I’m going to come right out and say it. I miss going out to restaurants. Take out is great, but it cannot provide a dinner served in multiple courses, so perhaps I should be more specific. I miss the appetizer course. I am of the opinion that the two best courses of dinner happen at the beginning and end of the meal – the appetizer and the dessert. Whenever I open a menu I spend a large portion of time analyzing the appetizer page trying to decide which one I should choose. My absolute favorite is when restaurants offer a “build your own platter option.” Then Cole and I get to choose our favorite four and get a little sampling of each. Not many restaurants offer this, and I wish more of them did, but moving on to the topic at hand – buffalo dip.
Buffalo sauce is pretty much the world’s greatest condiment, so it makes sense that it would be incredible when used to create a dip. There are many recipes out there, and many techniques for cooking buffalo, but I take the slow cooker approach. I use my slow cookers whenever possible because they make everything so easy. When I approached the idea of buffalo dip I had one issue though. It seemed like a common ingredient in all these dips was blue cheese crumbles, which Cole REFUSES to eat. After a while, I had kind of given up on the idea of making this appetizer, but then I discovered Gorgonzola cheese.
Gorgonzola is very similar to blue cheese in many ways, but it’s flavor is subtle unlike the slap-you-in-the-face flavors of blue cheese. Once I discovered this monarch of cheeses, it was very easy to create a dip that both Cole and I love. Using some trial and error with the ratio of cheese to chicken, I was able to create a winner dip, and seriously, this recipe is so easy! If you are looking to throw together a simple but delicious appetizer for company or a game night, I highly recommend checking this one out.
* This recipe can be served out of a small 1.5 quart slow cooker.
Ingredients
8 oz Cream Cheese (spread, not block)
½ cup Ranch Dressing
½ cup Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
1 ½ cups Diced Chicken Breast (¼ inch cubes)
1 tbsp Minced Green Onion (about 2 onions)
¾ cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 oz Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles
Directions
1. Add the cream cheese, ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce to the slow cooker. Turn to low and let sit for 30 to 45 minutes to allow the cream cheese to start to melt.
2. While the cream cheese is melting, dice the chicken into small blocks and mince the green onion.
Kitchen Tip 1: I have found that it is much easier to dice chicken into small chunks when the cooked chicken breast is cold. I prefer to bake my chicken breast the night before and take it out of the fridge when I am ready to cut it up the next day.
3. Stir the ranch, cream cheese, and buffalo sauce together; then combine the chicken and onion into the liquid created. It is okay if the cream cheese is still in small clumps at this time as long as it has melted down enough for everything to be stirred together.
4. Break down any large Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, then add both cheeses to the slow cooker. Stir everything together. (I always shred my own sharp cheddar cheese instead of buying it pre shredded – see my thoughts on shredded vs. block cheese here.)
5. Leave the slow cooker on low for 1 ½ hours; then turn down to warm for at least another hour.
Kitchen Tip 2: Check the dip about every 15 minutes when it is cooking on low, scraping the bottom of the pot while stirring. Because this dip is extra cheesy, it can start to burn to the bottom if it isn’t stirred occasionally while cooking.
I love making this dip, because overall, the slow cooker does all of the work for you. It is so easy to throw everything into a pot and stir it together. Even better, buffalo dip can be served with both chips and veggies! I have a lot of friends who like to avoid chips, so finding a dip that can please both chip and veggie lovers is always a plus. Next time you are looking for an easy appetizer, look no further than Gorgonzola Buffalo Dip!
Soup's On with Schallock 