Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball
Fully cooked chicken, cheddar, and Buffalo hot sauce turn a cream-cheese base into a chilled, spreadable appetizer. Shape it into one broad, low dome and leave the pale orange, flecked surface uncoated. Finely chopped, fairly dry chicken and measured liquids help it hold its shape without making it hard to spread on crackers.
Makes about 10 appetizer servings. Allow 20 minutes to prepare, plus time to soften the cream cheese and about 2 hours to chill. No cooking is needed if the chicken is already cooked.
Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225g)
- 1 packed cup fully cooked chicken, cooled and finely shredded or chopped (140g)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (85g)
- 2 tablespoons Buffalo-style hot sauce (30g)
- 1 tablespoon blue cheese dressing (15g)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Have rectangular crackers and baby carrots ready for serving. Rotisserie chicken works if it is fully cooked and still within its safe refrigerated storage window; avoid pieces sitting in excess liquid.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball
- Prepare the ingredients: Soften the cream cheese until it yields easily to a spatula. Finely shred or chop the cooled, cooked chicken and drain away any visible liquid. Short, fine pieces spread more neatly than long strands.
- Mix the base: In a bowl, stir the cream cheese, hot sauce, blue cheese dressing, garlic powder, and onion powder until evenly pale orange, with no large cream-cheese lumps. Stir in the cheddar, then fold in the chicken.
- Shape the dome: Spoon the mixture onto plastic wrap. Gather the wrap around it and gently press it into one broad mound about 5 inches across, with a flattened base and rounded top. Leave the outside uncoated.
- Chill: Wrap closely and refrigerate. Start checking after about 1 hour and allow roughly 2 hours, or longer if needed. When gently unwrapped, the mound should hold its outline but still be soft enough to spread.
- Serve: Unwrap and transfer the cheese ball to a plate. Arrange crackers and baby carrots around it, leaving the flecked surface visible. Serve chilled.
If cooking chicken specifically for this recipe, cook it to 165°F (75°C), then cool it before mixing. Do not use raw chicken.
How to Keep the Cheese Ball Firm and Spreadable
Chicken and dressing add moisture to the cream-cheese base. Drain the chicken and measure the hot sauce and dressing rather than adding extra. If the dome spreads when unwrapped, gather it back into the plastic wrap and chill it longer. Use its shape and spreadability—not the clock alone—as the final cue.
Serving and Variations
Crackers and baby carrots suit the uncoated cheese ball; celery sticks or pita chips also work. For a different hand-held chicken snack, see these chicken avocado roll-ups.
- Ranch version: Replace the tablespoon of blue cheese dressing with 1 tablespoon ranch dressing. Keep the amount the same so the mixture does not become wetter.
- Nut-coated version: Press about 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts onto the chilled mound for a crunchy finish. This changes the uncoated appearance of the main version.
Make-Ahead and Cold Storage
Shape the cheese ball ahead, keep it wrapped and refrigerated, and unwrap it just before serving. Refrigerate at 40°F (5°C) or below and use it within 3 to 4 days of cooking the chicken; assembling the cheese ball does not restart that clock.
Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour above 90°F (30°C). Serve chilled without reheating. Freezing is not recommended as a planned method because the thawed texture is uncertain.
For another make-ahead chicken option, try these chicken bacon ranch pinwheels.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per appetizer serving, based on 10 servings and excluding crackers and carrots: 145 calories, 8g protein, 12g fat, and 2g carbohydrates. Per 100g of cheese ball: approximately 290 calories, 16g protein, 24g fat, and 4g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands and chicken used.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Plastic wrap
- Serving plate
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225g)
- 1 packed cup fully cooked chicken, cooled and finely shredded or chopped (140g)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (85g)
- 2 tablespoons Buffalo-style hot sauce (30g)
- 1 tablespoon blue cheese dressing (15g)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Rectangular crackers, for serving
- Baby carrots, for serving
Instructions
- Soften the cream cheese until it yields easily to a spatula.
- Finely shred or chop the cooled, cooked chicken and drain away any visible liquid.
- Stir the cream cheese, hot sauce, blue cheese dressing, garlic powder, and onion powder until evenly pale orange and smooth.
- Stir in the cheddar, then fold in the chicken.
- Spoon the mixture onto plastic wrap. Gather the wrap around it and shape it into a broad mound about 5 inches across, with a flattened base and rounded top.
- Wrap closely and refrigerate for about 2 hours, checking after 1 hour. Chill longer if needed, until the mound holds its shape but remains spreadable.
- Unwrap the cheese ball and transfer it to a plate. Arrange crackers and baby carrots around it and serve chilled.
Tips
- Use finely chopped or shredded chicken for a neater texture.
- Drain visible liquid from the chicken to help the cheese ball hold its shape.
- Measure the hot sauce and dressing; adding extra liquid can make the mixture too soft.
- If the mound spreads when unwrapped, reshape it in the plastic wrap and chill it longer.
Variations
- Ranch Version: Replace the blue cheese dressing with 1 tablespoon ranch dressing.
- Nut-Coated Version: Press about 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts onto the chilled mound.