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New and innovative recipes are constantly coming out which place a unique spin on some of our favorite dishes. One of our recent favorites is buffalo chicken dip. You can make almost any flavor of dip and turn your favorite flavors into a whole new dish.
Dips are so easy and versatile because they can be used as finger food or appetizers and you can dip whatever you feel like into them.
Buffalo chicken dip is no exception. This heated dip is great for chips, crackers, veggies, and more!
Can you freeze buffalo chicken dip? Yes, you can freeze buffalo chicken dip, before or after cooking it, for up to three months. If you freeze it after it has been cooked, it is recommended that you use a pre-freeze process first, and it may need extra care when you reheat it as ingredients may separate.
The good news is you can absolutely freeze buffalo chicken dip, but there are some things you should know about the process. That’s why we’re here!
In this guide, we will walk you through how to freeze buffalo chicken dip. We will share tips for freezing it once it has been heated and for making it ahead and freezing it.
Our goal is that you will be fully informed of every little detail related to freezing this dip when we’re through.
Keep reading to learn how to freeze buffalo chicken dip and more!
A Complete Guide to Freezing Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo chicken dip is a dip that is almost always served heated. It’s pretty simple to make, it requires very little prep work and usually bakes for about 25 minutes.
The beauty of this dip is you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate it or freeze it until you need it.
You can also make your buffalo dip in the crockpot and have a method to keep it warm during parties and gatherings or those work food days that require something that can stay out for hours!
Recipes can vary quite a bit but here is an example of the ingredients that you might see in a typical buffalo chicken dip:
- Buffalo wing sauce of your choice
- Shredded chicken breasts (cooked)
- Cream cheese
- Ranch dressing
- Mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese
- Green onions
- Sour cream
- Butter
- Garlic
- Cayenne
- Salt & pepper
Keep in mind, not every recipe will have all of these and recipes do vary. These are just common ingredients used in buffalo chicken dip recipes to give you an idea of how they may be affected when freezing them.
Now, let’s talk about how to freeze buffalo chicken dip.
Make-Ahead & Freeze Buffalo Chicken Dip
We’re going to cover freezing buffalo chicken dip in two different capacities. First, let’s talk about freezing buffalo chicken dip that hasn’t been cooked or heated yet.
When you make your dip ahead of time, you can leave it in your fridge for up to 3 days before heating it.
You can also make it ahead and keep it in your freezer to have something ready to grab when you need it. You can expect this dish to be good in your freezer for up to 3 months before it is cooked.
Here are the instructions for freezing buffalo chicken dip before it is heated:
- Prepare and mix ingredients according to your recipe. Do not heat it yet.
- Place dip into a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. We recommend a container here that could be placed in the oven when you’re ready to bake!
- Cover your dish first with a layer of plastic wrap. Be sure your plastic wrap is labeled as freezer-safe.
- Follow this with a suitable lid for the dish so that it can be sealed into an airtight method.
- Freeze in this manner for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to pull that buffalo chicken dip out and heat it, you can then go on to follow the heating instructions for the recipe that you used.
You will need to be aware that if you stored it in a glass container, you may need to let it thaw or come to room temperature for the safety of the container. Some glass containers are not designed to handle extreme temperature changes.
Additionally, you can also consider taking it from the freezer, setting it out for just a bit, and then placing it in the oven when you start pre-heating so that it can slowly warm up to temperature.
We encourage you to know what your dish can handle and if you aren’t sure, let the dish thaw out or come to room temperature before you put it in the oven.
Freezing Heated/Cooked Buffalo Chicken Dip
We’ve covered freezing dip that has yet to be heated but what about freezing dip that has already been cooked or heated? It could make a difference in the end.
We do want to mention that freezing this ready-made dip could reduce some of the overall quality.
The ingredients often contain cream cheese and possibly ranch dressing or sour cream. These ingredients are not known to freeze very well after they have been cooked.
You can freeze buffalo chicken dip after it has been heated, however. You should just be aware that it may need some TLC when it comes out of the freezer.
Most likely, you won’t have any issues but it may need to be stirred before it is reheated. If you want it to look awesome, you may need to add some more cheese after you stir and reheat. That part is up to you.
You can skip the sour cream and instead try something like Greek yogurt. The results will be pretty similar.
Here is our recommended process for freezing already cooked buffalo chicken dip:
- Let the dip cool to room temperature before freezing.
- We recommend a pre-freeze process as it helps reduce the likelihood of separation. Place the pan uncovered in your freezer for 2-4 hours and let it get a nice, solid start on freezing.
- Cover dish with a layer or freezer-friendly plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Cover dish with airtight lid and seal.
- Label and date appropriately.
- Freeze in this manner for up to 3 months.
It’s not hard to freeze your cooked buffalo chicken dip. The real challenge comes when you reheat that dip. However, it should work out okay if you stir it a bit before reheating and maybe even once or twice while reheating.
When you pull your buffalo chicken dip out of the freezer, we recommend that you let it thaw out in your fridge overnight and give it a really good stir before reheating.
You might also need to stir it about halfway through the reheating process as well.
If you follow these steps, it will reduce the likelihood of dealing with separation from the freezer. If you’re concerned that the dip just won’t look as pretty now, feel free to add some cheese to the top layer towards the end of your reheating process.
Freezing Buffalo Chicken Dip – Review
You will notice that the processes for freezing buffalo chicken dip are pretty similar, whether it has been cooked or not.
Cooked buffalo chicken dip may require a little extra care when you reheat it as well as the pre-freeze process to help avoid separation from freezing.
You should not have any separation issues with your buffalo chicken dip that has not been cooked yet, but if you have already cooked it, you can use a similar freezing process.
Give it a good stir before you toss it in the oven. You may even want to give it another stir partway through the heating process.
Buffalo chicken dip is pretty easy to work with and it is a dish that can easily be stirred at any time during the use and during the cooking process. If you want a nice finish, a layer of melted cheese on top at the end of your cooking process can do the trick!
Related Questions
We hope that you find this guide to freezing buffalo chicken dip to be a valuable resource. The processes are all pretty simple and you shouldn’t have any issues if you pay attention to the tips provided here for you. Enjoy that dip in your favorite way!
We also invite you to take a look at the following question and answer section for some additional details that you may find helpful to you.
What Can You Dip in Buffalo Chicken Dip?
Crunchy veggies are absolutely delicious in this dip. Try cucumbers, carrots, celery, squash, zucchini, and more! You can also use any type of salty cracker or tortilla chips for dipping as well.
Is Buffalo Chicken Dip Spicy?
Buffalo chicken dip does have a little bit of heat in it. After all, you are making it with buffalo sauce, which is known for tangy heat and flavor.
Mixed with the other ingredients, it is not uncomfortably hot or spicy. You can also use chilled vegetables like celery, carrots, or cucumber to help reduce the heat of the dish.
How Long Can You Leave Buffalo Chicken Dip Out?
If you’re anticipating a long evening or party, we recommend using a crockpot or warming tray of some sort to keep the heat warm and delicious.
The general recommendation is that a heated dish shouldn’t sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you include the fact that this dish is served hot, that means you probably have 2 and a half hours at most.
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