Buffalo Chicken Dip is everyone’s favorite party appetizer! This creamy, cheesy dip brings together tender shredded chicken with zesty buffalo sauce and rich cream cheese for the ultimate comfort food experience. It’s like enjoying all the delicious flavors of buffalo wings without the mess – perfect for sharing with friends and family.
You’ll find this beloved dip at just about every party, gathering, and sporting event, especially during football season and Super Bowl celebrations. It’s the go-to crowd-pleaser for potluck dinners, game day watch parties, holiday get-togethers, and those casual nights when you want something warm and satisfying to share.
Serve it up with your favorite tortilla chips, crackers, celery sticks, or even some warm crusty bread for the perfect dipping experience.
This creamy, spicy, and cheesy dip is perfect for a crowd! Serve it hot with crackers, celery sticks, or tortilla chips.
Ingredients
Cooked Chicken: 4 cups (about 1.5 – 2 lbs) cooked chicken, shredded or finely diced. (You can use rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or boil/bake chicken breasts yourself).
Cream Cheese: 2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened
Buffalo Sauce: 1 cup (240ml) Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce (or your favorite buffalo sauce)
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing: 1 cup (240ml) ranch or blue cheese dressing
Cheddar Cheese: 3 cups (about 12 oz) shredded cheddar cheese (or a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
Optional for garnish: Fresh chopped chives or green onions
- Equipment:
9×13 inch baking dish or a 2-quart oven-safe dish
Large mixing bowl
Spatula or spoon
Directions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Soften Cream Cheese: If your cream cheese isn’t already soft, you can microwave it for 30-60 seconds to soften it.
- Combine Ingredients (except some cheese): In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch or blue cheese dressing. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add Chicken and Cheese: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese until evenly distributed.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the mixture into your prepared 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread it out evenly.
- Top with Remaining Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the dip.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the dip is bubbly around the edges and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden.
- Serve Hot: Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh chives or green onions if desired. Serve hot with your favorite dippers like crackers, celery sticks, or tortilla chips.
Helpful Tips for the Best Results:
Easy Chicken Shredding: When preparing your own chicken breasts, here’s a time-saving trick – use two forks to pull the meat apart, or try using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment for perfectly shredded chicken in seconds.
Customizing the Heat: Feel free to adjust the spice level to your taste! Love it hot? Add a splash more buffalo sauce. Prefer it milder? Simply reduce the buffalo sauce a bit and add extra ranch or blue cheese dressing instead.
Perfect for Planning Ahead: You can prepare the entire dip mixture through step 5 and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before your gathering. When you’re ready to serve, just sprinkle on the remaining cheese and pop it in the oven. Keep in mind you may need an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time when starting from cold.
Slow Cooker Method
Ingredients: Same as above recipe
Instructions:
- Prep the slow cooker: Lightly grease your slow cooker with cooking spray or butter.
- Combine base ingredients: Add the softened cream cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch or blue cheese dressing, and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese to the slow cooker.
- Add the chicken: Fold in the shredded chicken until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring gently every 45 minutes to ensure even heating and prevent sticking.
- Add final cheese: During the last 30 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top. Cover and continue cooking until the cheese is completely melted and the dip is hot and bubbly throughout.
- Serve immediately: Keep the slow cooker on warm setting while serving with tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.
Slow Cooker Tips:
- This method is perfect for parties since it keeps the dip warm throughout your event
- If the dip seems too thick, stir in a tablespoon of milk or chicken broth
- For best results, use a 3-4 quart slow cooker
- The dip can be kept warm in the slow cooker for up to 4 hours on the warm setting
Leave a Reply