Adding More Of One Cheesy Ingredient Elevates The Texture Of Buffalo Chicken Dip

Creamy, zesty buffalo chicken dip served with chips and fresh carrots or celery sticks is the ultimate appetizer for any gathering. There are many variations of this Americana recipe but the essential ingredients include shredded chicken, a blend of cheeses, ranch or blue cheese dressing, and some sort of buffalo or hot sauce. Cream cheese is also essential to buffalo chicken dip because it blends all of those other ingredients into the creamy dip we eat by the mouthful.

Believe it or not, there is a way to elevate your buffalo chicken dip, and it involves that cream cheese we mentioned before. If you want a thicker, creamier version of the dip, add extra cream cheese. An extra ounce or two in addition to what your recipe calls for should suffice — just be sure to soften your cream cheese so it's easier to mix. The extra cream cheese will elevate the texture, but keep in mind that it will dilute the spice level of your dip. To prevent this, you can add extra seasonings (such as garlic or onion powders) or shake in extra hot sauce if you have a high tolerance for heat.

Extra cream cheese is guaranteed to elevate your buffalo chicken dip, but it's not the only way to impress your guests (and their taste buds). If you like spicy food, experimenting with different hot sauces is another go-to way to take your buffalo chicken dip to the next level. Many recipes use a milder hot sauce, but you can kick the heat levels up with a spicier hot sauce, or you can use Sriracha to add elements of a spicy chili sauce. You can also combine different hot sauces to get more dynamic and spicier flavors.

Not a fan of super spicy food? Don't worry, we've got more options to mix things up with your dip. For example, the type of cheese you use varies by recipe, but there's no reason why you can't use your favorite cheese instead. Use cheddar cheese if you like sharp notes or try pepper jack if you want a little spice without overdoing it. You can also do a combination of cheeses to get different flavor levels. And if these recipe hacks don't entice your taste buds, add sautéed green onions or make a homemade ranch dressing to use in your buffalo chicken dip.