7-Layer Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

By
Morgan Eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Morgan Eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg is a creative blogger at Host the Toast. She has an absolute obsession over all things edible.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Jan. 28, 2019
20160129-7-layer-buffalo-chicken-dip-finished-morgan-eisenberg.jpg
Buffalo chicken dip gets a seven-layer revamp. Morgan Eisenberg

Why It Works

  • Mixing ranch dressing into the cream cheese and Buffalo sauce into the refried beans thins them to minimize chip breakage while maximizing flavor.
  • Three kinds of cheese deliver lots of flavor and a variety of textures, from creamy to melty and stretchy.

Buffalo chicken dip gets the seven-layer treatment with refried beans, pepper jack cheese, blue cheese crumbles, crispy bacon, and more.

Recipe Facts

4.5

(4)

Active: 30 mins
Total: 30 mins
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

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Ingredients

  • 5 strips bacon
  • 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans (450g)
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) store-bought Buffalo hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot Wings or Anchor Bar, divided
  • 1 pound (450g) cream cheese, softened
  • 5 tablespoons (75ml) ranch dressing
  • 1 tablespoon (10g) dry ranch seasoning
  • 1 pound (450g) cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded and roughly chopped into 1/2-inch lengths (about 2 cups; see note)
  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 3/4 cup (85g) crumbled blue cheese
  • 3 scallions, cut into small pieces
  • Tortilla chips and celery sticks, for serving

Directions

  1. Arrange bacon strips on a foil-lined baking sheet and set oven to 400°F. Place bacon in oven as it preheats and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. (Check frequently, as different ovens will preheat at different rates.)

  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, thoroughly mix refried beans with 1/4 cup of Buffalo hot sauce. Spread refried beans in an even layer in an 8- by 8-inch baking dish or round casserole dish.

  3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with ranch dressing and dry ranch seasoning. Gently spread cream cheese mixture over bean layer in baking dish, being careful not to blend the two together.

  4. Mix chicken with remaining 1/2 cup Buffalo hot sauce. Spread chicken all over cream cheese layer.

  5. Sprinkle pepper jack cheese evenly over chicken.

  6. Once bacon has finished cooking, transfer it to a paper towel–lined plate to absorb any excess grease. Bake dip until it is warmed through and cheese on top has melted, about 8 minutes.

  7. While dip is still hot, top with blue cheese crumbles.

  8. Crumble bacon and sprinkle all over.

  9. Top with scallions and serve with chips and celery. The dip can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. It can be assembled in advance (leaving blue cheese, bacon, and scallions off until the very end) and reheated in the oven before serving.

Special equipment

8- by 8-inch baking dish or round casserole dish (preferably glass, for best visibility of layers)

Notes

For the chicken layer, the easiest option is to use the white meat from a rotisserie chicken, but you can also poach chicken breasts until they're cooked through.

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