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This easy, zero-prep Buffalo Chicken Dip turns a favorite bar food into a foolproof appetizer for any party, and can be made in the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or your oven! Shredded chicken and lots of creamy cheese come together in a spicy Buffalo-ranch sauce – it’s so good, you may even chow down with a fork when the chips run out!
I am low-key obsessed with this Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Adapted from one of my favorite Publix Deli quick take party snacks, this recipe has been tweaked and nudged to perfection over the past few years.
I’ve tried making it everywhere – from the oven to the Crock Pot to (now) my Instant Pot.
Even the microwave had a shot.
Every method has its perks, but I still can’t decide which way is my favorite!
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Let’s clear something up: I LOVE Buffalo chicken.
I do NOT love Buffalo wings.
They’re so messy and difficult to mindlessly eat when out with friends, which is the whole point of appetizers, isn’t it?
Obviously, Buffalo Chicken Dip is the superior version of Buffalo wings.
All the flavor (and then some!) minus the mess. Plus you can throw some veggies and chips in the mix and turn it into a real meal.
There are only 6 ingredients in this appetizer recipe!
- Shredded cooked chicken – the base of the dip, but hardly the star. Use either leftover (rotisserie) chicken, canned chicken, or cook a few breasts or thighs for the occasion.
- Cream cheese – player #1 in what makes this dip so creamy. Non-negotiable ingredient.
- Sour cream – player #2; see above. (This + ingredient 4 may be subbed out for ranch dressing instead.)
- Ranch dressing mix – because wings need ranch (and since blue cheese is gross IMHO).
- Buffalo sauce – otherwise, it’s just a casserole. (I always go with Frank’s RedHot Wings Sauce!
) - Cheddar cheese – inside and melted on top for that Instagrammable cheese pull. You can use pre-shredded, but I recommend shredding by hand from a block for best results. Other tasty cheese options: colby jack, pepper jack, or Mozzarella.
)
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Dip In The Crock Pot:
- First, combine all of the ingredients, except for the cream cheese, in your slow cooker. Reserve some cheddar cheese for later. Stir to combine.
- Then, place the cubed cream cheese on top of the chicken.Close the lid and cook 1-2 hours on low, until the cheese is melted and everything has come together in a gooey, chunky dip.
- Stir it up, then sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top.
- Finally, close the lid for a few more minutes and allow the cheese to melt.
- Garnish with green onion and serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Dip In The Instant Pot
A few readers have had issues with this particular kind of preparation. Be sure to pay attention and follow the directions exactly, in addition to ensuring that the sealing ring on the lid is properly fitted and the venting knob on your pressure cooker is turned to sealing to avoid the dreaded BURN notice. Adding more liquid will result in watery dip.
If using frozen/raw chicken…
- First, place the chicken in the inner pot of the Instant Pot, along with 1 cup water.
- Next, seal the lid and pressure valve and cook on Manual High for 10 minutes. Press Cancel and perform a quick pressure release.
- Remove the lid carefully. Transfer chicken to a bowl and shred it using two forks. Discard water return pot to cooker. Press Saute Low.
- Then, add remaining ingredients (minus 1/2 cup cheddar, plus extra Buffalo sauce to taste if desired) and stir well. Allow the cheeses to melt, mixing frequently to prevent scorching.
- Sprinklereserved cheddar on top, loosely close the lid and allow to melt.
- Garnish with green onion and serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
If using cooked chicken…
- First, combine all of the ingredients in the inner pot of the Instant Pot, with the cubed cream cheese on top (reserve 1/2 cup of cheddar for later.) Stir to combine. Seal the lid and pressure valve and cook on Manual High for 0 minutes (not a misprint – it’s just enough to build & release pressure to melt the cheeses).
- Press Cancel and perform a quick pressure release. Remove the lid carefully.
- Then, stir well and sprinkle reserved cheddar on top. Close lid and allow cheddar to melt.
- Garnish with green onion and serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Dip In The Oven:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Next, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Reserve some of the cheddar for the top.
- Then, transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Spread it into an even layer and sprinkle the reserved cheddar on top.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with green onion and serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
FAQ
Can you prepare this dip in advance?
Yes, especially if you’re baking it or cooking it in the crock pot. Cover the crock or serving dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook it.
An additional 5 minutes should be added to the total time, to compensate for the cold temperature of the ingredients.
