Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)

Mega flavorful Buffalo Chicken Dip-Stuffed French Bread is your favorite creamy, cheesy, decadent dip baked right into the loaf with three cheeses all topped with crispy bacon!  Crazy delicious EASY crowd pleasing appetizer perfect for parties or game day!  Everyone will be begging you to make this!  

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)


 

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

I don’t know how Buffalo Chicken Dip first came about but I remember in 2004/2005 it seemed to be popping up at every party — with good reason.  All variations of Buffalo Chicken Dip are creamy, cheesy and spicy.  It kind of reminds me of my Jalapeno Popper Dip but with chicken.

As much as I love the Buffalo Chicken Dip, however, I found the dippers of baguette slices, crackers, celery, etc. were always just a vehicle to shovel this dip into my mouth — and in the meantime get almost as much dip on my hands as on the dippers.  So I followed the lead of my Artichoke Dip Bites and Easy Spinach Dip Stuffed French Bread and decided to bake the dip right into the bread for the most delicious Buffalo Chicken Dip ever. 

The base of the Buffalo Chicken Dip is the dreamy creamy trio of sour cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese.  Instead of just one or the other, they are exponentially better together.

Instead of just a traditional flat buffalo sauce that’s creamy and spicy, I replaced some of the hot sauce (I like Frank’s RedHot Original for this recipe) with a rainbow of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder to give the dip multidimensional flavor (much like I do in my Baked Honey Buffalo Hot Wings).  I also added some ranch seasoning for some tang, blue cheese crumbles for some more tang and freshly grated sharp cheddar and mozzarella for some mega cheesiness.

Full loaf of Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip Ingredients

This is a classic buffalo chicken dip with cream cheese, hot sauce, and shredded chicken. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this easy dip recipe:

  • French bread: You can use one large loaf or two smaller loaves.
  • Cream cheese: Make sure you soften your cream cheese well so it mixes easily. 
  • Sour cream: The sour cream adds a wonderful creaminess that can’t be beat. Full fat sour cream melts better, but you may use nonfat.
  • Mayonnaise: Adds a rich tang and melts beautifully.
  • Frank’s Original Hot Sauce: The classic hot sauce to pair with buffalo chicken dip.
  • Dry ranch dressing mix: You need to buy the seasoning packet, not the prepared dressing that comes in a squeeze bottle.
  • Dried herbs and spices: Chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder flavor this easy buffalo chicken dip.
  • Blue cheese crumbles: Add more or less to suit your tastes.
  • Cheddar cheese: Use a sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor.
  • Mozzarella cheese: Use only freshly grated mozzarella cheese because it not only tastes far superior but melts much better.
  • Shredded chicken: You can cook the chicken yourself, or you can buy a rotisserie chicken at the store to shred.

Ingredient Variations

  • Full fat cream cheese is creamier and melts better, but you may use less fat cream cheese.
  • You need to use cream cheese that comes in a brick, not the kind in a tub.
  • If you are thoroughly opposed to mayonnaise, you may substitute with sour cream.
Showing how to make the filling for Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread) by adding hot sauce.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

Simply add the dip ingredients to a large bowl, stir it all together, and you have Buffalo Chicken Dip that’s ready to be cocooned in a French Bread “bread bowl.”

Showing how to add the filling to Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)

Sprinkle with more cheddar and mozzarella cheese and bake until golden bubbly deliciousness…

Adding cheese tot he Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)

And then top with bacon.  Lots and lots of bacon.  The bacon’s salty crispiness combined with the crusty bread and smooth dip will make your mouth happy.

Then gather around for slices of decadent warm and spicy, cheesy, creamy chicken filled crusty French Bread.  And be sure to be quick on the taking because this easy, baked Buffalo Chicken Dip Stuffed French Bread is so addictive it will fly off the plate!

Showing how to make the filling for Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread).

Tips for Making the Best Buffalo Chicken Dip

  • You can cook and shred the chicken ahead of time, so that when it comes time to assemble the dip it’s done in just a few minutes.
  • You can also save time by buying a cooked rotisserie chicken at the store and shredding it instead. Just be sure to discard the skin.
  • Buy blocks of cheese and shred them yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in cornstarch or something similar to prevent it from clumping together, which prevents the buffalo chicken dip from being super creamy.

Recipe Variations to Try

  • Skip the bread bowl. If you don’t want to stuff the bread for one reason or another, you could just make the dip and bake it in a casserole dish, but if you want to get a little crazy, fun and flirty, then I suggest stuffing the French Bread — think cheesy bread on steroids.
  • Make it cheesier. Add extra blue cheese if you really love the stuff.
  • Make it spicier. Add up to ½ cup hot sauce if you like your baked buffalo chicken dip extra spicy.
Showing a baked Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)

Can I Prep Buffalo Chicken Dip in Advance?

