The Best Chicken Dip Is on the Back of This Bottle

Appetizers are everything when it comes to parties and get-togethers, so bringing the right one can make you the most appreciated guest in attendance. Luckily, you don’t need caviar and beef tartare to impress a crowd. All you really need is this one fantastic recipe from the back of a bottle: in this case, a bottle of Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce. There you will find the holy grail of apps: Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip.

But First, What Exactly Is Chicken Dip?

Place it in the “strange dips made with chicken” category, Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip is in good company with the likes of ranch chicken dip and chicken taco dip. Like those other dips, It starts with cooked pulled chicken. While no particular type of chicken is specified in the recipe, we like using rotisserie chicken to make things easy. After the chicken is pulled, it gets tossed with cream cheese, Frank’s RedHot Sauce, ranch dressing, and blue cheese. Once combined, it’s poured into a baking dish and sent to the oven to cook until it’s hot and bubbling. 

How to Serve Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Now that you have the best dip on the planet coming out of the oven, how should you serve it? There’s no “wrong” way to serve chicken dip, so be as creative as you want. The recipe suggests crackers, chips, and cut veggies, but you could also serve with pretzels, corn tortilla chips, pita chips, or toasted baguette slices. Or if you’re up for it, offer them all!

Chicken dip is best when warm, so if you’re bringing the dish to a party, wait to heat it up until you get there. Once it’s hot, hand everyone a plate so that they can dig in and enjoy.

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Dip

Do right by this great recipe with these insider tips..

1. Choose your chicken carefully. To make life easier, I recommend buying a rotisserie chicken for making this dip. But if you have some extra time, make a batch of pulled chicken in your slow cooker. Place 1 ½ to 2 pounds of a combination of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs in a slow cooker. Combine 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the chicken and then toss to coat evenly. Top chicken with 4 tablespoons cubed butter. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Shred with two forks and use in the recipe as directed. 
   
   
2. Customize it. The ingredient list is small, so feel free to add what you want to make it your own. Some ideas include adding a tablespoon or two of minced garlic, half of a minced jalapeño, or a tablespoon or two of finely diced onion. You could also add some chopped, cooked spinach or bell peppers for additional color.
   
   
3. Add a garnish. You’ll end up with a very bright orange dip once you’ve combined everything for this dish. To add a pop of color and freshness, top it with scallions or parsley just before serving.
   
   
4. Add some crunch. The dip is delicious on its own, but if you’re a person who craves crunch, consider adding some chopped nuts or seeds or topping with crumbled bacon, corn chips, or fried onions. 
   
   
5. Tinker with the ranch dressing ratio. I love ranch salad dressing, but I think the dip would be lovely (and less salty!) with half as much as what’s called for in the recipe. You can leave it out altogether, or replace it with equal parts plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. 

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

From: Adapted from Frank’s RedHot

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 
• 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing 
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese, divided
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 
• ¼ cup sliced scallions

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Mix the cream cheese, hot sauce, ranch dressing, and ½ cup blue cheese together in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked chicken. Spoon mixture into a 1-quart baking dish. 
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese and scallions.