A Kicked Up Chicken Recipe You Can Enjoy Two Ways

This week's Dacula Patch Cook of the Week is Carla Zwick. Zwick, who lives in the Hamilton Mill subdivision, shares her recipe for Buffalo Chicken Dip and Buffalo Chicken Tacos.

“This is one of my favorite recipes because my son and everyone else loves it,” Zwick wrote in an email to Dacula Patch. “I've even been 'ordered' by the guys on the street that I must bring this dip to all cul-de-sac gatherings!”

This recipe can be altered to please everyone's taste buds. Zwick’s Buffalo Chicken can be made into a dip, or you can make it into tacos for a meal. She says that it is the perfect dish for everyone.

“It's just a few ingredients that are easy to put together and so easy to adapt to everyone's taste,” Zwick wrote. “You can make it hot or mild, use your favorite sauce, use blue cheese or ranch, and choose Fritos or nachos.”

Zwick also has a few great tips for making her easy Buffalo Chicken dishes even easier.

“To make it easier to spread the cream cheese in the bottom of the dish, microwave it for a few seconds to soften the cheese,” Zwick suggested. “For the chicken, next time you have leftover chicken from dinner, shred it and freeze it so you have some ready to go.”  

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
2 large chicken breasts, cooked, shredded or 1 large can chicken
1/4 to 1/2 cup buffalo chicken sauce, according to taste/heat
1/4 to 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing, according to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar cheese mix
Large bag of Fritos Scoops or Tostitos scoop chips

Preparation:
1. Spread cheese in bottom of shallow baking dish.
2. Mix chicken and buffalo sauce; spread over cheese.  
3. Drizzle blue cheese over chicken.  
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.  
5. Heat in a 350 degree over 20-30 minutes or until bubbling. You can also microwave 5-10 minutes although it won't give it that nice, golden brown color on top.  
6. Serve with "scoop style" chips.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
1 pkg. cream cheese, warmed and softened
10 or 12 taco shells (corn tortillas)
6 shredded chicken breasts
1 cup buffalo chicken sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar cheese mix
blue cheese dressing
6 stalks celery, diced

Preparation:
1. Mix chicken and buffalo sauce, set aside.  
2. Warm taco shells according to package instructions.  
3. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese in bottom of taco shell (this will help keep shell bottom from getting soggy).  
4. Add the chicken mixture.  
5. Sprinkle with cheese.  
6. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing according to taste (Ranch dressing could be substituted if preferred)
7. Top with diced celery.  
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Whether you decide to make Buffalo Chicken Dip or turn it into a meal by making Buffalo Chicken Tacos, your friends and family will love this kicked up chicken dish!

We would love hear about your favorite recipe! Click here to email your favorite recipes, and don’t forget to tell all of your Dacula friends about the Dacula Patch Cookbook.

Until next week, keep living a life filled with food, friends and fun!