This Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe is everyone’s favorite game day or party appetizer! Made with juicy shredded chicken, creamy ranch dressing, cream cheese, hot sauce, and loads of cheese, this easy and delicious Buffalo Chicken Dip is then baked until golden, bubbly, and perfect for dipping.
The Best Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Creamy and extra cheesy, this Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe easily qualifies as one of my all-time favorite party foods. Made with simple ingredients like shredded chicken, hot sauce, and cheese, it’s no mystery why this dip is the very first thing to disappear from the snack table.
It’s also super easy to prepare, cook, and eat.
Without the mess of sticky buffalo chicken wings, and baked right in an easily portable baking dish, this gooey, scoopable, chicken buffalo dip is one of my most popular recipes with over 240 reader comments and a (nearly) 5-star review.
Ingredients & Frequently Asked Questions
- Chicken
- Cream Cheese
- Ranch Dressing
- Hot Sauce
- Garlic Powder
- Green Onions or Chives
- Cheese
What chicken should I use?
Buffalo chicken dip can be made using shredded poached chicken, baked chicken breasts or baked chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken, or even leftover Thanksgiving turkey. You guys, anything works. You could even use canned chicken (as a last resort). Save time and use pre-cooked chicken (you will need approximately 3-4 cups) or cook your chicken ahead of time.
Why is my dip so greasy?
A couple of readers have mentioned that their dip turned out super greasy. Given the ingredients, it’s easy to see where this grease comes from. Easily reduce some of the excess fat by using chicken breast meat (white meat) instead of chicken thigh meat (dark meat) which is much higher in fat.
Can I use any type of cream cheese?
For best results, use full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat cream cheese may separate when baked.
Can I use blue cheese dressing instead of ranch dressing?
Buffalo chicken dip is delicious with both ranch dressing and bleu cheese dressing, so go ahead and use your favorite. For me personally, I wanted to stay away from any kind of Dry Ranch Dressing Mix and use the real deal instead.
How long to bake buffalo chicken dip?
At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes approximately 20-30 minutes for buffalo chicken dip to cook until golden, melted, and warmed through.
What is the best hot sauce for buffalo chicken dip?
Frank’s RedHot Sauce, hands down. Used in all my buffalo sauce recipes, including buffalo cauliflower, baked buffalo chicken recipe, and these buffalo turkey meatballs, this yummy buffalo wing pepper sauce is easy to find in most supermarkets or online.
Is this recipe keto?
Packed full of poached shredded chicken breasts, mixed cheese, cream cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce, buffalo chicken dip is 100% low carb and keto-approved.
Can I Freeze Buffalo Chicken Dip?
I do not recommend freezing buffalo chicken dip. Reheated from frozen and the cheese mixture becomes chalky, lacking the luxurious, creamy texture we love so much.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip
Make this easy chicken buffalo dip by following these step-by-step instructions,
1. Cook the chicken
If your chicken is not yet cooked, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and return to a boil. Remove from heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow your chicken to poach, covered, for approximately 25 minutes. When fully cooked, remove from the pot and allow to rest until cool enough to handle (note- the cooking time for the chicken is not included in the total cook time for this dish).
- Pro-tip – leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken is great in this recipe. You’ll need approximately 3-4 cups cooked and shredded chicken.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees f and spray a 9×9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Make your creamy buffalo ranch sauce
After your chicken has been cooked and shredded, heat the cream cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, pepper, and garlic powder in a small pot over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until combined and creamy, then remove from heat.
- Pro-tip – If your cream cheese is fresh out of the refrigerator, microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften up a bit before adding to the pot.
3. Mix the sauce with cheese and chicken and bake
Stir in the green onion, shredded chicken, one cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and one cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Transfer mixture to a baking pan and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
Transfer to the oven and bake until golden and bubbly.
Can I prepare Buffalo Chicken Dip Ahead of Time?
Depending on how much time you have, you may either prepare just parts of this recipe ahead of time or the whole thing and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake and serve.
The easiest way to save time is to cook the chicken ahead of time. Poaching and shredding chicken takes approximately 40 minutes, start to finish, so if you can knock that out and have the chicken ready, you’re already way ahead of the game.
You can also prepare the entire dip recipe. Simply cover your prepared dip with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo chicken dip tastes great with just about everything. Perfect for potlucks, football season, or an EPIC super bowl party, everyone will love this yummy dip that tastes just like chicken wings.
Serve your version of this great dip with:
- Crackers, tortilla chips, pretzels
- Veggies like celery sticks and carrot sticks. Sweet mini peppers are also great and are fantastic at scooping
- Pita or baguette
- Basically, most carbs
More Dip Recipes,
Muhammara Recipe (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)
If you try making this recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
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Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (boiled and shredded)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
- 1 cup ranch dressing (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup hot sauce ((I used Frank's RedHot), plus more as needed)
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup green onion (chopped)
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese (shredded, divided)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken. If your chicken is not yet cooked, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and return to a boil. Remove from heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow your chicken to poach, covered, for approximately 25 minutes. When fully cooked, remove from the pot and allow to rest until cool enough to handle (note- the cooking time for the chicken is not included in the total cooking time for this dish).
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9x9-inch baking pan (or approximate size) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Warm the sauce. To a medium saucepot over medium-low heat add the cubed cream cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk constantly until the cream cheese has dissolved in the ranch and hot sauce. Remove from heat.
- Combine. Add the cooked and shredded chicken, green onion, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, and one cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce pot. Mix well to combine. Transfer to your prepared baking pan and top with remain mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
- Bake. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the sides are starting to bubble. Set oven to BROIL. Allow your buffalo chicken dip to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove it immediately.
- Serve. Serve with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, crackers, or enjoy leftovers wrapped in a tortilla with all your favorite greens.
Jessica's Notes
- The chicken takes approximately 30 minutes to cook and is not included in the total cooking time. I recommended preparing the chicken ahead of time if you're short on time.
- You can substitute with approximately 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken.
- I always use Frank's RedHot Sauce for all my buffalo recipes.
- I used my homemade ranch dressing, but feel free to use your favorite Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.
- Grate your cheese. Freshly shredded cheese always comes together better when compared to pre-shredded, packaged cheese. My guess is that it has something to do with the anti-caking agent that is added to cheese when it is packaged.
- I added cheddar and mozzarella cheese as they are both great melting cheeses. If you want to add a somewhat more pungent cheese, Jack cheese, blue cheese crumbles, or feta cheese, is a good place to start.
- Leftovers taste great for approximately 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven set at 350 degrees F and tented with foil.
- Easily prepare this recipe in your Crockpot. The only difference is that the Crockpot version will lack the brown a bubbly cheese top. Read full slow cooker instructions here, Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Such an easy, simple, straightforward recipe for such a delicious dip
This was just what we needed today!
Everyone loved it , thanks for the new addition.
Tasted great. Will make again.
Sounds delicious! Can you use a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish?
Yes you can Erika 🙂
The best recipe ever!! So delicious!!
Thanks for the kind feedback Victoria 🙂
Second time making this and it tastes amazing!
I am happy you found it amazing Rob 🙂
I made this Christmas eve and it was a hit. I loved it!! I’ll make it again on new year’s day. Thank you for sharing