Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip for Parties
This Buffalo chicken dip bakes bubbly and smooth, with real chicken and a sharp, tangy bite. It’s quick to mix up, easy to make more or less, and it stays scoopable, so the dip doesn’t seize or get oily. Keep reading for the exact steps to prevent splitting, adjust the heat, and pick sturdy dippers that won’t break.
I’ll show you the exact steps so your dip won’t separate, the heat stays balanced, and the dip is ready for your game day crowd. Grab the chicken and hot sauce, and we’ll make it on the stovetop, in the oven, or in your slow cooker, whichever method works for your event.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Like It
- Buffalo sauce and butter coat the chicken so every bite has flavor.
- Cream cheese melts into a smooth base that will not split.
- Cheddar and a little blue cheese add tangy bite and a golden top.
- Works great on a party spread with our other cold appetizers for a crowd, such as Elote en Vaso, Cowboy Caviar, and alongside Ham and Swiss Sliders
Ingredient Highlights
- Shredded cooked chicken (use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or our Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe or this Instant Pot Chicken Breast recipe)
- Buffalo style hot sauce (such as Frank’s Original)
- Cream cheese for body and smooth melt
- Sharp cheddar for color and cheesy pull
- Blue cheese crumbles for classic flavor
- Butter to round the heat
- Green onions to finish
- Dippers: celery, carrots, bell peppers, sturdy crackers, or bread sticks
Step By Step Method
- Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-low.
- Add chicken and Buffalo sauce. Stir until hot and coated.
- Add cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and cheddar. Stir until smooth.
- Continue cooking in the skillet, transfer to a small oven-safe dish, or to a slow cooker. Follow the steps in the recipe card for cooking times for each method.
- Top with sliced green onions and blue cheese. Serve hot with dippers.
Top Tips
- Warm the chicken in the hot sauce and butter so it absorbs flavor.
- Soften cream cheese and cut into smaller chunks for faster, smoother mixing.
- Use a small, deeper dish for serving so the dip stays hot longer.
- Keep heat moderate when preheating in the skillet so the dairy doesn’t separate.
Variations
- Extra Blue: fold in more blue cheese and finish with a drizzle of ranch.
- Jalapeño Kick: add minced jalapeño or a dash of cayenne.
- Ranch Swap: replace some blue cheese with ranch dressing to taste.
- Cheesy Top: broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end for deeper browning.
Storage And Make Ahead Tips
- Mix ahead of time and chill up to 24 hours. Simmer, bake, or slow cook before serving.
- Leftovers keep 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat gently at 300°F until hot and stir; thin with a splash of milk if very thick. Do not freeze.
Buffalo Chicken Dip – Oven, Stovetop, and Slow Cooker Methods
Our classic buffalo chicken wings in a crowd-pleasing comfort food dip recipe. Make it on the stove top, in the oven, or in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. (about 1 pound)
- 3/4 cup hot sauce such as Frank's Original Hot Sauce
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese cut into small chunks
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- 6 ounces block of cheddar cheese (3/4 of an 8 ounce block) 1-1/2 cups shredded
- 2 green onions sliced
- 2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
Stove Top method
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and heat until melted. Add chicken and hot sauce. Cook, stirring, until warm and combined.
- Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and cheddar cheese. Cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until all ingredients have melted together and the dip is heated through.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with green onions and blue cheese crumbles, if using. Serve immediately. See Tips
Oven method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and heat until melted. Add chicken and hot sauce. Cook, stirring, until warm and combined.
- Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine.
- Transfer mixture to an oven-safe baking dish or skillet. Top with the remaining cheese
- Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Garnish with green onions and blue cheese crumbles, if using. Serve immediately.
Slow Cooker method
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and heat until melted. Add chicken and hot sauce. Cook, stirring, until warm and combined.
- Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and the cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine.
- Transfer mixture to the slow cooker, stirring well. Cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the dip is heated through and everything is well combined and melted.
- If serving in the slow cooker, turn the slow cooker to keep warm. If serving in a bowl, transfer the dip to the bowl. Garnish with green onions and blue cheese crumbles, if using. Serve immediately.
Serve with:
- Celery sticks, sliced vegetables, chips, crackers, or breadsticks
Cooks Tips
The cooking times in the card are for the stovetop version. The oven method takes 20 minutes cooking time, and the slow cooker takes 2 to 3 hours cooking time.
Tips:
Do not use store-bought grated cheese. Most contain an anti-caking agent which will not melt the same and separates the oil in the cheese. Grate your cheese at home.
Adjust the hot sauce to your tastes.
Storing:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 24gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1283mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 596IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 299mgIron: 1mg
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