Sharing a game day classic appetizer & putting my Buffalonian spin on this Trader Joe’s Buffalo Chicken Dip Copycat recipe!
A little wings housekeeping first — if you ever go to Buffalo and decide to treat yourself to our famous local delicacy, always always always call them “chicken wings” or simply “wings.” Don’t call them Buffalo wings! And they must be ordered with blue cheese dressing, never ranch dressing. These are the rules and they are sacred in Western New York. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
I typically make my own chicken wing dip for parties but sometimes you don’t want to wait for a party to enjoy this quick and easy appetizer. And sometimes you find yourself at Trader Joe’s and spot Trader Joe’s Buffalo Chicken Dip and decide to pick up a container on a whim.
Store bought often gets a bad name but for Trader Joe’s and its dip section, store bought (to paraphrase Ina Garten) is more than just fine. I’ve purchased TJ’s chicken wing dip multiple times when I had the craving but didn’t have the time. It hits the spot!
You really can’t go to a football watch party without seeing chicken wing dip on the snacks table. It’s super simple to prepare and takes pretty minimal effort. Plus it’s a surefire crowd pleaser.
While Trader Joe’s wing dip is perfect when you’re in a pinch, I do prefer to make my own chicken wing dip at home because I can adjust the tastes to my guests’ and my liking. Today, I’m sharing my Buffalonian spin on a copycat Trader Joe’s Buffalo Chicken Dip!
Trader Joe’s Buffalo Chicken Dip Copycat Recipe
I love when my dip is on the spicier side so I definitely am more heavy handed with Frank’s Red Hot when I make it myself. Buffalo chicken wing dip is typically very flavorful but mild in heat. That’s not the case with mine, get ready for spice!
And as I said, in Buffalo we would never dream of serving wings with ranch dressing. I make my Buffalo chicken dip recipe using blue cheese dressing instead of ranch and I top with blue cheese crumbles. I feel pretty strongly about blue cheese in case you couldn’t tell.
What Does Buffalo Chicken Dip Taste Like
Buffalo Chicken Dip is a dairy-based appetizer with cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, and shredded chicken. Like I said, you can make it as mild or as spicy as you want by adjusting the amount of Frank’s Red Hot (aka Buffalo sauce). Frank’s isn’t a super spicy hot sauce in general but it absolutely packs in flavor.
I do love how Trader Joe’s version doesn’t get stingy with the amount of chicken in their dip, which I love. I take a cue from TJ’s and make sure my Buffalo chicken dip recipe has nearly double the amount of chicken compared to other recipes.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Dip Like Trader Joe’s
Ingredients
1 container boneless skinless chicken breast tenders, cooked & shredded.
1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
Frank’s Red Hot
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small container of blue cheese crumbles
Notes
You can easily use rotisserie chicken for this recipe if you’re pressed for time. Or sub in plain Greek yogurt for added protein. Or use monterey jack cheese instead of mozzarella if that’s more your taste.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2: Mix ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, blue cheese dressing, Frank’s Red Hot, and sour cream. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add chicken and cheese
Fold in the shredded chicken, mozzarella, and about half of the container of blue cheese crumbles until well combined.
I prepare the chicken using Serena Wolf’s “idiotproof chicken breast” method, it takes 20 minutes and gives you perfectly juicy chicken every time. To quickly shred the chicken, I toss the cooked chicken breast tenders into my stand mixer with the flat beater attachment and voila! So easy.
Step 4: Bake
Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is hot and bubbly around the edges.
Step 5: Serve
Let the dip cool slightly before serving (much easier said than done!). Serve warm with celery sticks, carrot sticks, tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted baguette.
As much as I love tortilla chips, I am a big fan of scooping chicken wing dip with celery. In Buffalo, I always loved the crispy, crunchy celery and carrots you’d get on the side with wings.