Can you freeze it?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dip. Frozen cheese has a tendency to lose its moisture when it is reheated, leaving a chalky mouthfeel behind upon reheating.
How long can Buffalo chicken dip sit out?
The dip should be kept warm (140 degrees F) in the crock pot during the festivities for no more than 4 hours. If it’s on the table out of the crock pot, it must be refrigerated after 2 hours max.
If you’re worried about foodborne illness, refrigerate the dip after 2 hours. Transfer any leftover dip to a large container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. When ready to serve, either microwave or follow oven instructions to reheat.
What goes with Buffalo chicken dip?
- Vegetables – like carrots and celery sticks (classic!), as well as raw broccoli or cauliflower, cucumber slices, radishes, or raw jicama sticks.
- Chips – tortilla chips are perfect, but any kind of corn chip or potato chip will be equally delicious.
- Potatoes – think French fries or potato wedges.
- Bread – crostini, breadsticks, crackers, etc.
This dip would also be delicious on top of pizza, in a sandwich or wrap, or on a salad!
Is Buffalo chicken dip keto?
Yes, this dip is a perfect keto appetizer! It is low in carbohydrates and high in fat.
Keep it Keto by serving it with low carb vegetables like celery or broccoli, low carb crackers and chips, or homemade baked lavash chips.
Love all things Buffalo chicken?
Make sure you try my Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas next, or use Frank’s on some air fryer wings! For your next picnic or BBQ, whip up a batch of Buffalo Chicken Deviled Eggs or fancy up your ordinary hot dogs with Buffalo fixins. If you need something more substantial for dinner, this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake or an old fashioned Buffalo Wing Casserole is sure to do the trick.
LOOKING FOR MORE CHICKEN APPETIZER RECIPES?
- Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Flatbread
- Crockpot Chicken Chili Dip
- Keto Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS FOR MAKING BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP:
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Buffalo Chicken Dip (in the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or Oven!)
This easy, zero-prep Buffalo Chicken Dip turns a favorite bar food into a foolproof appetizer for any party and can be made in the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or your oven! Shredded chicken and lots of creamy cheese come together in a spicy Buffalo-ranch sauce – it’s so good, you may even chow down with a fork when the chips run out!
4.87 from 111 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buffalo chicken dip
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 263kcal
Author: Erica
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken breast shredded
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened; cut into cubes
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese blend divided
- ½ cup Buffalo hot sauce
- Green onion chopped; for garnish (optional)
Instructions
In the Crock Pot…
Combine all ingredients except cream cheese in the crock of a slow cooker, reserving 1/2 cup of cheddar for the top. Stir to combine. Place the cubes of cream cheese on top of the mixture.
Close the lid and cook 1-2 hours on low, until cheeses are melted. Stir well, then sprinkle remaining cheddar on top. Close lid and allow cheddar to melt. Garnish with green onion if desired, then serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
In the Instant Pot…(with raw chicken)
Place whole chicken breasts in theinner pot of the Instant Pot, along with 1 cup of water. Seal the lid and valve and cook on Manual High for 10 minutes. Press Cancel and perform a quick pressure release.
Remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl. Carefully discard the water from the inner pot and return it to the cooker. Shred the chicken, then return it to the pot.
Press Saute Low. Add cream cheese, sour cream, ranch mix, 1 cup of cheddar, and Buffalo sauce (feel free to add more than 1/2 cup if you want to). Allow cheeses to melt, mixing occasionally to help combine. When well mixed, sprinkleremaining cheddar on top. Close lid and allow cheddar to melt.Garnish with green onion if desired, then serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
In the Instant Pot…(with cooked chicken)
Pour Buffalo sauce and 1/4 cup water in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Layer in the cooked chicken (pre-shredded), then add ranch mix, sour cream, cream cheese, and 1 cup of cheddar on top. Seal the lid and valve and cook on Manual High for 0 minutes (yes – that’s ZERO minutes – just for pressure building purposes). Press Cancel and perform a quick pressure release.
Remove the lid carefully. Stir well until combined, then sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar on top. Close lid and allow cheddar to melt.Garnish with green onion if desired, then serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
In the Oven…
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine, reserving 1/2 cup of cheddar for the top. Transfer the contents of the bowl to prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Garnish with green onion if desired, then serve with carrot & celery sticks and/or tortilla chips.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 994mg | Potassium: 147mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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