Looking for input on lower-fat Buffalo Chicken Dip (ingredients, skillet, substitute)

[hugepossum]

Alright, so I really like buffalo chicken dip. I would like to make a great tasting version that:
1.)Does not use off the shelf, soybean oil based dressings. Lower fat would be great.
2.)Does not use shredded cheese. I want it to taste like buffalo wings, and I ain't never had buffalo wings with cheese on 'em.
3.)I am also trying not to include cream cheese because of the fat factor.

I was thinking about getting a medium tub of light sour cream and mixing a hidden valley ranch packet for ranch. We use this for veggie dipping and salads; it is definitely preferable to "bottle ranch". I am not sure about the properties of sour cream when put into the oven though.

I am definitely going to get a store bought, cheap rotisserie chicken, deskin and debone it and chop that up for the meat. I am thinking this will be 5 to 10 times better than canned chicken.

I recently aquired a bottle of Frank's Red Hot - Extra Hot, which I am excited about being able to use. I can drink regular Frank's.

I am on the fence about including blue/bleu cheese crumbles. I love the stuff, but not everyone else does. I am also not sure whether I should mix it up with the other ingredients or to put it on top. Again, not sure what will happen while baking.

Maybe I should just make it a cold dip.

So yeah, if anyone else has some other ideas or suggestions, please share.

[sophialee]

I don't think I'd mix ranch and bleu cheese. I'd go with one or the other.

[Ohiogirl81]

You could try yogurt -- especially the thicker Greek yogurt -- as a base instead of sour cream. I don't know what that cooks up like, either; I'm not much for hot dips.

[B4U]

True, original buffalo wings with the sauce you dip in it is BLUE CHEESE, not ranch.
And low-er fat? I can't imagine.
True ranch is made with buttermilk, not sour cream, which is not non-fat also, although they do have lo-fat, I believe. Blue cheese is made of cheese!, and other kinds of dairy &/or mayo, etc. How can you expect good results by subbing what works? JMO though.
If people are worried about calories, I suggest eating, or dipping less. ("Everything is moderation.")
Why ruin a good thing? Sorry, I just get upset with folks who try to re-invent the wheel.
(unless it's for diatary restrictions that limit almost everything)

[elnina]

Try that:
3 x 7 oz pouches Tyson premium chunk chicken breast ( is 97% fat free)
or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
2 x 8 oz packages low fat or fat free cream cheese, softened
1 cup low fat Ranch dressing OR blue cheese
3/4 cup pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot®)
1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Mozarella cheese

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through.
Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing.
Cook, stirring until well blended and warm.
Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and/or low fat crackers.
Enjoy!

[CMichele]

I'd use real bleu cheese, a quality bleu cheese dressing, shredded chicken, and buffalo sauce.

[Debsi]

Low-fat sour cream is good, but all non-fat dairy products are nasty to me.. ditto on bottled ranch dressings, especially the low and non-fat versions full of weird ingredients. I don't think this is a dip that would submit well to a defatting, personally. I use drained (greek) yogurt all the time as a sour cream sub, but I'm not crazy about the texture of cooked yogurt..

[elnina]

^^^ I agree - the fat free stuff is full of chemicals and that affects the taste. Low fat is bearable.
You can stretch it with low fat sour cream...

[neoshaman]

OP: Are you concerned with the calories in the fatted dressings/dips or are you worried about the fat itself? Fat is still a nutrient and important in one's diet (9kcals per gram but carries flavors and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E & K among other things). I agree with B4U and elnina speaks truthfully: low-fat/no-fat products contain undesirable substitutes to maintain mouthfeel and flavor and many are not low in calories. Managing calories without risking the intake and absorption of important nutrition is a better method IMO.

I enjoy both ranch and bleu cheese with my wings.

[Cattknap]

Well, you have eliminated all the things that defines a Buffalo Chicken Dip and makes it tasty. If you take out the shredded cheese, blue cheese crumbles, cream cheese and won't go with a reduced fat blue cheese bottled dressing - well you have eliminted most of the ingredients that make a dip actually taste good (if it doesn't taste good, what is the point?). Buffalo Chicken dip has cheese in it - that is what makes it dippy, rich, cheesy and delicious. The blue cheese crumbles make the dip in my opinion. So, I guess you are going to have to decide if you actually want to serve Buffalo Chicken Dip or something else - because what you are describing is not Buffalo Chicken dip. By the way, I've made the dip with canned chicken breast meat and with a barbecued chicken from the market - they both are equally delicious and using the canned chicken is much easier and cheaper than buying a whole chicken.

Here is a recipe for homemade low fat blue cheese dressing followed by a recipe for Buffalo Chiken Dip:

Low Fat Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free cottage cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Directions
•In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, yogurt, onion
and garlic; process until smooth. Stir in blue cheese. Store,
covered, in the refrigerator. Yield: 1-3/4 cups.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup any flavor Frank's® RedHot® Sauce
2 ounce crumbled blue cheese or shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup)
2 cans (9.75 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
Assorted fresh vegetables and Pepperidge Farm® crackers

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth. Stir in the dressing, hot sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture before serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

To make in the microwave: Use a microwavable 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Prepare the dip as directed above in Step 2. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 5 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot, stirring halfway through the cook time.

Serving Tip: This dip can be kept warm in a small crockpot or fondue pot on the buffet table.