Charlotte Observer runs Bonnie's Buffalo dip

Today 2/1/06, the food section printed under "Make your Bowl Better with Better Dips" , an Observer - Tested Recipe, Buffalo Wing Dip, attributed to the Denver Post, from "several years ago". It is identical to Bonnies Buffalo Dip. I seem to recall reading this recipe "several years ago" here, on CH.! Not knowing where this recipe truly originated, I can pass no judgement on my local fish wrapper. However, I did have a chuckle seeing this recipe early this morning, on the heels of a discussion here from just a few days ago.
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Okay... I want to know... is it really THAT good?!? I know everyone seems to love it, but it doesn't sound like something all you Chowhounders would normally like! I'm concerned!

It tastes exactly the way you think it does...Not mind blowing but it's good if you like that sort of thing..Great Superbowl food, not dinner party material.

I tried this for an appetizer buffet and it was a flop. But I think it's because people didn't know what the heck it was. At any rate, I found it to be incredibly salty and too liquidy. Maybe I didn't make it correctly? I'd try this again as it *does* sound like a good party thing, but probably use less liquid and also something less salty than your typical hot sauce and bottled salad dressing.

That's the biggest reason I avoid this sort of recipe - the salt, my god, the salt. I also generally don't like the idea of throwing together a bunch of processed foods and don't usually enjoy the results. That said, lots of people love this stuff: really, truly love it.

Link: http://seasonalcook.blogspot.com

I believe I was the one who brought the recipe to the board here...(apologies to those who have had a bad experience with it!)...but truly...my co-worker was HOUNDED by 2 guys wanting the recipe who were at the picnic she brought it to a few years ago and I hadn't even tried the recipe yet..I'd given it to her because she said "gee,we're invited to a picnic and I have no idea what to bring"...Then, she made it for a family gathering and her brother has asked her to bring it to every family gathering since then. Now, it's definitely a low-brow recipe, no doubt about it...if someone's turned out too liquidy, I might say "did you drain the chicken before shredding it?" You poach the chicken breasts but you need to drain the meat before shredding it up; the poaching liquid is not included. Instructions don't say that so maybe I'm to blame there! My own experience with the recipe has been similar to my co-worker's...guys in particular seem to gather round the tray and go tell OTHER guys about the dip, that's happened 3 times. I got the recipe from AOL on their Super Bowl board about 3 years ago and it was called Bonnie's Buffalo Chicken Dip. I'm bringing it to our office Super Bowl luncheon this Friday for the first time, so I'll report back unless everyone is just damned sick of hearing about it...LOL!

My husband and I didn't really like it, but my 20 year old son and his friends loved it.

I definitey drained the chicken. I think it's probably a good recipe if you love salt, which I absolutely hate. If I made it again, I think I'd use less hot sauce or dressing, and probably a less spicy hot sauce. Of the few people that did try it, who like heat, they thought it was too hot. But I'm in the Midwest, so there you go. :) Mostly though I think the group I made it for didn't try it because they could not identify it. Guess they aren't too adventurous. The year before I baked goat cheese in marinara, and provided little rounds of baguette. No one touched that either. Go figure...cheese, marinara, bread. Guess that's scary. I'm thinking next year I bring carrot sticks.

The goat cheese app sounds great.

I made it for my Christmas Eve party buffet table. Everyone loved it. The recipe does make alot, but I didn't have very much left at the end and I got 2 recipe requests.

What was leftover was eaten (by me) out of the bowl with a spoon & with a couple crackers on the side...

I didn't use as much dressing or hot sauce as the recipe called for because it seemed like that would be too much liquid. I only reduced the amount slightly, but mine turned out perfectly !

I made this for a football party earlier in the season and my 15-year old son and his friends thought it was to die for. I was a bit skpetical at first, but it really was great...gloppy, but great. I do think some blue cheese crumbles would be a good addition. I didn't think it was too spicy at all, but I love things that pack a punch of heat!!

Hey, Miss Katie - I posted an answer to this yesterday, but it has disappeared - don't know why, it wasn't a 'political' answer ;)! Anyway - what I said was that it depended on your taste. If you like Buffalo wings and gooey, cheesy, goopy stuff (& I most decidedly DO), you will probably like this dip, but if you don't (Mike doesn't so much) you probably won't like it. Mike thinks its ok, while I love it. As a matter of fact, I have a batch on the stove right this second (I am making it all in one pot to do a dip/wonton experiment for Sunday) and just tasted it and yes, I still love it. I do make mine a little differently - look at my version if you like:

Link: http://recipecircus.com/recipes/Kimbe...

[ruthieren]

That wonton idea sounds interesting. I was just thinking I'd mix it all together, spread it on some lightly fried corn tortillas, on a cookie sheet, and bake it in the oven. Cut in wedges, I could definitely eat that for dinner (or breakfast) and call it a quesadilla. ;)

Actually, I'm looking for that recipe. Does anyone have a link?

Copy and Paste

Bonnie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 2 pounds, poached and shredded with 2 forks (my crockpot is great for this but however you want to cook them is fine)

1 - 12 ounce bottle Frank's Hot Sauce

2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese

1 - 16 ounce bottle of Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup celery chopped

8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese or combo thereof

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 13x9x2 inch baking pan, combine the shredded chicken and entire bottle of Frank's sauce, spreading to form an even layer. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream cheese and entire bottle of Ranch dressing, stirring til smooth and hot. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken mixture. Sprinkle celery evenly over all. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Then, add the shredded cheese and bake for another 20 minutes uncovered or til bubbly...don't let the top get too browned or it will be hardened. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes and serve with celery stalks or sturdy corn chip dippers (or spoons, like my 20 year old son says..lol!) Men in particular seem to go wild over this dip.

Wonder how it would be with a really good blue cheese dressing instead of ranch? Any thoughts?

I make it with Blue Cheese dressing. If you look at alot of the recipes from googling it you will see that it was originally Blue cheese. It mutated into a blue/ranch option and then totally became ranch..I just use Maries Bue cheese dressing and it works great...

I made it with Ken's Chunky Bleu last year and thought it was too much. I was going to try it with Hidden Valley Ranch this year and was hoping for a little lighter substance...it was really greasy. Maybe some blue cheese crumbles on top of the ranch?

I usually make my own blue cheese garlic dressing. Might be good -- It's super easy, Take about 1/3 cup of blue cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of mayo, 1/3 cup of sour cream, blend in food proc.

I would really like to make this on Sun., but I have a couple of questions. Is this the recipe you use? Do you still put cheddar on top or do you use bleu, another cheese or none at all? TIA.

I use that recipe exactly except for changing Ranch to blue...I still do the cheddar.

I was wondering the same thing. If anyone has tried it, what brand of bc did you use?

I made it according to the recipe. The first thought I had was, "I should have used blue cheese".
It was good. Not life changing. Not even a "must have".
I thought I would try it again with a few changes, but I just end up doing wings instead.