Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo chicken dip is the appetizer that disappears first at every party. Cream cheese, Frank’s RedHot Buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, shredded chicken, and cheddar all warmed together in a crockpot until creamy and bubbly. Five minutes of prep, an hour to warm through, served hot with celery sticks and tortilla chips. The bowl always comes home empty.

A Little Story

Buffalo chicken dip has been at every Super Bowl party I’ve ever hosted, every game day, every casual gathering. It’s the dip people ask about when they walk in the door. I usually make it in the morning, transfer to a small slow cooker on warm, and forget about it. Three or four hours later the bowl is empty and people are scraping the sides. This recipe — five ingredients, ratios dialed in, no extra fuss — is the one I keep coming back to. The simplicity is part of why it works.

This recipe has been a default at our house for years because it works every single time. The combination is what people call “buffalo chicken everything” — it’s the same flavor profile as buffalo wings, but in dip form, no frying required. The cream cheese mellows the heat from the buffalo sauce, the ranch adds a cool tangy contrast, and the cheddar pulls everything together with a melty, sharp finish.

Use rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken you have on hand — leftovers from another meal, canned chicken in a pinch, or a chicken breast cooked specifically for this. The dip stays warm in the crockpot for hours, so it’s perfect for a party where guests are coming and going.

Ingredient Breakdown

Cream cheese (2 blocks, 8 oz. each, softened)
Two standard 8-ounce blocks, full-fat. Soften before using — leave on the counter 30 minutes or microwave on a plate for 30 seconds. Cold cream cheese never fully incorporates and you end up with white lumps in the finished dip. Don’t use fat-free; it doesn’t melt as cleanly.

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings sauce (2/3 cup)
This is the specific Frank’s labeled “Buffalo Wings” — not the regular Frank’s Original. They sit right next to each other on the shelf and they are not the same thing. The Buffalo Wings variety is pre-blended with butter and garlic, which gives it the rounded, buttery wing-shop flavor. Regular Frank’s is just hot sauce — sharper, one-note, doesn’t taste like a buffalo wing. If you only have regular Frank’s, mix 2/3 cup with 2 tablespoons of melted butter to approximate the Buffalo Wings sauce.

Ranch dressing (3/4 cup)
Bottled ranch, not the dry packet. The bottled kind is already liquid and blends evenly. Blue cheese dressing substitutes if you prefer the classic buffalo wing pairing — stronger flavor, equally good.

Shredded cheddar cheese (1 cup)
Sharp cheddar gives the most flavor. Pre-shredded is fine here — the anti-caking starch that affects melting in other applications doesn’t matter much in a dip where the cheese is fully blending into the base.

Cooked shredded chicken (1 lb., about 2 cups)
Rotisserie chicken is the easiest — pull and shred about half the bird. Leftover roasted or baked chicken works. Canned chicken (drained well) works in a pinch but the texture is softer. Don’t use raw chicken — it would water down the dip and require much longer cooking.

For serving
Celery sticks are the classic pairing. Tortilla chips, pretzel crackers, pita chips, and carrot sticks all work. Set out at least two options.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Frank’s RedHot Buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and shredded cheddar. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and uniform, about 1 to 2 minutes. This step matters — if you just stir by hand, the cream cheese can stay lumpy in spots. The hand mixer makes the base completely smooth so every bite is consistent.

Stir in the shredded chicken until evenly distributed throughout the dip base.

Transfer the mixture to a 1.5 to 2-quart slow cooker. Cover and warm on low for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the dip is hot all the way through. You’ll know it’s ready when you can see the edges starting to bubble slightly and the dip is fully smooth and glossy when you stir it.

Switch the crockpot to “warm” for serving. Serve directly from the crockpot with celery sticks, tortilla chips, or crackers on the side.

Oven method: Spread the mixed dip into a 9-inch pie plate, cover with foil, bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 5 more minutes to brown the top slightly.

Microwave method: Mix in a microwave-safe bowl, cover vented, and microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds. Transfer to a serving dish.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Store leftover dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheats well in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring halfway. To make ahead: mix the dip up to 24 hours before serving, refrigerate, then warm in the crockpot just before the party. The flavor deepens overnight, so making it the day before is genuinely better. Freezes for up to 2 months — texture may be slightly grainy after thawing but flavor stays good.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between Frank’s RedHot and Frank’s Buffalo Wings sauce?
Regular Frank’s RedHot is straight hot sauce — sharp and acidic. Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings sauce is pre-blended with butter and garlic to create the rounded, buttery flavor of actual buffalo wings. The Buffalo Wings version is what makes this taste like a buffalo wing dip rather than a cream cheese dip with hot sauce in it. If you only have regular Frank’s, add 2 tablespoons of melted butter to 2/3 cup and it gets close.

Why is my dip oily on top?
Oil separation happens when the dip gets too hot. The butter in the buffalo sauce and the fat in the cream cheese separate when they overheat. Keep the crockpot on low (not high) and stir occasionally. If it does separate, whisk the dip vigorously — it comes back together. Adding a splash of milk and whisking also helps reemulsify it.

How spicy is this?
Medium. The cream cheese mellows the buffalo sauce considerably, but you’ll feel it. For milder dip, reduce the buffalo sauce to 1/2 cup. For spicier, increase to 1 full cup or add a few dashes of cayenne.

Can I use blue cheese dressing instead of ranch?
Yes, and it’s the more traditional buffalo wing pairing. The dip gets a stronger, funkier flavor that I personally prefer. Use the same 3/4 cup. Both work — ranch is more crowd-friendly, blue cheese is more authentic.

Can I use canned chicken?
Yes, in a pinch. Drain a 12.5-ounce can well and shred. Texture is softer than rotisserie chicken, but the dip still tastes good. Two 12.5-ounce cans equal about 1 pound.

How long does the dip stay warm at a party?
On the “warm” setting, 3 to 4 hours without issue. Stir occasionally to prevent a film forming on the surface. Add a small splash of milk if it starts thickening too much.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso — the warm, meaty cheese dip from Chili’s. Pair with the buffalo dip for a complete game day spread.

Jalapeño Popper Dip — cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, and jalapeños baked until bubbly.

Seven Layer Dip — refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, taco-seasoned cheese, salsa, olives, and green onions.