This summer, Surly’s Kyle Hopkins competed on season 13 of Fox’s MasterChef. As we look forward to the opening of the NFL season and the equally critical tailgating season, we turned to him for a recipe that includes Before I Die Lager, the official beer of your next tailgate, watch party, yelling at the TV in the middle of a Buffalo Wild Wings much to your partner’s dismay, etc.
Per Kyle, “This recipe literally came to me in a dream. I woke up and rolled over and told my wife I had dreamed about using chicken skin as a garnish on a buffalo chicken dip and the rest is history.” That’s a weird dream, Kyle, but as long as The Hat Man isn’t in it, it’s probably OK.
(Note: You can also load up on Before I Die at participating liquor stores this fall with a Buy 2, Get $6 Back rebate on Before I Die 12-packs! Just look for the sign and follow the instructions!)
Surly Beer and Buffalo Chicken Dip
1 whole chicken, cooked
¼ cup Surly Before I Die Lager (Hell and Oktoberfest would also work!)
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup celery, finely chopped
½ cup Sriracha hot sauce
½ cup colby-jack shredded cheese (divided in half)
¼ cup bleu cheese, crumbled
¼ cup scallions, chopped
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Carefully pull the skin off the chicken, slice it into thin strips, and set it aside. Then, pull the chicken off the bone, roughly chop that, and it set aside (separate from the skin).
Add the beer and cream cheese to a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the cream cheese melts and the two are incorporated. While continuing to stir, add the celery, the sriracha, and half (¼ cup) of the colby-jack cheese, and stir until everything is basically a thick, melty sauce. Turn off the heat and add the pulled chicken to the sauce and stir until the chicken is coated.
Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining colby-jack cheese, the bleu cheese, and — finally — the chicken skin slivers. Cook, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is bubbling, and chicken skin is brown and crispy.
Garnish with the chopped scallions and serve with Fritos, celery, beer, and sports.
