Buffalo chicken dip is a crowd-pleasing appetizer that combines the spicy, tangy flavors of buffalo wings with the cool creamy texture of a dip. With its addictive flavor profile this dip is guaranteed to be a hit at any party or get-together. However, the experience of eating buffalo chicken dip can be taken to the next level by pairing it with the right side dishes and snacks. The key is finding items that complement the dip’s richness while providing contrasting textures and flavors.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 delicious foods that make perfect pairings for buffalo chicken dip, taking your buffalo chicken experience from great to extraordinary.
Crunchy Starches Provide a Satisfying Contrast
Crunchy starches like chips, fries, and crackers offer textural contrast to the creamy smoothness of buffalo chicken dip. Their craggy, crispy exterior provides a satisfying crunch in each bite when dunked into the luscious dip. The starchiness also helps temper the dip’s spicy heat.
Tortilla Chips
Tortilla chips are a classic dipping vessel, with their sturdy Scoops ideal for generous swipes of dip. Yellow corn tortilla chips pair especially well, their sweet, toasted corn flavor playing off the buffalo dip’s tangy zip. Sturdier chips hold up better than flimsier alternatives.
Pita Chips
Like tortilla chips, pita chips provide a neutral base for buffalo chicken dip’s bold flavors to shine. Their flat surface area gives you more dip with every bite. Pitas come in white or whole wheat, the latter providing nutty undertones. For maximum crunch, choose bakery-style over store-bought.
French Fries
What better way to cut through creamy dip than with hot, crispy fries? Shoestring, waffle and curly fries provide unique textures to dredge through the dip. Bake or fry your fries until golden and let everyone dive in while still warm.
Crackers
Crackers make a lighter dipper, with versatile options like pita chips, flatbread and bagel crisps readily available. Select crackers with a sturdy enough bite to scoop the dip without crumbling. Whole grain crackers provide fiber and nutrients absent from fried snacks.
Vegetables Add Freshness and Nutrition
Like starchy sides, fresh vegetables serve as excellent dipping tools that also provide nutrition and color. Their crispness balances the dip’s creaminess. For variety, offer an assortment of vegetable sticks and slices.
Carrots
Sweet carrot sticks are a crunchy, healthy way to scoop up buffalo chicken dip. For added flavor, roast the carrots before serving or blend them into the dip itself. Baby carrots offer bite-size convenience.
Celery
Cool, crisp celery has a mildly grassy flavor that balances spicy heat. Cut ribs into long sticks that easily scoop generous amounts of dip. Celery’s curve cradles the dip perfectly. For extra flavor, top with chopped scallions.
Bell Peppers
The sweet, crisp bite of bell peppers pairs nicely with creamy dips. Mix colors for a festive look. Red, yellow and orange peppers provide the sweetest flavor that contrasts buffalo dip’s heat.
Broccoli
Along with celery, broccoli’s crunchy texture makes it perfect for scooping dips. Florets add vibrant green hues. For variety, cook florets briefly until just tender-crisp. Roasted broccoli caramelizes natural sugars for added sweetness.
Cauliflower
Like broccoli, cauliflower florets offer a healthful way to enjoy dip. Raw florets provide satisfying crunch. For added flavor, roast cauliflower until browned and tender or char for smoky notes.
Breads and Baked Goods Sop Up the Dip
Breads and baked snack foods make excellent sponges for scooping up every last bit of buffalo chicken dip. Yeasty, absorbent breads work best to soak up the creamy dip in every bite.
Dinner Rolls
Soft yet sturdy, yeasty dinner rolls are perfect for dipping. Tear off bite-size pieces and let the billowy interior soak up the creamy dip in every bite. Brush rolls with garlic butter or herbs for extra flavor.
Pizza Crust
For a fun, interactive option, cut plain pizza dough into bite-size squares or strips and bake until crispy. Use these mini crusts to scoop up the dip. Kids especially enjoy dipping their own “pizza breadsticks”.
