Buffalo Chicken Dip with Spicy Monkey Bread
By Hannah FentonPublished on August 30, 2024
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Allow the pizza dough to sit at room temperature for at least 90 minutes before starting this recipe. You will need a 10‐inch ovensafe skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. A 10‐inch traditional cast-iron skillet provides enough space for assembling the dip, and the tall sides help support the crisp, golden-brown pull-apart rolls. It makes an attractive serving vessel, and its superior heat retention keeps the dip warm at the table. An enameled cast-iron skillet will also work for these reasons. An ovensafe nonstick skillet can also be used here, though the dip may cool down faster; add the butter to the nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat until melted before adding the chicken. This recipe comes from our new cookbook The Skillet.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken breasts on cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Using meat pounder, gently pound chicken to even thickness. Heat 10‐inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 table‐ spoon butter and heat until melted. Add chicken and cook, covered, until browned on first side, about 6 minutes. Flip chicken, cover, and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let cool. Off heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet; transfer to medium bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Do not clean skillet.
- Place dough on lightly floured counter, pat into rough 8‐inch square, and cut into 32 pieces (1/2 ounce each). Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into tight ball, then coat with melted butter. Evenly space 16 balls around edge of skillet, keeping center of skillet clear. Place remaining 16 balls on top, staggering them between gaps in balls underneath. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let sit until slightly puffed, about 20 minutes. Remove plastic. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until rolls are just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, shred chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks. Whisk cream cheese, ranch dressing, 1/4 cup blue cheese, Worcestershire, and remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce in bowl until smooth and no lumps of cream cheese remain. Fold in chicken.
- Spoon cheese mixture into center of skillet and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup blue cheese, return skillet to oven, and bake until dip is bubbling and rolls are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using pot holder, remove skillet from oven. Being careful of hot skillet handle, sprinkle with celery. Serve.
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe makes for a stunning presentation with tender balls of dough surrounding a creamy, tangy buffalo dip with tender shredded chicken. First, we cook a chicken breast and, once cool, shred it. Then we use the same skillet as a proofing and baking vessel for some quick dough balls made from pizza dough. Rolling them in melted butter (with a little hot sauce for spice) prevents sticking and allows them to brown evenly in the oven. Cream cheese provides a smooth base for the dip, and whisking it with hot sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese, and a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce creates the dip’s zesty tang. A little more blue cheese scattered across the top along with thinly sliced celery completes the appeal of this irresistible appetizer—what could be more fun than bringing the skillet to the table and inviting company to use the warm bread balls to scoop up the dip? Cast iron’s excellent heat retention ensures that the cheese doesn’t separate or become congealed but stays warm and gooey until the skillet is scraped clean.
Before You Begin
Allow the pizza dough to sit at room temperature for at least 90 minutes before starting this recipe. You will need a 10‐inch ovensafe skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. A 10‐inch traditional cast-iron skillet provides enough space for assembling the dip, and the tall sides help support the crisp, golden-brown pull-apart rolls. It makes an attractive serving vessel, and its superior heat retention keeps the dip warm at the table. An enameled cast-iron skillet will also work for these reasons. An ovensafe nonstick skillet can also be used here, though the dip may cool down faster; add the butter to the nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat until melted before adding the chicken. This recipe comes from our new cookbook The Skillet.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken breasts on cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Using meat pounder, gently pound chicken to even thickness. Heat 10‐inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 table‐ spoon butter and heat until melted. Add chicken and cook, covered, until browned on first side, about 6 minutes. Flip chicken, cover, and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let cool. Off heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet; transfer to medium bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Do not clean skillet.
- Place dough on lightly floured counter, pat into rough 8‐inch square, and cut into 32 pieces (1/2 ounce each). Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into tight ball, then coat with melted butter. Evenly space 16 balls around edge of skillet, keeping center of skillet clear. Place remaining 16 balls on top, staggering them between gaps in balls underneath. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let sit until slightly puffed, about 20 minutes. Remove plastic. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until rolls are just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, shred chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks. Whisk cream cheese, ranch dressing, 1/4 cup blue cheese, Worcestershire, and remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce in bowl until smooth and no lumps of cream cheese remain. Fold in chicken.
- Spoon cheese mixture into center of skillet and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup blue cheese, return skillet to oven, and bake until dip is bubbling and rolls are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using pot holder, remove skillet from oven. Being careful of hot skillet handle, sprinkle with celery. Serve.
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