Can we all just admit that most big sporting events (like this weekend) are more about the snacks and friends than about the actual sports? At least that’s the case for me, which is why I’ll be digging into this cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe while watch sportsball this weekend for game day!
Even if your team loses, having good food helps with the pain of defeat. I really wish I could send a big skillet of this cheesy buffalo chicken dip to your appetizer table this weekend!
Featured in: 12 Cast Iron Skillet Ideas
Ingredients for a good buffalo chicken dip
- Chicken. This should go without saying but you need chicken for this dip! You can use a shredded rotisserie chicken or cook up some fresh chicken in the skillet.
- Buffalo Sauce. I don’t mess with the standard here. Go with Franks Buffalo sauce for the best results.
- Aromatics. I like to add some minced garlic and jalapenos to the dip for extra flavor.
- Cheese! Should go without saying but some sort of cheese is needed. I used a mix here and skipped the cream cheese for this version. For my version I used monterey jack cheese and cheddar cheese. Blue cheese crumbles are a great idea for a topping as well.
Why I love baking in a cast iron skillet
If you haven’t ever tried baking a dip in cast iron, you are missing out. You can prepare the entire buffalo chicken dip in one skillet and bake it in the skillet as well. The cast iron holds heat really well so it keeps the dip warm.
It also develops nice crispy edges on the skirt of the dip and cast iron skillet are generally nonstick so you don’t have to worry about sticking dips.
Don’t Have a Cast Iron Skillet?
Of course, you can make this dip without a cast iron skillet. Simply cook the chicken in a skillet and make the sauce. When you mix everything together, transfer it to an 8×8 baking dish to bake it off in the oven.
Cooking the chicken and aromatics
There are a lot of buffalo chicken dips out there, but I’m a big fan of this one because it’s a single-pan situation. You just cook everything together in a sturdy, oven-safe skillet and then pop it in the oven. I prefer a cast iron skillet just because the edges of the dip get a little crispy which is the best part.
I’m getting ahead of myself though. Let’s start with the chicken. Honestly, you could use leftover shredded chicken if you want or shred about a pound of rotisserie chicken. If you’re starting from scratch, then chop up about a pound and add it to your skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of neutral oil. Season it with salt and pepper.
When the chicken is cooked through (6-8 minutes), remove it from the skillet and chop it up finer so it folds into the dip more easily.
Then you need to cook your aromatics: Jalapenos and garlic.
Obviously, there is lots of flavor in the buffalo sauce, but I wanted some extra heat and garlic flavor so I just added that in.
Once you’ve chopped your chicken finer, add it back to the skillet with the garlic and jalapenos.
Finishing the Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip
A lot of buffalo chicken dips use cream cheese as a base and that version is fine and dandy, but this version ends up being more of a queso-type dip, which is equally awesome.
Once your chicken is cooked and the veggies are softened, add a little flour to the skillet and stir it into the ingredients. Then slowly stir in the milk.
When the milk is added and starting to thicken, add the buffalo sauce. It’ll be a river of flavor.
Stir that together and keep it heating over medium heat.
Now it’s time for cheese.
I wanted a really melty cheese for the base so I went with Monterey jack. Piles of it.
Stir that in and once it’s melted, add some cheddar on top which will form a sort of cheddar cheese lid on the dip.
Alternative option? Blue cheese.
Stick this whole skillet in a 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes until it’s bubbly hot and the edges are starting to brown. If you have a broiler-safe skillet, you can even broil it for a minute at the end to really promote some browning on the dip.
The appropriate serving method is the tortilla chip. Celery sticks or sliced carrots are also excellent dipping options!
There are more sports right around the corner (March Madness?), but do I really need to give you an excuse to make this?!
Leftovers and reheating
This is not a dip I tend to have leftovers of, but if you do have some it will really solidify in the fridge. You can microwave it with a splash of milk and it will sort of come back to life but won’t be as creamy and smooth as on day one.
Alternatively, I like to scoop any leftover dip into a flour tortilla and make a little quesadilla with it. It works really well and while the quesadilla is heating up, the filling melts.
The dip will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container though so get creative with the leftovers!
Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken, cubed or shredded
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk, 2% or whole
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Chives, garnish
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cube chicken, grate cheese, and mince jalapenos and garlic.
- In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, add a drizzle of oil and chicken over medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Then remove chicken and chop finer or shred.
- Return chopped chicken to skillet with jalapeno and garlic. Cook for a minute or two. If skillet is really dry, add a drizzle of extra oil.
- Add flour and stir into the mixture, then stir in milk in a slow stream. When milk is stirred in, add buffalo sauce and stir to combine. Cook the mixture over medium heat until hot and it is the consistency of a gravy.
- Add grated monterey jack cheese and stir to melt. Then add cheddar on top. Season the dip with salt and pepper.
- Bake dip until bubbly and slightly browned around the edges, 18-20 minutes. If you want it more browned, you can broil the dip for a minute at the end, but make sure your skillet is broiler-safe.
- Remove dip from oven and garnish with chives and a drizzle of extra buffalo sauce. Serve while warm with tortilla chips.
Helene Lopes
This is worth try since I believe it would be yummy with your Buffalo Cheesy Cauliflower Tots or as i have named them Buffalo Caulitots. I am going to pass these of as tater tots, for the boys, w/o the buffalo. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a winner and soon easy. PS-Got the recipe on Tablespoon.
Tyler
What size skillet do you use?
Nick
Hey Tyler, I used a 12 inch cast iron skillet.
Jombee
I made this last week for football Sunday instead of my usual wings. It was awesome. It was so awesome that people are demanding, demanding, that I make it again tomorrow! Thank you
Debi
This is amazing! Just made it! Only used half the amount of jalapeños and 3/4c of hot sauce instead of 1/2c. Will make it for my Super Bowl party!
Matt
WOW!!!
Even better than we expected. We were looking for a way to use leftover rotisserie chicken. This was a knockout and easy to make. A definite keeper. Pairs well with beer and football.
Liz
The only buffalo chicken recipe I use. I hate blue cheese and ranch really ruins the flavor of buffalo chicken dip. Made this recipe for years now. Always a huge hit