Sometimes you just need an easy supper plan. And I’m not talking about going out to eat. That would probably be my first choice, but that wasn’t in the cards for tonight. But what was in the cards for tonight, was a simple crockpot recipe.
Tonight is going to be a busy night. The kids have been asking for weeks to go to the Fun Fair that their school is putting on for the community. It’s kind of like a miniature carnival with a bunch of games and such. This is held each year in the school’s gymnasium, and the kids have a blast every time. So, once again, we will be packing the kids into the truck and heading to the Fun Fair.
The big question is what to feed a ravenous group of children in a short amount of time between school and the Fun Fair? Well, that’s where my lovely crock pot comes in. And queue the easy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe.
Surprisingly, all of my children love this dip even though it has Frank’s Hot Sauce in it. Most of them don’t like Frank’s, but they all love this dip. And I love it for a couple reasons. One, it tastes amazing. Two, it’s so easy. I am a firm believer in foods that are quick, easy, and taste amazing. This one does not disappoint.
I usually get this set up around noon or so for an evening meal, but we will need to eat earlier this time, so late morning is my goal for starting this. All you need for ingredients is the following:
- Two cans of canned chicken, drained. I have also used left over rotisserie chicken. It tasted fine, but wasn’t my favorite. Probably because it was already seasoned from the rotisserie part.
- Sixteen ounces of cream cheese. I use whatever brand is at Costco. They sometimes alternate between brands, and they have all done well in this recipe.
- One cup of regular ranch dressing. I use Hidden Valley because that is the only brand my family will eat on their salads. You can try whichever brand you like best.
- ¾ cup of Frank’s Hot Sauce. I don’t think I would try another kind of hot sauce because it would totally change the flavor, but that’s also up to you.
- One to two cups of cheddar cheese. I usually just dump until it looks like what I want.
I dump all of this in the crockpot and turn it on low. You will want to stir it a few times to make sure that it doesn’t all stick to the sides and burn. The cheese will sometimes melt onto the sides and get a little crusty if it’s not stirred.
On low, I usually leave everything in there for close to six hours. It probably doesn’t need to be in there that long, but we are usually gone doing something while this is cooking and that seems to be the length of time between start and finish. If you want to put it on high to speed things up, you can certainly do that, but you will need to stir it more often.
Once it’s hot and everything is completely melted, stir one last time and serve. I usually give the kids two small bowls, one for the buffalo dip and one for their tortilla chips. That way the chips don’t get shoved off a plate while they are trying to scoop up the dip.
Simple as that! Kids love it and so do adults! I’ve used this recipe for birthday parties, potlucks at church and work, quick meals in the evening, and for other parties we are invited to attend. It is very quick and simple and feeds quite a few people. And the leftovers (if there are any) are also easy to rewarm either in the crockpot or the microwave. I call this one a win-win!
So, that is our supper plan for tonight. Please say a prayer for me that I don’t fall down the inflatable slide or smash any kids in a bouncy house. This could be an interesting night! Maybe I’ll just stick to the cotton candy…
I hope you all have a great weekend and find something fun to do! Enjoy!
Imperfection At Its Finest 