Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip (Baked or Crockpot Party Appetizer)

This buffalo chicken dip is creamy, cheesy and just spicy enough, and it takes 5 minutes to mix. Bake it until bubbling, or make it in the crockpot and keep it warm all party long. It is always the first bowl to empty at our holiday and game day tables.

Why you will love this buffalo chicken dip

• 5 simple ingredients. Chicken, cream cheese, hot sauce, ranch and cheddar.
• Use what you have. Rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken or canned chicken all work.
• Two ways to cook. Oven for a golden top, crockpot for a long party.
• Feeds a crowd. One batch makes about 4 cups, enough for 10 to 12 people as one of several appetizers.

It is the “always a hit” dip in our easy Christmas appetizers list, and it fits right into any New Year’s Eve appetizers spread too.

What you need

• Cooked chicken: 2 cups (about 10 ounces / 280 g) shredded. Meat from a small rotisserie chicken is perfect. Two 12.5-ounce cans of chicken, well drained, also work.
• Cream cheese: 8 ounces (225 g), softened at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Hot sauce: 1/2 cup (120 ml) buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot. Use 1/3 cup for a milder dip.
• Ranch dressing: 1/2 cup (120 ml). Use blue cheese dressing if you prefer the classic wing taste.
• Cheddar cheese: 1 1/2 cups (150 g) shredded, divided.
• Green onions: 2, thinly sliced, for the top (optional).

How to make buffalo chicken dip in the oven

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart baking dish, a 9-inch pie dish or a small cast iron skillet.
2. Mix the base. In a large bowl, stir the soft cream cheese until smooth. Add the hot sauce and ranch and stir until there are no lumps.
3. Add chicken and cheese. Stir in the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the cheddar.
4. Bake. Spread the dip in the dish and top with the rest of the cheddar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot in the center and bubbling at the edges.
5. Serve. Sprinkle with green onions and serve warm.

How to make buffalo chicken dip in the crockpot

1. Put the cream cheese (cut into cubes), hot sauce, ranch, chicken and all of the cheddar in a small slow cooker (2 to 4 quarts).
2. Cook on LOW for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour and again at the end, until smooth and hot all the way through.
3. Turn it to WARM for serving. Stir now and then, and add a splash of milk if it gets thick.

The crockpot is great for long parties because the dip stays hot. It sits nicely next to a slow cooker of grape jelly meatballs.

What to serve with buffalo chicken dip

• Tortilla chips or sturdy corn chips
• Celery and carrot sticks
• Crackers, pita chips or toasted baguette slices
• Soft pretzel bites

For a full party table, add a cold cranberry jalapeño dip and a warm baked spinach artichoke dip.

Make-ahead tips and food safety

• Up to 1 day ahead: mix the dip, spread it in the baking dish, cover and keep it in the fridge. Add the top cheese and bake when you need it. Add 5 to 10 minutes because it starts cold.
• Reheat to hot: this dip has cooked chicken in it, so heat it until it is steaming hot in the center (165°F / 74°C on a thermometer).
• Two-hour rule: the USDA says perishable food should not sit in the temperature “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours. Keep it warm in a slow cooker or bring it out in two smaller dishes.
• Leftovers: keep in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.

Easy swaps

• Lighter dip: use Greek yogurt in place of the ranch, and light cream cheese.
• Different cheese: swap the cheddar for Monterey Jack or mozzarella, or add crumbled blue cheese on top.
• Spicier: add a pinch of cayenne or a few more spoons of hot sauce.
• Sliders: spoon leftover dip onto slider buns, top with cheese and bake until hot.

Frequently asked questions

Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Creamy, cheesy buffalo chicken dip with cream cheese, hot sauce, ranch and cheddar. Bake it in 25 minutes or keep it warm in the crockpot.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups cooked chicken shredded (about 10 oz / 280 g); rotisserie, leftover or 2 drained 12.5-oz cans
• 8 oz cream cheese softened (225 g)
• 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot; use 1/3 cup for a milder dip
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided (150 g)
• 2 green onions thinly sliced, optional

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart baking dish, 9-inch pie dish or small cast iron skillet.
2. In a large bowl, stir the cream cheese until smooth. Add the hot sauce and ranch and stir until there are no lumps.
3. Stir in the chicken and 1 cup of the cheddar.
4. Spread in the dish and top with the rest of the cheddar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot in the center and bubbling at the edges.
5. Sprinkle with green onions and serve warm with chips and celery.

Notes

• Crockpot: put everything (all of the cheddar) in a 2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour, then keep on WARM.
• Make ahead: mix and refrigerate up to 1 day; add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
• Reheat until steaming hot in the center (165°F / 74°C). Do not leave it out more than 2 hours.
• Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

This recipe was developed with the help of AI tools and reviewed before publishing. It may not have been independently kitchen-tested — use your judgment, check for allergens, and cook to safe temperatures. See our AI Content Disclosure. Spotted an issue? Tell us.