The brainchild of Frank Bellissimo of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo chicken dip was originally intended to be passed around at midnight, free of charge, to bar patrons. That was in 1964. Since then, its simple deliciousness has spread like a wave across the country, bringing ideas to homes and pubs from coast to coast.
As far as leftovers go, its hard to beat Buffalo chicken dip. Most of the time, people serve it with chips or little slices of toast and celery sticks. The dip probably doesn’t get eaten all the way to the bottom very often, but once in a while it does. Most of the time, people who like this dip just put it in the microwave, add some more chips and celery sticks, and eat it up. But theres so much more to leftover Buffalo chicken dip than just chips and celery with a little bit of culinary creativity.
Many dishes benefit from the infusion of Buffalo chicken dip as an ingredient, from pasta to vegetables. Its cheesy goo and succulent chicken chunks, as well as the spicy nip that distinguishes this dip from others, make for an excellent alternative to many other types of ingredients. In this piece, youll take a deep dive, or rather a deep dip, into ways to use leftover Buffalo chicken dip that you might not have thought of.
Buffalo chicken dip is a beloved appetizer for good reason – it delivers the perfect blend of spicy, creamy, and cheesy flavors that we just can’t get enough of But what happens when you have leftover buffalo chicken dip after a party? Luckily, this versatile ingredient can easily transform into a variety of delicious dishes
This article will show you 12 delicious recipes that you can use up leftover buffalo chicken dip to make something fantastic. These ideas for buffalo chicken dip will make you love it again, whether you’re making a hearty main dish or a quick snack.
An Overview of Buffalo Chicken Dip
Before diving into recipes let’s do a quick rundown of what exactly buffalo chicken dip is. This addictive party staple combines shredded chicken in a spicy buffalo wing sauce with a rich creamy base of ingredients like cream cheese, ranch dressing, and melted cheese. The result is a warm, cheesy dip with a kick that’s meant to be scooped up with chips, celery, or crackers.
It’s often whipped up in a slow cooker or baked in the oven until hot and bubbly. Store-bought rotisserie chicken provides an easy shortcut, but you can also quickly poach or sauté chicken breast to use. The key is well-seasoned, shredded chicken that soaks up the flavors.
Now let’s explore the many possibilities for giving leftover buffalo chicken dip new life!
1. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Potatoes
Baked potatoes make the ultimate vessel for buffalo chicken flavors. Just bake Russet or sweet potatoes, cut them open, and put spoonfuls of buffalo chicken dip on top of the fluffy inside. You can top the potatoes with cheese, bacon bits, scallions, or anything else you like. The warm, starchy potatoes go great with the cool, creamy dip.
2. Buffalo Chicken Nachos
Nachos are always a crowd-pleaser, so transform your buffalo chicken dip into spicy buffalo chicken nachos. Layer tortilla chips on a baking sheet and top with dollops of dip. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until melted. Then finish with all your favorite nacho toppers like guacamole, salsa, jalapeños, and sour cream – the works!
3. Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
An easy dinner solution, quesadillas allow you to wrap buffalo chicken dip into a convenient handheld meal. Simply spread dip onto a tortilla, top with shredded cheese, and fold over another tortilla. Cook the quesadillas in a skillet until the cheese melts, flipping once. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream for dipping.
4. Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
Want to take buffalo dip with you? Make buffalo chicken pinwheels as a snack or appetizer for game day by spreading dip on flour tortillas, topping with cheese and parsley, and then rolling them up tightly. Slice into pinwheels and secure with toothpicks. The spiral design looks impressive but comes together quickly.
5. Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Buffalo chicken mini sandwiches are the best way to enjoy the flavors. Patties out of the extra dip and cook them in a pan until they are lightly browned. Put the spicy patties on slider buns and top them with things like tomato, lettuce, provolone, and ranch or blue cheese dressing. They make great appetizers or even a full meal.
6. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Pizza night gets an upgrade with this fun twist. Spread buffalo chicken dip onto a pre-baked pizza crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, diced chicken, and pickled peppers if desired. Bake until the cheese melts – then finish by drizzling over blue cheese or ranch dressing. Slice up and enjoy this game day worthy pie.
7. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
For a lighter, healthier option, stuff bell peppers with buffalo chicken dip and bake. Simply mix the dip with brown rice or whole grain quinoa to stretch it further. Spoon into halved and seeded red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. Bake until the filling is hot and peppers are tender. Top with crumbled blue cheese if desired.
8. Buffalo Chicken Hand Pies
Bring buffalo chicken flavors to a handheld package by enclosing dip in a pastry crust. Thaw puff pastry sheets and cut out rounds using a biscuit cutter. Spoon filling onto one side, wet the edges with water, fold over, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Bake at 400°F until golden brown, then serve warm.
9. Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Everyone’s favorite comfort food gets spiced up with this clever mashup. First, prepare your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. Then stir in scoops of buffalo chicken dip until heated throughout, adding milk to thin out the texture if needed. Top with crispy fried onions or crushed chips for crunch. It’s cheesy goodness meets buffalo flavors.
10. Buffalo Chicken Wonton Cups
Transform dip into crunchy, crispy wonton cups that are perfect for snacking. Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray then press wonton wrappers into the indentations. Bake at 350°F until golden, then fill with buffalo chicken dip. Top with scallions, bacon bits, or shredded cheese for fun flavors and textures.
