Buffalo Chicken Dip with Rotisserie Chicken
This cast iron buffalo chicken dip comes together with a store bought rotisserie chicken and six simple ingredients. The skillet goes straight from the oven to the table and keeps the dip hot and scoopable the whole time.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 310kcal
Equipment
- 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Box grater
- Cutting board and knife
- Oven mitt
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken about one standard rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed
- 8 ounces cream cheese full fat block, softened and cut into cubes
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ⅓ cup Buffalo wing sauce such as Frank's RedHot Buffalo, up to ½ cup for more heat
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese divided, shredded from a block
- ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese divided, shredded from a block
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, and ⅓ cup Buffalo sauce. Stir until well combined. If you want a stronger Buffalo flavor or more heat, add additional Buffalo sauce up to ½ cup.
- Stir in ½ cup of the mild cheddar and ¼ cup of the pepper jack.
- Spread the Buffalo chicken mixture evenly into a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mild cheddar and ¼ cup pepper jack evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dip is hot throughout and bubbling around the edges.
- For a browned cheese topping, broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it the entire time, because the cheese browns fast.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. The handle will be extremely hot and stays hot much longer than a glass dish would.
- Let the dip rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with tortilla chips, celery, carrots, crackers, or toasted bread.
Notes
- Dial the heat. Start with ⅓ cup Buffalo sauce for a crowd mild dip. The cream cheese and ranch blunt the heat considerably, so the same sauce that seems timid in the bowl reads just right in the finished dip. Go to ½ cup for real wing heat.
- Shred your own cheese. Bagged shreds are coated in starch or cellulose to stop caking, and that coating is exactly what makes a baked dip go grainy instead of glossy.
- Soften the cream cheese properly. Cube it and leave it out 30 minutes, or microwave it 20 to 30 seconds. Cold cream cheese leaves white lumps after baking.
- Shred the chicken finely. Smaller pieces distribute through the creamy base and make the dip easier to scoop.
- Pan size matters. A 9 or 10 inch skillet gives you the right depth. In a smaller pan the dip sits deeper and needs 5 to 8 extra minutes, so check the center.
- Make ahead. Assemble in the skillet, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let it sit out 15 to 20 minutes before baking and add a few minutes to the bake time.
- Storing. Move leftovers to an airtight container rather than leaving them in the skillet. Buffalo sauce is acidic and will dull the seasoning overnight. Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Freezing is not recommended, because the dairy separates and reheats chalky.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 118mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 623IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 0.4mg
