Buffalo Chicken Dip

Since October is not just for Halloween, this recipe is great as a football season staple, as your weekends are filled with lots of TV time. This recipe comes from my friend Sara, even though I have received similar recipes from other friends who are equally obsessed!

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 (8oz) Packages of Cream Cheese
1 (14oz) Bottle Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
1 Package of Blue Cheese Crumbles
1 Small Bottle of Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Fritos Scoops
Celery sticks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice chicken breasts and boil in a small saucepan until fully cooked (10-20 minutes). In a medium sized saucepan, melt the cream cheese and blue cheese salad dressing, stirring occasionally. Make sure you don't get the pot too hot, or the cheese will burn. While the cheese is melting, shred the chicken and combine in a bowl with the bottle of hot sauce, coating all the chicken. In a 9"x13" baking pan, pour in the chicken/hot sauce mixture and spread along the bottom. Next, pour in the cheese mixture, and gently mix into the chicken. Then top with the shredded cheddar cheese and blue cheese crumbles, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. In the last 3 minutes or so, turn the broiler on low to make the top of the cheese nice and melted.

Alternatives: If you don't have as much time, you can buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and shred it. I also like to save a few calories by using low fat cream cheese, blue cheese dressing, and 2% shredded cheddar cheese. The cheeses, due to their lower fat content, do take a little longer to melt, so just factor in a few more minutes under the broiler for a nice crust! And some people don't like things quite as spicy, so you can reduce the amount of hot sauce if you prefer a more mild buffalo chicken. I would recommend 1/2 to 3/4 of the bottle.

Serve it hot with celery sticks and Fritos Scoops for the ultimate tailgating or entertaining dip. I promise, you won't have any leftovers!