with it. My husband is a huge Redskins, err, excuse me, WASHINGTON Football fan (eyerollllll) and he has season tickets. That’s how obsessed he is. Am I just as obsessed, you ask? Hell no. So much, HELL NO to the point that I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan. No, I don’t know how we work. Yes, we play nice & don’t shit-talk to each other. No, I’m not nearly as invested as him. Yes, I try to attend every WSH-DAL game every year.

ANYWAY.

THIS STUFF. WHAT WE CAME HERE FOR.

a dip that’s good for any-damn-thing

Tailgating is such a fun event, no matter what. We usually make it a family affair; his brother & his wife join, the in-laws join and we have a good ole time! Multiple drinks are had, people-watching ensues & the food is enjoyed. We take tailgating so seriously that we meticulously plan out what we are making and bringing to every game. My buffalo chicken dip seems to make the list nearly every single time. The ingredients are minimal & easy to pack, it mixes up in less than 10 minutes & travels easily.

Buffalo Chicken Dip is such a classic. I’ve not seen many variations over the years because no one likes to change up a good thing. As my Papaw would have said : “if it ain’t broke then, hell what are ya tryin’ to go fixin’ it fer?”

My Buffalo Chicken Dip can be made “hot as shit” or “meek & mild” -- make your decision wisely. I guess I’ll go ahead and say that changing up the cheese(s) isn’t a crime. This recipe is so versatile that it can also be mixed together & thrown in the crockpot on low for 2-3 hours as well! Make this for your next tailgating, sports watching, fall picnic, Halloween party, or any event – everyone will be a fan & it will definitely disappear!

INGREDIENTS

· 2 12.5 oz cans Premium Chunk Chicken Breast

· 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

· 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

· 2 oz crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese OR Blue Cheese

· 1/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce

· 1/3 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo Wing Sauce

· 1 tsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 & find a oven-safe baking dish, spray liberally with non-stick spray & set aside.
Drain both cans of chicken breast & shred them with a fork in a large bowl.
Empty in BOTH kinds of hot sauce & mix thoroughly to coat the shredded chicken – so here’s the deal. This is the part that you can adjust your heat accordingly by omitting one, both, or find your own happy medium. Also look at the amount of sauce you are adding to your chicken – adjust that as well to your liking. Some people (I don’t know the hell who) like their buffalo chicken dip to be a little more liquid-y, which makes your dip thin, which I think is gross as shit because its not Buffalo Chicken SOUP, its DIP – but whatever. This recipe will give you a velvety, thick consistency which helps the chicken cling to the sauce & the sauce cling to the cheese – which results in a beautiful, bubbly dip.
Once you have figured out what the fuck you are doing with your life (AKA your sauce ratio) & you have mixed it thoroughly with your shredded chicken – now add your softened cream cheese. This should spread & mix easily and help bring everything together. Add in your garlic powder & continue to mix.

MORE INSTRUCTIONS :)

Add your shredded cheddar & your gorgonzola OR blue cheese and fold carefully, as not to completely mash your cheeses. Again -- this is personal preference & please for the love of God, do NOT do both. The addition of Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola is for that subtle *surprise* bite, not an unholy take-over.
Once your dip is mixed thoroughly, empty everything into your oven-safe baking dish of choice. I personally do NOT put any extra cheese on top because it either : 1. Burns the shit out of itself & gets crunchy, which is gross. 2. Gets greasy & drips down into your dip and makes everything separate, also & again, gross.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes – the aroma will be AMAZING, your mouth SHALL water, the edges SHOULD be slightly toasty & the top WILL be melty and bubbly.

Serve with Tostitos Scoops!, celery, (because, healthy) and a hidden gem of a vehicle for this dip is Parmesan Pita Chips – a dear friend of mine loves hers on pita chips & frankly, I shall say no more.

ALSO — enjoy this picture of my kitty, Nala, with her cute, lil Redskins bandana to help celebrate the 2021 Football Season — WOO!