Description
A rich and flavorful Buffalo Chicken Dip baked inside a hollowed French bread loaf, combining creamy cheeses, spicy hot sauce, tender shredded chicken, and crumbled bacon for a crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for game day or parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 1 large loaf French bread or 2 smaller loaves (readers recommend 2 narrower loaves)
Dip Mixture
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Hot Sauce (use 1/2 cup for quite spicy)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (up to 1/2 cup if you love strong blue cheese flavor)
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3 cups packed shredded chicken (about 1 1/2 pounds cooked)
- 6-8 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon
- Extra blue cheese for topping (optional, only if you love it)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the dip.
- Prepare Bread Bowl: Slice about 2 inches deep through the top of the bread loaf, cutting a large rectangle carefully without cutting through the bottom. Remove the top and hollow out the middle to form a bread bowl. Set aside the removed bread pieces.
- Mix Dip Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Frank’s Original Hot Sauce, ranch dressing seasoning, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Add Cheeses and Chicken: Stir in blue cheese crumbles, 3/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, and the shredded cooked chicken until everything is evenly mixed.
- Fill Bread Bowl & Top: Spoon the chicken dip mixture into the hollowed bread bowl. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the filled bread bowl on a baking tray and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden on top.
- Rest and Serve: Let the baked bread bowl sit for approximately 10 minutes to set and cool slightly. Slice and serve warm for best taste. Optionally, top with extra blue cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use two narrower loaves if you want smaller serving sizes or easier handling.
- Adjust hot sauce quantity based on your preferred spice level.
- Blue cheese adds a strong flavor—use as much or as little as you like.
- Crisp bacon adds a smoky crunch; ensure bacon is cooked and crumbled before adding.
- The bread bowl can be eaten along with the dip or served with additional crackers or vegetables.
- Letting the dip rest after baking improves consistency and flavor melding.
