Buffalo Chicken Dip Appetizer Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Dip has been my go-to party appetizer recipe for YEARS. Super Bowl parties, Tailgate parties, Casual Friday parties in the office… you name it, there’s a very good chance this is what’s on the menu.

This easy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe only has 5 ingredients, not even counting the chips and veggie sticks to serve with it, and I’ve seen the serving bowls scraped squeaky clean more than a few times. My husband likes to serve his on game days with tortilla chips, while I’m more of a celery stick gal myself.

Either way, everyone’s a winner.

I’ve made this recipe SO many times that it’s practically tattooed into my brain. But after a few initial cooking fiascos with other people’s recipes, I’ve also learned a few tricks to making it perfect every time.

What Actually Makes This Buffalo Chicken Dip Work

This recipe uses Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce, not Frank’s RedHot Sauce. Believe me, I’ve made this recipe with Frank’s original hot sauce before and it’s NOTHING like buffalo wing flavor.

Buffalo wing sauce includes garlic and butter for a much more creamy, richer taste. Original hot sauce has a much stronger vinegar presence, so it’s no match for the real deal.

If you’re in a pinch, I’ve been told that adding 2 Tbsp. of melted butter to the original hot sauce makes a decent imitation. It’s not quite as good as the wing sauce, but it’s an option.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Ingredients

Cream Cheese, two 8-oz. blocks, softened

Softening cream cheese is always a pain. You can soften it by leaving it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before preparing the recipe, or nixing that step and microwaving for about 30 seconds, checking to make sure it hasn’t melted into soup.

Softened cream cheese will incorporate much more smoothly into the other ingredients. If it’s not soft enough, you’ll be left with little white grainy lumps throughout the dip.

Trust me, we’ve been down that road before and it’s not pretty. Also, use regular full-fat cream cheese, fat-free cream cheese will not melt as you’d expect.

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce – 2/3 Cup

As noted above, make sure to grab the red-labeled Buffalo WINGS sauce.

Ranch Dressing – 3/4 Cup

Buffalo chicken and ranch are a match made in heaven, it’s a perfect complement to the tangy wing sauce with its cool, zesty flavors. Use liquid dressing from a bottle, NOT a packet of seasoning, it would need to be rehydrated and the ratios wouldn’t work out, which would throw off the recipe’s consistency.

If you’re a blue cheese dressing fan, you can use the same amount of that in lieu of the ranch.

Shredded Cheddar Cheese – 1 cup

The tang of cheddar cheese also pairs well with buffalo flavors. Use good ol’ pre-shredded bagged cheese, anti-caking agents won’t affect this recipe’s texture.

You can totally shred your own, but why bother when it melts in so beautifully when added during the slow-cooking process?!

Cooked Shredded Chicken – 1 lb., about 2 cups

Use any source for cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken from the store, leftover roast chicken, canned chicken (drained well), use your imagination. Just make sure it’s cooked, you do NOT want to add raw chicken straight into the dip and watch the cooking time stretch on.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Directions

Using an electric hand mixer, mix cream cheese, Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce, ranch dressing and shredded cheese until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and mix until evenly distributed.

Pour into a 1.5-2 qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low until hot and creamy, about 1-2 hours, stirring a couple of times.

Dip will keep on the Warm setting for another 3-4 hours. Add a splash of milk as needed if dip gets too thick.

Serve with tortilla chips or vegetable sticks.

Can Buffalo Chicken Dip be made in the oven? Yes, once dip ingredients are mixed, transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Dip will be creamy and ready to eat right away. For a bubbly browned top, cover with foil and bake another 5 minutes.

And if you’re in a real hurry, microwave is best. Add all of the ingredients to a large, microwave-safe bowl and loosely cover.

Cook for a total of 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so. Serve directly from the bowl.

It takes a lot of the guesswork out of things, especially if you’re on a 10 minute limit.

Baked in the oven is best if you’re looking for a simple appetizer for a small dinner or get together. It’s much faster and easier than the crock pot option, although the crock pot really comes into its own with larger get togethers because it’s “set it and forget it,” which is handy when you’ve got lots of appetizers going on and can’t be standing by the stove.

Cooked on the stove takes more attention (constantly stir!) but is quick and easy. Just make sure to cook on low with a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent burning.

How long will it keep?

This recipe makes a lot of buffalo chicken dip, but that’s the beauty of it. You can eat some, give some away, freeze some, etc.

Refrigerated in an air-tight container it’ll keep for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds, stirring halfway through.

Can you make buffalo chicken dip ahead of time?

You can make it in advance and I’d actually recommend it. It tastes even better that way.

Assemble everything, cover, and leave in the fridge. It’ll keep for a day that way.

Bring out on party day and place in crock pot and allow to warm to your desired consistency. It usually takes a couple of hours.

Can you freeze it?

It does freeze okay although it might have a slightly different texture when thawed and might be a little grainy. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Reheat on low.

What if it’s separating?

If you see some pooling on top of your buffalo chicken dip recipe it’s likely that the butter and/or fat in the cream cheese separated out. That’s okay.

It means your dip got too hot. Give it a good stir and it should be okay.

You can also add a splash of milk and whisk to re-emulsify.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! Use a 3-4 quart crock pot and leave on warm for 2-3 hours, stirring often.

Should I use ranch or blue cheese?

Lots of people prefer the dip with ranch instead of blue cheese because it’s a crowd-pleaser. But if you’re after the true taste of buffalo wings then blue cheese is the best bet.

Use the same amount (3/4 cup) that the recipe calls for as ranch.

What to Put Out Next to It

Buffalo chicken dip recipe calls for a dipper. And it’s not necessarily obvious which dippers work best for hot, thick dips.

Here are my favorite buffalo chicken dip serving suggestions:

Celery Sticks

Of course. Make sure to cut them thick enough that they don’t bend and break.

Tortilla Chips

My husband prefers these. Make sure you get the thick, sturdy kind and not the thin and fragile ones.

Pretzel Crackers or Pretzel Chips

The saltiness complements the dip nicely without duplicating any of the flavors. Also adds a nice crunch.

Carrot Sticks

A little on the sweeter side but a great alternative to celery. Try to cut them into long, rectangular shapes, basically mini versions of the ones you’d use to scoop hummus or baba ghanoush, to make dipping easier.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Questions I Get Every Time

Can I make buffalo chicken dip less spicy?

If you want a milder dip, use 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce. You can add more if you like it spicier, up to 1 cup, and/or add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little extra bite.

Other Appetizers That Always Go Fast

• Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso Recipe, hot, meaty & loaded with cheese!
• Seven Layer Dip with all of my easy, make ahead tips