Description

A creamy, spicy, and sweet buffalo chicken dip served in a sourdough bread bowl, perfect for parties and gatherings. This quick and easy recipe uses hot honey for a unique sweet-heat balance that will have everyone coming back for more.

Ingredients

Scale

1 large round sourdough bread loaf (about 1.5 pounds)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
3 tablespoons hot honey
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Extra hot honey for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. While it’s heating, take your cream cheese out of the fridge if you haven’t already—it needs to soften.
Prepare the sourdough bread bowl. Using your serrated knife, carefully cut a circle about 2 inches from the edge of the top of the bread. Cut at a slight angle so the lid fits back on later. Gently pull out the top piece and set it aside. Now, reach inside and pull out the soft bread from the center, leaving about a 1-inch wall all around. Tear or cut this bread into 1-inch cubes for dipping. Place the bread bowl and cubes on a baking sheet.
Toast the bread bowl and cubes. Pop the baking sheet into the oven for 5-7 minutes. This helps the bread hold up against the dip and gives the cubes a nice crunch. Keep an eye on them—you want them lightly golden, not burnt. Remove and set aside.
Mix the creamy base. In your large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, buffalo wing sauce, and hot honey. Beat with your hand mixer on medium speed until completely smooth and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. The mixture should be a beautiful pale orange color.
Fold in the chicken and cheese. Add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and all of the cheddar cheese to the bowl. Use a spatula to fold everything together until evenly distributed. Don’t overmix—you want the chicken to stay in nice chunks.
Fill the bread bowl. Spoon the dip mixture into the toasted bread bowl, packing it in gently. Mound it slightly above the top of the bread. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake the dip. Place the filled bread bowl on the baking sheet and put it in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dip is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted and starting to turn golden brown. If the bread edges are browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Add the finishing touches. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes—this is important so the dip sets up and doesn’t run everywhere. Drizzle with extra hot honey and sprinkle with sliced green onions.
Serve immediately. Place the bread bowl on a serving platter surrounded by the toasted bread cubes and any other dippers you like. Watch it disappear!

Notes

Don’t skip toasting the bread bowl to prevent sogginess. Let the dip rest for 5 minutes before serving to thicken. For make-ahead, prepare dip mixture up to 24 hours in advance and add 5 extra minutes to baking time. For a vegetarian version, swap chicken for shredded jackfruit or chopped mushrooms.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/8
Calories: 400
Sugar: 7
Sodium: 800
Fat: 26
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 24
Fiber: 1.5
Protein: 23

Keywords: buffalo chicken dip, hot honey, sourdough bread bowl, party appetizer, game day dip, buffalo dip, chicken dip