Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip
NFL playoffs are in full swing with some pretty entertaining, action-packed games lately and the Super Bowl is only a few weeks away! Some people are glued to the tv for the big game, others like me, are there for the fun food! Don’t get me wrong, I love a great game, but the food definitely compliments the whole experience for me. Buffalo Chicken Dip has always been one of my favorite dips. Who doesn’t love all the flavors of Buffalo Chicken together on a crispy chip? It’s got the spicy tang of buffalo sauce, creamy dippable consistency, and lots of cheesy goodness all in one bite! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it! So, I decided to come up with my own Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip that I cooked on my Traeger for a touch of wood-fired flavor, the result was amazing!
Here’s the thing about me…I’m a pretty adventurous eater and I don’t consider myself picky in any way. That being said, I’m not crazy about mayo and so I’m also not super crazy about ranch dressing. I’ve had Buffalo Chicken Dip many times and I’m well aware that there is ranch and therefore mayo in it, I’ve tried it and enjoyed it. But when it came to putting my own touch on it and creating something new, I wanted to see if I could make it just as creamy and delicious without ranch dressing. So, I substituted Greek yogurt and a few extra spices, a delicious mixture of cheeses and gave it a whirl!
I shredded a rotisserie chicken, and it was definitely a time saver, plus you have extra chicken to use in another dish, maybe nachos? If I only had chicken breasts and I was going to do it another way, I would probably smoke the chicken breasts and shred them, which would add another layer of smoky flavor to the dip. As for the cheeses, I used blue cheese crumbles, mozzarella, and sharp cheddar. Here’s another area where you can add what you have in the fridge on hand and if you don’t care for blue cheese, leave it out. I have found that Monterrey Jack also works really well with its equally melty properties.
I combined all of the ingredients into my Hestan NanoBond skillet, which can withstand temps up to 1050F, so it’s my go-to cookware to use on my Traeger. I smoked the Buffalo Chicken Dip for about 25-30 minutes, rotating it halfway through until the cheese was melted and bubbling around the edges of the pan. I sprinkled some chopped scallions, grabbed a big bag of tortilla chips, and went in for the first taste. I didn’t miss the ranch dressing at all, it was so creamy and delicious! Plus since I used Greek yogurt, I made a slightly healthier-ish version, right? I had way too many, but it was worth it. This dip is addicting, so easy, and will be a BIG hit for your Super Bowl party!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Course
Appetizer/Snack
Cuisine
American
Servings
10-12 servings
Ingredients
2 cups shredded chicken (Rotisserie works great, reserve the extra for another recipe)
½ Tbsp. granulated garlic
½ Tbsp. onion powder
½ Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. black pepper
¾ cup Frank’s Hot Wing Sauce (or your favorite brand)
½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt, plain
1 cup cream cheese, at room temp
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided in half
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided in half
3 scallions, sliced and divided, reserving dark green for garnish
Tortilla Chips for serving
Instructions
Preheat smoker to 375F
Shred chicken into a large bowl. Add granulated garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried parsley, and black pepper, stir to combine. Add Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce, whole milk plain Greek yogurt, cream cheese, blue cheese crumbles, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella. Add whites and light greens of scallions. Stir to combine.
Place it in a skillet, sprinkle with remaining shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar. Smoke for 25-30 mins., until cheese is melted and bubbly. Turn to rotate halfway through.
Serve with tortilla chips
Notes
The recipe can also be made in the oven, cook it on the top rack. You can substitute shredded Jack for Mozzarella as another variation.