You know that feeling when you have to bring a dish to a party? The panic sets in. What’s easy? What will everyone actually eat? I’ve been there a thousand times.
I’m going to show you how to make the one thing that solves this problem forever: Buffalo Chicken Bombs. They are gooey, spicy, cheesy little pockets of pure happiness. Everyone will beg you for the recipe, I promise.
This is the kind of recipe that looks way harder than it is. It’s our little secret.
What You’ll Need
Getting your ingredients ready first is, like, the most important rule of cooking. It makes everything else go so much smoother. Don’t just dump things in a bowl as you find them. Trust me on this.
For the Dough
You can find this right in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. It’s usually near the yogurt and eggs.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Canned Biscuit Dough | 1 (16.3 oz) can |
For the Buffalo Chicken Filling
The filling is where the magic happens. Having everything measured out and ready to go makes this part super fast.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cooked Chicken | 2 cups, shredded |
| Cream Cheese | 8 oz block |
| Frank’s RedHot Sauce | ½ cup |
| Shredded Cheddar Cheese | 1 cup |
| Ranch Dressing | ¼ cup |
| Green Onions | 2, thinly sliced |
For the Garlic Butter Topping
Don’t skip this part. It takes the whole thing from good to “oh my gosh, what is this?”
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unsalted Butter | 4 tablespoons |
| Garlic Powder | ½ teaspoon |
| Dried Parsley | 1 teaspoon |
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets for this. I bet you already have everything you need sitting in your drawers and cabinets.
- Baking Sheet: A standard half-sheet pan is perfect.
- Parchment Paper: This makes cleanup so much easier. Seriously.
- Large Mixing Bowl: For mixing up that delicious filling.
- Small Microwave-Safe Bowl: For melting the butter for the topping.
- Spatula: A rubber spatula is great for scraping the bowl.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons: For getting the amounts just right.
- A Fork or Spoon: For mixing the filling.
Let’s Make Some Buffalo Chicken Bombs
Okay, this is where we get to the fun part. Just follow along, and you’ll be a pro in no time.
Step 1: First things first, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Then, line a big baking sheet with parchment paper. This little step will save you from scrubbing a cheesy, baked-on mess later. You’ll thank me.
Step 2: Grab your large mixing bowl. Put the softened cream cheese, shredded chicken, Frank’s RedHot sauce, shredded cheddar, ranch dressing, and sliced green onions in there. Mix it all together until it’s really well combined. (If your cream cheese isn’t soft, you’ll have lumps. Nobody wants a lump of plain cream cheese).
Step 3: Open that can of biscuit dough. It always makes me jump a little. Separate the 8 biscuits and place them on your counter. Now, gently flatten each biscuit with your fingers until it’s about 4 inches wide. Don’t make them too thin, or they might rip.
Step 4: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the buffalo chicken filling into the center of each flattened biscuit. Try not to overfill them, even though it’s tempting. If you put too much in, it will all ooze out while baking.
Step 5: This is the most important step for success. Carefully pull the edges of the dough up and over the filling. Pinch all the seams together at the top to create a little ball, or “bomb.” Make sure it’s sealed up tight all around.
Step 6: Place each bomb, seam-side down, on the baking sheet you prepared earlier. Give them a little space so they aren’t touching. They need room to puff up and get golden.
Step 7: Bake for 13 to 17 minutes. You’re looking for them to be a beautiful golden brown color. Every oven is a little different, so just keep an eye on them after the 13-minute mark.
Step 8: While the bombs are in the oven, make the topping. Put the butter in your small bowl and microwave it for about 30-45 seconds until it’s all melted. Then, stir in the garlic powder and dried parsley.
Step 9: As soon as the bombs come out of the oven, brush that amazing garlic butter all over the tops of them. Be generous. This is what gives them that shiny, irresistible look. Let them cool for a few minutes before you serve them, because that filling is like lava.
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
I’ve made these a million times, and I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are a few things that make a huge difference.
- Soften Your Cream Cheese, For Real: I know I already said it, but it’s a big deal. If you forget to take it out of the fridge ahead of time, just unwrap it, put it on a plate, and microwave it for 15-20 seconds. It should be soft enough to stir easily. This ensures a creamy, consistent filling.
- Shred Your Own Cheese: The bags of pre-shredded cheese have a coating on them to stop the shreds from clumping. That coating also stops it from melting as smoothly. Grating a block of cheddar yourself takes two extra minutes and results in a much gooier, meltier center.
- The Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut: The easiest way to get perfectly cooked, shredded chicken is to buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. It’s a huge time-saver and the chicken is always moist and flavorful. Just pull the meat off the bones and shred it with two forks.
- Let the Filling Cool a Bit: If you make your own chicken for this recipe, let it cool down before mixing it into the filling. A hot filling can make the biscuit dough warm and sticky, which makes it harder to seal the bombs properly.
Swaps and Fun Variations
Once you get the basic recipe down, you can totally start playing with it. It’s hard to mess these up.
- Change the Dough: Instead of biscuits, you can use canned crescent roll dough or even pizza dough. If you use crescent rolls, just pinch two triangles together to make a rectangle before adding the filling. Pizza dough will give you a chewier, more bread-like bomb.
- Adjust the Spice: Love it super spicy? Add a few extra dashes of hot sauce or even a pinch of cayenne pepper to the filling. If you’re making them for kids or people who don’t like heat, you can reduce the hot sauce to just a couple of tablespoons for flavor.
- Get Cheesy: Mix it up! Try using a Monterey Jack or a Colby Jack blend instead of cheddar. Or, for a classic buffalo flavor, add a few tablespoons of blue cheese crumbles to the filling mix.
- Add-Ins: Want to sneak in some veggies? Finely chopped celery or bell peppers can be a great addition to the filling. Just make sure they are chopped up small.
Making Life Easier: Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
These are a perfect make-ahead appetizer, which is why I love them for parties. A little prep goes a long way.
- Make the Filling in Advance: You can mix the entire buffalo chicken filling up to 2 days ahead of time. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, all you have to do is assemble and go.
- Storing Leftovers: If you somehow have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to Reheat: The best way to bring them back to life is in the oven or an air fryer. Pop them in at 350°F for about 5-7 minutes. This gets the outside crispy again and the inside hot and gooey. Microwaving works in a pinch, but the dough will be soft instead of crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions I get asked all the time about this recipe.
Q1. Can I make these in an air fryer?
Ans: Yes, absolutely! Place them in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Q2. My bombs leaked while baking! What went wrong?
Ans: This usually happens for two reasons: you either overfilled them or didn’t get a good seal on the dough. Make sure you pinch those seams together really well.
Q3. Can I use canned chicken?
Ans: You can, but make sure to drain it really, really well. Canned chicken holds a lot of water, which can make your filling runny and your bombs soggy.
Q4. What should I serve these with for dipping?
Ans: Ranch or blue cheese dressing are the classic choices for dipping. A side of celery and carrot sticks is also great to cool down the spice.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so hard. You now have the power to make an appetizer that will disappear in minutes at any gathering. The combination of the soft, buttery dough with that creamy, spicy, cheesy filling is just impossible to resist.
Now it’s your turn. Give this recipe a try and come back and tell me how it went in the comments. Did you try any fun variations? Did your family love them? I want to hear all about it