You can prepare baked buffalo chicken dip in advance and store in the refrigerator separate from bread. When ready to bake, heat dip in microwave until warm then spoon into French bread and bake as directed.

How to Store Buffalo Chicken Dip

Baked buffalo chicken dip will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

How to Reheat Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip

You can reheat baked buffalo chicken dip in the oven at 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. You can also microwave smaller portions at 30 second intervals until heated through.

Can You Freeze Buffalo Chicken Dip?

I do not recommend freezing this easy buffalo chicken dip due to the mayonnaise and sour cream. The fat will separate and become a funny texture.  Instead, you can prepare your baked buffalo chicken dip in advance and refrigerate or halve the recipe if you are worried about leftovers.

A close up of a piece of Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread)

What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Dip

The beauty of this baked buffalo chicken dip recipe is that you can simply slice the bread and enjoy it as is. However, if you’d rather dunk other things into it, here are some ideas:

  • French baguette
  • sourdough
  • tortilla chips (sturdy tortilla chips are best, otherwise they can break)
  • crackers
  • pita chips
  • carrots
  • bell peppers
  • radishes
  • cucumbers
  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
Buffalo Chicken Dip (Stuffed French Bread) with a bite out of a piece.

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Mega flavorful Buffalo Chicken Dip Stuffed French Bread is your favorite cheesy dip baked right into the loaf! Crazy delicious side or EASY crowd pleasing appetizer! Everyone will be begging you to bring this!

Buffalo Chicken Dip Stuffed French Bread

Servings: 12 – 16 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 large loaf French bread or 2 smaller loafs
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ – 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Hot Sauce (½ for quite spicy)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
  • 1/2 tsp EACH chili pwdr, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic pwdr, onion pwdr
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup Blue cheese crumbles up to ½ cup if you LOVE blue cheese
  • 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 3 cups packed shredded chicken (about 1 ½ pounds)**

Garnish (optional)

  • 6-8 pieces Cooked and crumbled bacon
  • blue cheese (only if you love it because its strong)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Slice about 2 inches deep through the top of the bread, and continue to cut a large rectangle, being careful not to cut through the bottom of the bread. Remove top of bread and hollow out middle to create a rectangular bread bowl. Set aside.
  • Whisk together cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and hot sauce and all spices/seasonings until well combined.
  • Stir in blue cheese, ¾ cup cheddar and ¾ cup mozzarella followed by chicken.
  • Spoon Buffalo Chicken Dip into prepared French bread and top with remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Bake on a baking tray at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
  • Let bread sit approximately 10 minutes to set and slightly cool then slice. Best served warm.

Video

Notes

*I suggest using two narrower loaves as the narrower loaves hold together better once sliced.
**TO EASILY COOK AND SHRED CHICKEN: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Flip the chicken over, then add 1 ½ cups chicken broth or water to the skillet. Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked though and tender enough to shred, adding additional chicken broth/water if the liquid evaporates too quickly. Remove chicken from skillet and let rest 5 minutes before shredding.
MAKE AHEAD: You can prepare Buffalo Chicken Dip in advance and store in the refrigerator separate from bread. When ready to bake, heat dip in microwave until warm then spoon into French bread and bake as directed.

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42 Comments

  1. Ashley says

    Buffalo Chicken Dip is my favorite and you are so right, I always just want the dip and not the dippers 🙂 Can’t wait to make this! Thanks Jen!

    • Jen says

      You are so welcome Ashley! I can’t wait for you to make it!

    • Jen says

      LOL, thanks Sierra, so happy its drool worthy 🙂

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much Alaina – bread and cheese just belong together! 🙂

  2. Dorothy Dunton says

    Hi Jen! My mouth is crying and I’m gaining weight just looking at this!! Definitely will have to make this when more people are around, otherwise I might just stuff myself into unconsciousness! 🙂

    • Jen says

      Hi Dorothy! If you are gaining weight just by looking at this then it sounds like you need to make it ASAP so you can enjoy it too 🙂 And yes, definitely one to make while people around because I can personally attest it is way too easy and addicting to eat alone 🙂

  3. Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

    Oh! My! Goodness! That looks amazing!! I could have that for my meal the entire day!! I’m not sure whether I’m happy with you or angry for sharing this 🙁 On further thought I’ll give you a big hug and kiss. This recipe will be a classic and made often in our house. Have a wonderful day.

