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Buffalo Chicken Dip is a classic (and easy!) appetizer recipe that features Buffalo chicken in the form of a flavor-packed, creamy, cheesy, zippy dip. And if you use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, it takes just 30 minutes to whip up from start-to-finish!
I was late to the game when it comes to Buffalo Chicken Dip. It’s been a thing for quite a while now, but I only just had this dip within the last three years.
I’ve been missing out! Not only is it delicious, but it’s very easy to make and it’s a real crowd-pleasing appetizer.
This dip is the perfect thing to whip on short notice for a holiday party, football party, or really anytime you need an easy appetizer that’ll be a hit with everyone.
Buffalo Chicken Dip Origin
The origin of Buffalo chicken wings is pinpointed to Teressa Bellissimo, proprietor of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York in 1964.
There are different variations of the story from Teressa’s husband Frank and their son Dominic. You can read more about it in A Brief History of the Chicken Wing by Joseph Stromberg on Smithsonian Magazine.
However, the origin of Buffalo Chicken Dip is unknown. All I know is that it is some kind of culinary masterpiece, lol!
Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip contains Ranch dressing, cream cheese, hot sauce, cooked chicken, and cheese. There is some debate as to whether it’s blue cheese or another type of cheese. But Frank’s RedHot is the traditional hot sauce choice for anything involving Buffalo Chicken!
In this recipe, we use a combination of sour cream and a few spices instead of Ranch dressing to keep this dip completely homemade.
Pro Tip: If you prefer to use Ranch dressing in this recipe, omit the sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill and use 1 cup Ranch instead.
Ingredients in Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Frank’s RedHot sauce
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried dill
- Black pepper
- Cooked, shredded chicken
- Scallion green
- Cheddar
- Mozzarella
Step-by-Step Tutorial for How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Shred the chicken. You can use rotisserie chicken, or leftover roast chicken; just shred it and you’re good to go!
- Make the creamy filling. Beat or whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and seasonings.
- Add the good stuff. Stir the shredded chicken, shredded cheeses, and scallion into the creamy filling mixture.
- Look at how good it looks already! The mixture will be thick and creamy.
- Get ready to bake the dip. Spread the dip into an oven-safe pan.
- Bake. Sprinkle more cheese on top, and bake until it’s warm and bubbling. Top with a little more scallion and serve!
How to Store This Recipe
Store Buffalo Chicken Dip wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips for Making Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Use good quality cheese. I like to use Cabot, Kerrygold, Tillamook, or Organic Valley. You will really be able to taste the flavor of the cheese in this dip! Also, if you use a cheap cheese, it’s likely to cause your Buffalo Chicken Dip to be greasy.
- Don’t skip the dried dill. Instead of using bottled Ranch dressing (like several recipes call for), the dill helps us use all homemade ingredients and get a similar flavor profile.
- Make ahead. Another reason this dip is a great appetizer for game day (or any party) is because you can make it ahead of time! Make it up to the point of baking it, and store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you want to make it, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and then bake it as directed in the recipe.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip in the Instant Pot
Instead of making Buffalo Chicken Dip in the oven, it’s also easy to make entirely in the Instant Pot!
- Cook the chicken. Add the Frank’s RedHot sauce and 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (not frozen) to an Instant Pot. Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 10 minutes. Carefully vent the steam.
- Shred it. Shred the cooked chicken breasts (I use 2 forks to do this).
- Make it creamy. Turn on the “Sauté” function. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, black pepper, 3/4 of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella, and 1/2 of the sliced scallion. Cooking until the cheese is melted, stirring constantly.
- Top with extra cheese and let it melt. Turn off the “Sauté” function. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and sliced scallion on top. Cover the Instant Pot (with it off) and leave it for 5 minutes so the cheese melts from the residual heat. (Alternatively, you can transfer the dip to a broiler-safe dish, sprinkle the remaining cheese and sliced scallion on top, and broil briefly to brown the top.)
- Serve it up. Your guests will be surprised you made it in the Instant Pot!
Buffalo Chicken Dip FAQs
What If I Don’t Have Rotisserie Chicken or Leftover Chicken?
If you don’t have leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this dip, you can do 1 of 2 things: 1) use 2 (10-ounce) cans of chunk chicken, drained, or 2) bake chicken to make it.
If you want to bake chicken to shred for this recipe, you will need 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts.
How to Bake or Roast Chicken to Make Shredded Chicken
- Prep the chicken. Place the breasts in an oven-safe baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil on top (about 1 teaspoon per chicken breast), and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Roast. Bake in an oven preheated to 350F until the chicken is fully cooked. There should be no pink in the center and the internal temperature should be 165F. this takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cool and shred. Let the chicken cool, and then shred it to make this dip!
Is Buffalo Chicken Dip Spicy?
The great thing about making homemade dip is that you can adjust the spice level to taste!
With 1/2 cup of Frank’s RedHot, this dip is about a “medium” spice level. With 2/3 cup Frank’s RedHot this dip has about a “medium-hot” spice level.
Feel free to adjust the amount of hot sauce up or down to suit your tastes! And if you’re using hot sauce other than Frank’s, you may want to use less because Frank’s has less spicy heat and more flavor than other hot sauces.
What do You Eat with Buffalo Chicken Dip?
- Crackers
- Low Carb Crackers
- Sliced Baguette
- Tortilla Chips
- Keto Tortilla Chips
- Carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced bell peppers, broccoli florets
- Or use 2 flour tortillas to make a Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla!
More Cheesy Dip Recipes to Make
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Buffalo Chicken Dip
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 2 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced, divided
- 8 ounces cheddar shredded, divided (about 2 cups shredded)
- 4 ounces mozzarella shredded, divided (about 1 cup shredded)
Serving Suggestion Ideas:
- Corn chips
- Crackers
- Low carb crackers
- Chopped vegetables like bell pepper broccoli, carrot, and/or celery
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Beat or whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, half the scallion, 3/4 of the shredded cheddar, and 3/4 of the shredded mozzarella.
- Spread the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella on top.
- Bake until the dip is warm throughout, about 20 minutes. If desired, broil a couple minutes to brown the cheese in spots.
- Sprinkle on the remaining scallion.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
- Net Carbs: 1g per serving
- Nutritional Information: Information for this recipe was calculated for the dip only (without the serving suggestion ideas).
- Ranch Dressing Substitution: If you prefer, you can omit the sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill and instead add 1 cup Ranch dressing.
- What Type of Chicken to Use: If you don’t have leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this dip, you can do 1 of 2 things: 1) use 2 (10-ounce) cans of chunk chicken, drained, or 2) bake chicken to make it.
- Make Ahead: To make this dip ahead of time, make it up to the point of baking it, and store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you want to make it, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and then bake it as directed in the recipe.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip in the Instant Pot
- Add the Frank’s RedHot sauce and 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (not frozen) to an Instant Pot. Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 10 minutes. Carefully vent the steam.
- Shred the chicken breasts (I use 2 forks to do this).
- Turn on the “Sauté” function. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, black pepper, 3/4 of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella, and 1/2 of the sliced scallion. Cooking until the cheese is melted, stirring constantly.
- Turn off the “Sauté” function. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and sliced scallion on top. Cover the Instant Pot (with it off) and leave it for 5 minutes so the cheese melts from the residual heat. (Alternatively, you can transfer the dip to a broiler-safe dish, sprinkle the remaining cheese and sliced scallion on top, and broil briefly to brown the top.)
- Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on December 28, 2020. It was updated with more information on February 3, 2022.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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So good! Thanks
I’ve made this 3 times in the past month, it’s just so damn good
This is super delicious! Thank you so much Faith! ☺️❤️