Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Monkey Bread Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, make sure the pizza dough is at room temperature for easier handling. Shred the cooked chicken if not already shredded. Grate the cheeses if using blocks.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and generously grease a 10-inch bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray. Have all ingredients measured and ready. Line a baking sheet with foil to place under the bundt pan to catch any cheese that bubbles over during baking.

Instructions

Prep and Assemble

1. 1Prepare the Filling
   In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, buffalo hot sauce, and melted butter. Toss until every piece of chicken is coated in the spicy sauce. Set aside.
   Look for The chicken should be evenly coated and glossy.
   Tip Use your hands or two forks to toss the chicken thoroughly.
2. 2Cut the Dough
   On a lightly floured surface, cut the pizza dough into bite-sized nuggets, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches each. You should have roughly 40 to 50 pieces.
   Look for Pieces should be uniform for even baking.
   Tip Use a bench scraper or sharp knife for clean cuts.
3. 3Preheat the Oven
   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease a 10-inch bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray.
   Look for Oven ready when it signals 375°F.
   Tip Make sure the bundt pan is well greased to ensure easy release.

At the end of this phase, you have a bowl of spicy buffalo chicken, a pile of dough nuggets, and a greased bundt pan ready. The kitchen smells of hot sauce and butter. The dough pieces are uniform and the chicken is glossy with sauce. The pan is layered with dough, chicken, and cheese, filled to the top. Check that the layers are even and the pan is not overstuffed.

Bake and Rest

4. 4Layer the Bread
   Place a layer of dough nuggets in the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. Top with a portion of the buffalo chicken mixture, then sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Repeat the layers, finishing with cheese on top, until all ingredients are used.
   Look for The pan should be filled to the top with ingredients.
   Tip Press the layers down lightly so everything fits snugly.
5. 5Bake the Monkey Bread
   Place the bundt pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is puffed, golden brown, and the cheese is bubbling vigorously around the edges. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
   Look for The top should be deep golden and the cheese visibly bubbling.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Check at 25 minutes and rotate the pan if needed.
6. 6Rest the Bread
   Remove the bundt pan from the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. This allows the cheese to set slightly and makes the bread easier to invert.
   Look for The bread will settle and pull away from the pan edges.
   Tip Don't skip the rest — it helps the bread hold its shape.

After 30 minutes in the oven, the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling vigorously around the edges. The bread has puffed up and looks like a golden crown. The kitchen smells of toasted dough and melted cheese.

After resting for 10 minutes, the bread has settled and pulled away from the pan edges. The cheese has set slightly, so the bread holds together when you gently shake the pan.

Invert and Serve

7. 7Invert and Garnish
   Place a serving platter over the bundt pan and carefully invert the pan to release the monkey bread. Drizzle with ranch dressing, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and sliced green onions.
   Look for The bread releases cleanly and holds its ring shape.
   Tip If any pieces stick, gently coax them out with a spatula.
8. 8Serve and Pull Apart
   Serve the monkey bread warm, pulling apart pieces with your fingers or tongs. Enjoy the cheesy, spicy, pull-apart goodness.
   Look for Each piece pulls away with long cheese strands.
   Tip Serve immediately while the cheese is still molten.

When inverted onto a platter, the monkey bread releases cleanly, showing a beautiful ring of golden, cheesy pull-apart pieces. The drizzle of ranch and sprinkle of green onions and blue cheese crumbles add color and contrast. Each piece pulls away with long, molten cheese strands. The bread is warm, and the flavors of buffalo, cheese, and cool ranch are perfectly balanced. Serve immediately.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is not greasing the bundt pan thoroughly, which causes the bread to stick when inverting. Use a generous amount of butter or nonstick spray, and make sure to get into all the crevices.

Another mistake is overfilling the pan — leave a little room for the dough to expand. Also, don't skip the resting time after baking; it helps the cheese set and the bread release cleanly.

How to tell it’s done

The monkey bread is done when the top is deep golden brown and puffed, and the cheese is bubbling around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with no raw dough — only melted cheese.

The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) if you want to verify. Let it rest for 10 minutes before inverting; the bread should hold its shape and pull apart easily.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part