Biscuits
Flaky, buttery biscuits beg to be dunked into buffalo chicken dip. Their airy interior soaks up the dip’s creaminess. Feel free to split biscuits and load the halves with dip like mini sandwiches.
Bagels
Sliced bagels make excellent dippers, with their hole ideally shaped for holding buffalo chicken dip. Lean towards denser, chewier bagel varieties over lighter versions that become soggy fast. Everything and sesame seed bagels pair especially well.
Pretzels
Soft baked pretzels are all about scooping up creamy dips and buffalo chicken is no exception. Offer bite-size pretzel nuggets, sticks and twists or keep it classic with whole pretzels to pull apart and dip. The pretzels’ saltiness perfectly tempers the dip’s richness.
Meats and Seafood Give Heartiness
For a well-rounded buffalo chicken dip experience, pair hearty proteins like chicken wings, seafood or sausage to turn the dip into a whole meal. Their richness complements the creaminess of the dip.
Chicken Wings
You can’t go wrong pairing buffalo wings with buffalo chicken dip. Offer wings naked, mild or tossed in the same hot sauce as the dip for perfect flavor harmony. Provide wet naps for the inevitable messy fingers.
Shrimp
Plump shrimp, fried or grilled, gives a lighter protein option alongside heavy dip. Tail-on shrimp offers an easy handle for dunking. Or serve shrimp with small dipping cups.
Meatballs
Bite-size meatballs in flavorful sauces like bbq, teriyaki or Swedish offer finger-friendly dippers. Pick poppable sizes that won’t overfill mouths when combined with dip.
Sausages
Sliced sausages like kielbasa, smoked sausage or Italian links give meaty heft when dipped into creaminess. Slice sausages thin so they don’t overwhelm the dip’s flavors. Serve sausages warm or at room temp — not cold.
Final Thoughts
When searching for the perfect additions to serve alongside buffalo chicken dip, look for dishes with contrasting textures and flavors to create an optimal pairing. Crisp, crunchy cooked vegetables, starchy fried sides, and hearty proteins all balance wonderfully with this creamy, spicy appetizer. With the right accouterments, buffalo chicken dip goes from great to extraordinary.
What Kind of Hot Sauce do You Use for Buffalo Dip?
For a buffalo chicken dip recipe, I think it’s best to use a hot sauce with a rich texture. Frank’s RedHot isn’t too thin or watery, which makes it a staple for most buffalo dips. I’ve even seen recipes that use Frank’s RedHot buffalo wing sauce instead of hot sauce.
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Rotisserie Chicken – To make things easy and inexpensive, I like to purchase a whole rotisserie chicken from my grocery store and shred it myself. You can cook your own chicken if you’ve got the time, or purchase pre-shredded chicken — just make sure it’s rotisserie-style for that rich, savory flavor.
- Cream Cheese – Be sure to soften your cream cheese so that it mixes well.
- Sour Cream – This will add a great tang and extra creaminess to the dip.
- Ranch Salad Dressing – For more creamy tang, and to bring out classic buffalo wing flavors. I like to use a buttermilk, full-fat version. If you usually like dipping your wings in blue cheese, you can use a combination of both ranch and blue cheese dressings.
- Hot Sauce – The best hot sauce for this buffalo chicken dip recipe is Franks RedHot Original. It’s got the perfect level of spice, isn’t too thin, and provides that distinct buffalo wing flavor.
- Blue Cheese Crumbles – Blue cheese and buffalo wings are a classic combo, so I love topping this dip off with a hearty sprinkle of the stuff.
- Green Onions – These make a visually-appealing garnish and add a perfectly subtle crisp crunch of bright, fresh flavor.
How to Lose Weight Eating Buffalo Chicken Dip
FAQ
What food goes with Buffalo chicken dip?
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Dip. Recipe creator NUNPUNCH suggests serving this Buffalo chicken dip with celery sticks and chicken-flavored crackers. Corn or tortilla chips would also work well.
What tastes good with Buffalo chicken?
Buffalo wings are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing for dipping. It is a bold, spicy flavor that works well with the cooling and smooth texture of the ranch dressing or bleu cheese.