Buffalo Chicken Mini Bread Bowls are a perfect game-day appetizer. They're made by hollowing out small homemade bread rolls, filling them with creamy Buffalo chicken, and baking until hot and melty. These tasty treats are handheld and hearty, and will be the most valuable player at your Super Bowl party, tailgate, or any gathering where easy, crowd-pleasing food matters.
Quick Look
- Hands-on prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 35 minutes
- Total hands-on prep time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 Buffalo Chicken Filled Mini Bread Bowls
- Best for: Super Bowl parties, game day, casual entertaining
- Make-ahead friendly: Yes (components can be prepped in advance)
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for game day: Handheld, hearty, and easy to eat while watching the game.
- No soggy bread bowls: The filling is creamy but structured, so the bread holds up when filled.
- Crowd-pleasing flavor: Classic Buffalo chicken with just the right amount of heat.
- Versatile: Works for Super Bowl parties, potlucks, and casual entertaining.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Make the Mini Bread Bowls - Step-by-Step
- Form: Divide thawed bread dough into 12 equal portions (about 1 ⅓ ounces each). Shape each portion into a smooth ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Bake: After 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Hollow out the bread bowls: Slice a thin "lid" from the top of each roll. Use the large end of a melon baller to cut around the inside of the roll. Then gently scoop the interior by hand, leaving sturdy walls and a solid base.
Make the Filling, Fill, and Bake
- Make the filling: Beat together the cream cheese, Buffalo sauce, melted butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Add the chicken and cheese, and stir until well combined.
- Fill: Add the filling to each bread bowl using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop. Sprinkle the tops lightly with additional cheese.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish lightly with sliced green onions and a drizzle of Buffalo sauce. Serve warm.
Buffalo Chicken Mini Bread Bowls are everything you want in a Super Bowl appetizer: bold flavor, handheld convenience, and positive memories. By using frozen bread dough and a creamy, structured filling, you get a mini bread bowl that looks good and actually works. Yum!
Chula's Test Kitchen Tips
- Frozen bread dough matters: After experimenting with frozen dinner rolls and frozen bread dough, I opted for the more labor-intensive option. While more convenient, the frozen bread rolls rose more aggressively, split, and tended to collapse when hollowed. Stick with the frozen bread dough!
- Melon baller hack: I first tried using a paring knife to hollow out the rolls, but found it tore the bread and left a messy surface. Switching to the large end of a melon baller resulted in cleaner, more uniform bread bowls.
- Don't overfill: The Buffalo chicken filling is amazingly delicious. However, less is better with the mini bread bowls. The reason is that overfilling can lead to overflow and greasy tops.
- Sprinkle of cheese: I found that a light sprinkle of cheese before baking added visual appeal without masking the bread bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Bake and hollow the bread bowls up to a day in advance, and store them in a Ziploc bag. Make the filling up to a day in advance and refrigerate, covered. Fill and bake just before serving.
The filling has classic Buffalo flavor with moderate heat. You can adjust the spiciness by adding more or less Buffalo sauce or choosing a milder brand. I used Frank's Red-Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce.
Yes. The Buffalo Chicken Mini Bread Bowls reheat very well in the oven. For best results, heat at 350°F until warmed through. The filling stays creamy, and the bread bowls hold their shape.
Absolutely. The mini bread bowls also work beautifully with chicken salad, ham salad, egg salad, and pimento cheese for an amazing cold appetizer.
Other Game Day Favorites
- Fried Cheese Balls (Crispy, Gooey, and Totally Irresistible)
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders (Small Batch Recipe)
- Hot Dog Burnt Ends
- Easy Southern Mini Fire Crackers
- Crunchwrap-Style Sliders
- Creole Sausage Balls with Remoulade Sauce
- Easy Oven-Baked Honey Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- Easy Smashed Chicken Caesar Tacos
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Buffalo Chicken Mini Bread Bowls - Perfect Super Bowl Appetizer
Equipment
- half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper
- Bread Knife
- Melon baller
- 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
Mini Bread Bowls
- 1 pound frozen bread dough loaf, thawed (See Tip 1)
Buffalo Chicken Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) Buffalo sauce (See Tip 2)
- 1 tablespoon (0.5 ounce) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups (10 ounces) finely chopped cooked chicken (See Tip 3)
- ¾ cup (3 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided (See Tip 4)
- Sliced green onion tops for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Mini Bread Bowls
- Cut the thawed bread dough into 12 pieces (1 ⅓ ounces each). Form into tight balls, pinching the seams. Place seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a lightly floured piece of parchment paper; let sit for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Remove the parchment paper; bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Slice a thin "lid" from the top of each roll with a bread knife. Use the large end of a melon baller to cut around the inside, then gently scoop out the interior by hand, leaving sturdy walls and a solid base. Use the lid and the inside for another purpose. (See Tip 5)
Buffalo Chicken Filling
- In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, Buffalo sauce, melted butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. (See Tip 6)
- Add the chicken and ½ cup of the shredded cheese; stir to combine.
Assemble and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop, add the filling to each bread bowl, mounding it slightly on the top. Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of the reserved cheese on top.
- Bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted. If desired, broil for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to lightly brown the top (watch closely).
- If desired, garnish with chopped green onion tops and additional Buffalo sauce on the side.
- Yield: 12 Buffalo Chicken Mini Bread Bowls (See Tip 7)
Video
Tips/Notes
- I used Rhodes frozen bread dough, thawed for 2 hours before forming into rolls. I would recommend against using frozen rolls. They are formulated differently from the bread dough and are likely to split during baking.
- I used Frank's Red-Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce.
- I used rotisserie chicken, finely chopped, in this recipe.
- It's best to shred your cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese. The reason is that pre-shredded cheese contains additives that can inhibit its melting.
- The mini bread bowls can be made in advance for up to a day. Store them either at room temperature or in the refrigerator in a Ziploc bag.
- The Buffalo chicken filling can be made a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
- Leftovers, if any, can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
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