11. Buffalo Chicken Salad
Cool down spicy buffalo dip by pairing it with crisp greens. To assemble the salad, top mixed greens or romaine lettuce with shredded chicken, tomatoes, diced cucumbers, shredded carrots, and your favorite veggies. Drizzle over (or dollop on) the buffalo chicken dip as a zesty dressing. Top with avocado and blue cheese crumbles.
12. Buffalo Chicken Flatbread Pizza
This easy flatbread pizza satisfies buffalo chicken cravings on a single-serving scale. Simply spread Naan bread or a tortilla with buffalo dip. Top with mozzarella, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and cooked chicken. Broil until the cheese melts – then finish with a swirl of ranch dressing. Enjoy this handheld creation for lunch or a quick dinner.
Don’t Toss It – Reuse It!
As you can see, leftover buffalo chicken dip is incredibly versatile. With a bit of creativity, you can give it delicious second life in so many ways beyond just scooping it up with chips. Next time you make this addictive appetizer and have some remaining, try whipping up these crave-worthy dishes that transform buffalo chicken dip into all sorts of meals and snacks. Your tummy and wallet will thank you later!
Spice up some quesadillas
Most of the time, making quesadillas takes 30 minutes or less, no matter if they are filled with cheese, chicken, beef, and grilled vegetables. The only thing that would make this last-minute meal more amazing would be a little spicy pizzazz. Spicy Buffalo chicken dip brings pizzazz in large spoonsful, making quesadillas quesa-yummy.
To add Buffalo chicken dip flavor to your quesadillas, all you have to do is heat up a small bowl and serve it with your food. Then, simply dab your quesadillas into the hot dip. This option flavors each bite without overwhelming the taste of the goody-stuffed tortilla treat. If youre eating quesadillas with beef or lamb, for example, this option blends the taste of the chicken into the mix without overpowering the flavors.
If tasting the full force of the Buffalo chicken dip in your quesadilla appeals to you, skip the bowl of dip and go ahead and slather the dip in between the two tortilla shells of the quesadilla. Additional sprinkles of shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese inside the dilla crank up the recipes cheesy countenance, making its texture both creamy and gooey, as a good cheesy melt should be. And as a bonus, because the dip already contains chicken, you get chicken quesadillas without breaking out any extra chicken (unless, of course, you want to).
According to Pizza Today, chicken is pizza lovers sixth favorite pizza topping. For traditionalists who tend to stick to toppings like pepperoni, this may come as a surprise, but for chicken lovers, such a declaration sounds natural. Chicken recipes that include breaded and fried chicken translate well as pizza toppings, each bringing its own unique flavor profile to an already delectable mix of flavors and toppings.
This brings you, dear food nerd, to the subject of Buffalo chicken dip as a pizza topping. This topping has a couple of flavor benefits to offer to pizza lovers who already top their pizzas with chicken. First, the dip itself, due to its ingredient makeup, functions as a substitute for the red or white sauce that normally goes on pizza. Its flavor countenance is somewhere between pizza with white sauce and spicy cheese dip, with a little chicken added for good measure. Although the dip already has chicken in it, the recipe for Buffalo chicken dip is flexible enough to accommodate other kinds of chicken as toppings, like breaded chicken, too, if youd like to bring a bit of variety to the mix.
Further, not all pizza eaters love sauce, or are, at least, tired enough of it to want to venture into other flavors for a bit. Because Buffalo chicken dip replaces red sauce, these chicken pizza lovers get the opportunity to immerse themselves in a Wonderland of spicy taste while still sticking to a flavor they love.
Crank your chicken nachos up a notch
A big, fat plate of gooey, cheesy chicken nachos counts as a staple of Friday night pub fare, but theres more than what meets the eye (and the tummy) here. According to Evolve You, certain foods, including the saturated fats in dairy and poultry, release the bonding hormone, oxytocin. Fortunately for nacho lovers everywhere, chicken nachos already have plenty of ingredients that boost the love hormone in the brain. No guilt or effort is required.
Aside from having such oxytocin boosters, like cheese, sour cream, and chicken, chicken nacho recipes usually come with other love-hormone-boosting goodies, like avocados and beans. The only thing that would make your favorite plate of Mexi-yum even better is a dollop, or possibly six, of your leftover Buffalo chicken dip. Not only does this concoction improve the taste but it also gives you a bit more access to the social-bonding hormone, which makes sharing a plate of chicken nachos with a group of friends such fun.
The Only Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe You Need for Game Day | Pour Choices Kitchen
FAQ
What can I eat with my Buffalo chicken dip?
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Dip. Recipe creator NUNPUNCH suggests serving this Buffalo chicken dip with celery sticks and chicken-flavored crackers. Corn or tortilla chips would also work well. If you want to go the extra mile, try pairing it with toasted baguette slices, homemade pita chips, or homemade pita bread.
What to do with my leftover Buffalo chicken dip?
You could use it as pasta sauce or make buffalo chicken Mac and cheese. If you used cream cheese in yours, it should make a nice creamy sauce once tossed with pasta. Quesadillas as the other commenter said would be awesome too.
What pairs with Buffalo chicken?
Usually the standard go-to’s include something fried or extra starchy. Think French fries, potato chips, tortilla chips and cheese dip, potato skins. Feb 11, 2024.