Buffalo Chicken Dip Is Even Better When Paired With This Beloved Freezer Food

Few dishes are better than spicy, creamy Buffalo chicken dip, whether it's for a game day, movie night, weekend dinner, or celebratory treat. The contrast of rich cream cheese and piquant Buffalo sauce coating shredded chicken creates a satiating bite that's balanced in flavor and texture. The only debate surrounding this delicious dip is what to serve with it, as some are staunchly for carrots and celery only, while others insist on tortilla chips and crackers.

One of the cleverest choices you've never heard of nixes the act of dipping altogether and instead tops the creamy mixture with tidy little rows of crispy tater tots. We already know tater tots will change your nacho game, so it makes sense they'd work equally well with this combination of melty cheese and spicy protein. Crispy and savory on the outside, fluffy and salty on the inside, tater tots offer a crunchy, starchy contrast to the Buffalo dip that lightly calms the heat while bringing more nuanced flavors to the forefront.

The trick here is to line the top of your Buffalo chicken dip with frozen tots rather than heating them separately as you would with nachos. Using them as a crust both protects the tots from getting mushy and helps hold the moisture in the dip so it stays saucy and creamy. If you'd like your tots to be fully coated, scoop and flip your serving onto your plate to allow the dip to envelop the tater tots.

The best thing about this clever hack on the list of ways you never thought to use frozen tater tots is that it's ridiculously easy to adapt to pretty much any Buffalo chicken dip recipe. Just assemble your dip as you normally would, top it with the frozen tots, bake, and serve. The tots being frozen are one reason this works so well — they thaw before they crisp up, lightly steaming the dip below. Being frozen when they go in the oven also protects the tots from burning while everything bakes.

The exception to this method is if your favorite Buffalo chicken dip recipe is made in the slow cooker. These appliances are phenomenal at making warm, creamy dips but not so great at roasting up golden brown tater tots. Since condensation swirls around inside the slow cooker, you'll just end up with a bunch of soggy potato bits, which isn't exactly appetizing. In this case, it's best to bake or air fry the tots separately and arrange them over the dip one serving at a time.

Either version is even tastier with the addition of toppings like sliced chives or creamy chipotle ranch dressing. You can also turn it into a delicious, balanced meal by serving it with a salad featuring complementary flavors, like shredded lettuce and carrots, chopped celery, and blue cheese or funky aged cheddar crumbles, with a chile-lime dressing.