by Amy L. Hatch
There’s not much to brag about when you hail from Western New York.
But when it comes to Buffalo wings, Western New York is king.
They were invented in Buffalo, of course, at the Anchor Bar. Both my parents were born in Buffalo, and I’ve eaten original recipe wings. I never thought they were anything special — until I moved away from Western New York.
I taught myself to make wings and sauce several years ago, but there are times when you crave the tangy-hot sweetness of a chicken wing but don’t want to drag out the deep fryer.
That’s why I love chicken wing dip.
This easy-peasy dip recipe will wow any crowd, and it also makes a yummy snack when you’re hanging around the house on New Year’s Day watching football.
Here’s what you need:
- One brick of cream cheese, softened
- Ranch dressing
- Canned chicken (I use Swanson brand, it’s next to the tuna at most grocery stores)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Bottle of Frank’s Red Hot
Grab a 9-inch pie plate and spread the cream cheese on the bottom of it. Next, shred your chicken with a fork and put it on top of the cream cheese. Cover the cheese and chicken with a generous layer of shredded cheddar, and then cover that with the ranch dressing.
Finally, top the whole thing with a thin layer of hot sauce.
Microwave until the whole thing is melt-y and delicious, one minute at a time until you get the texture you want. Serve with celery and tortilla chips and watch it disappear.
You might want to put some breath mints out when everyone’s finished eating — just sayin’.