    • Jen says

      So happy you settled on a the big hug and kiss :)! This is definitely one to make to share because it is too easy to eat all alone! Hope your family loves it! Thanks Marisa!

    • Jen says

      Hi Anna, sorry for my delayed response as I am just getting back from Lake Powell without any service but thank you so much for your comment! I am right there with you, stuffed bread is the best! And when it has chicken – it can be a meal too right? 🙂

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much! I love a good cheesy bread!

  4. LOUISE H says

    The amount of Blue Cheese Crumbles is not clear. Should that be 1/4 cup or ?

    • Jen says

      Thanks for catching that Louise! Yes, that should have read 1/4 cup – thank you!

  5. Karen says

    Do you think the cheese mixture (not in bread) would freeze? Then defrost, put in bread, then heat? Thanks.

    • Jen says

      Hi Karen, yes I think that should work great! Good luck!

  6. Jennifer says

    I’m not a huge fan of bleu cheese…is it overwhelming in this recipe? Is there a different cheese you would recommend like gorganzola or feta? Thank you!

    • Jen says

      Hi Jennifer! I think feta would be a great substitute!

      • Jennifer says

        Thanks Jen! I just saw the part where you clearly state that the bleu is strong! Thanks for the feedback and Merrry Christmas!

        • Jen says

          Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!

  7. Laura Adams says

    I made this today for Super Bowl Sunday, and served it with the usual suspects: celery sticks & homemade blue cheese dressing for their cooling effect. It was scrumptious! I have one tip: I combined all the ingredients except the chicken in the bowl of my electric mixer, then scraped it all into a large bowl. Then, without cleaning the mixer bowl or beater, I cut the cooked/cooked chicken breast into 1-inch strips, & threw them into the mixer bowl. I turned the mixer on & it perfectly shredded the chicken in a flash! Time saver!

    • Jen says

      Hi Laura! I am so happy you enjoyed this dip and thank you so much for such a great time saving tip! I am definitely going to have to use that next time I make any dip with shredded chicken!

  8. Becca! says

    About to pop this baby in the oven for super bowl! Already everyone has said it smells good! Can’t wait to try. My loaves were smaller than the ones pictured. So I was able to make 2 and still have filling left over for later this week! Thanks for the share!

    • Jen says

      You are so welcome Becca, thanks for taking the time to comment! I hope they tasted as good as they smelled!

  9. Michelle Armistead says

    Delicious! Have made it 3 times already. I find that a narrower bread works better for stuffing. Also, as my own twist, i chop some celery and onion (omitting onion powder) to throw in the mix. To tame the heat a bit, I use wing sauce as opposed to straight hot sauce.

    • Jen says

      Awesome Michelle, I’m so happy this dip has been such a hit! Thank you also for the tip on using narrower bread – I will add that to the recipe 🙂

  10. Sovia says

    What are your thoughts on using ground chicken?

    • Jen says

      Hi Sovia, I think it is completely a texture preference thing – I think it would be delicious!

  11. Alisa Rothe says

    This was crazy good and a definite crowd pleaser! I cut my french bread evenly in half, hollowed out both halves, and split the dip between the two. It didn’t come all the way up to the edges of the bread, but it was more than enough to give each slices tons of flavor and ooey-gooey bites of dip. I served it with celery and carrot sticks on the side to scoop up the inevitable drips off the plate. Definitely recommend! Thanks!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much for your awesome review Alisa, I’m so pleased it was a hit!

  12. GRACIE says

    Made this today, adding sliced celery and chopped onions to the mix, it turned out so good.
    Thanks for the recipe.

    • Jen says

      Your additions sound delicious Gracie, I’m so pleased it was a hit!

  13. Lisa says

    Absolutely excellent! My tailgate group begged me to make this exact recipe again next week.

    • Jen says

      That’s what I love to hear, thank you so much Lisa!

  14. Rachel says

    Can’t wait to try this!! Am i just missing it or are the nutrition facts not posted?

  15. Sheila says

    So tasty and eye appealing! I made this for my husband to watch the football games today. Your creations are so flavorful and good. Thank you! ❤️

    • Jen says

      What a lucky guy! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!

  16. MF says

    Made this for the Super Bowl. It was delicious but a pain to cut and serve. Every raved about it and someone took home an entire loaf lol. Thanks for another great recipe! Have never made a one I didn’t like.

    • Jen says

      I’m so thrilled that it was a hit! I’m glad that you’ve had only great experiences!