Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Buffalo Chicken and Spinach Dip

Yum


The Super Bowl should just be called the Buffalo wing/sauce Bowl for me.  I think it's a must to have at least one kind of  Buffalo wing sauce dish or dip to enjoy before, during and after the big game. 

This is an easy chicken dip that I jazzed up with some creamy buffalo wing sauce.  I also tried to add a lot of extra veggies into this dip so it was not just a bowl full of cheese, chicken and sauce.   I mean, you want to eat it and enjoy it... but not feel so guilty about it, right? 

So I added carrots, celery, onion and spinach into this dip to make it a littler healthier and better for you.  I also served the dip with an assorted tray of veggies (carrots and celery sticks), chips and breads so everyone had their favorite dipper/dunker.

I know with this dip in my sights... I will be watching the dip bowl... and not the Super Bowl. 



Ingredients:


Buffalo Chicken Dip:
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (poached)  See notes below*
1 large onion finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper or 2 jalapenos seeded finely diced
1 stalk celery finely diced
1 large carrot grated
1 cup frozen
chopped spinach defrosted and squeezed-dry
1/2 cup of hot sauce or more as needed (I used Frank's)
1-2 tsp grated garlic
red chili flakes to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
1 (8oz) brick cream cheese (regular or low fat)

1 1/2cups sour cream 
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing (or blue cheese salad dressing)
2 cups shredded cheese (I recommend Mexican Blend) 


Serve with: Veggies, chips or toasted bread 
 
Note:  To poach chicken breast, just place chicken in pan covered by water. Simmer on medium until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken and shred.

Directions:

Poach chicken and then put in the food processor to shred or shred with two forks.  Set chicken aside until later.  In the same food processor chop carrot, onion, bell pepper and celery into fine dice.  Heat large wok/skillet with 1 Tbs of canola oil and saute vegetables for several minutes and season with salt and black pepper.


Next add defrosted chopped spinach,  garlic and chili flakes. Saute 2-3 minutes.  Then turn stove off and add the brick of cream cheese and stir well.  The heat from the vegetables will soften the cream cheese. 

Finally add the ranch dressing and sour cream, shredded chicken and hot sauce.  Mix well and taste for salt and seasoning.    Then place dip into a baking dish sprayed with some cooking spray.  Top with shredded cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with veggies, chips or toasted bread.  Enjoy.



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