Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip (Oven and Instant Pot)

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip is one of the best dips! Chunks of juicy chicken in a zesty Buffalo wing sauce with a creamy, cheesy base is baked until golden and bubbly! It's perfect for groups of all sizes and always a hit at parties.

We make buffalo chicken dip all of the time!  It's great for every occasion and there are never any leftovers!  It's the perfect food for game day, visits with friends, or watching a movie!

Buffalo wings are always a hit at any kind of party or get together but they aren't always practical and can be a mess to eat.   This is like buffalo chicken wings in dip form!  It doesn’t get much easier than this!

For more party dip inspiration, try this spinach and artichoke dip no mayo and this spicy shrimp dip.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy to make! All you need is 20 minutes and minimal effort!
• Full of flavor with just the right amount of spiciness.
• Creamy, cheesy, and indulgent flavors that will leave you wanting more.
• Perfect appetizer recipe for entertaining friends and family.
• Ability to customize the spiciness to your tastes.

Ingredients

All you need are six simple ingredients to make cream cheese buffalo dip with chicken. Let's take a look!

• Chicken: Use shredded or chopped chicken. Cook it fresh or you can use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken to save some time.
• Cream cheese: Makes your easy buffalo dip ultra creamy.
• Dressing: You can use ranch or blue cheese dressing depending on the flavors you want.
• Buffalo wing sauce: Use your favorite brand or you can make homemade. Choose from this Buffalo Wild Wings copycat buffalo sauce or this vegan buffalo sauce recipe.
• Sour cream: Adds even more creaminess to the dip and bit of tang.
• Shredded cheese: I enjoy using cheddar cheese the most to make buffalo cream cheese dip.

Making fresh chicken? One easy way to cook chicken breasts is in the slow cooker which is an easy way to poach chicken. If you are interested check out my Slow Cooker Chicken Salad On Anything recipe and it will show you how to do it!

See the recipe card for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

Buffalo Dip Variations

Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this (Alternate Keyword here) Use as many as you need to. But try for at minimum of two.

• Add some cooked bacon bits: Crispy salty bacon adds a salty, smoky element of flavor to the dip. Mix it in at the same time you add the cheese.
• Want to make it vegetarian? For a meatless buffalo cheese dip all you need to do is eliminate the chicken.
• Change up the flavor: Swap the buffalo sauce for sweet chili sauce, salsa or barbecue sauce.
• Use different cheeses. A great way to easily change the flavors is to try buffalo cheese dip with shredded Monterey Jack, Gouda, Gruyere, mozzarella, Asiago, Swiss, or Pepper jack cheese.
• Add some veggies. Mix in some chopped celery, green onions, or sweet bell peppers to your dip.

How to Make Buffalo Cheese Dip with Chicken

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip is so easy to make! You can make it in the oven, Instant pot and even the slow cooker! Here's a look at the steps involved. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card further down the page.

Make It in the Oven

1. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, buffalo wing sauce and dressing in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the shredded chicken and cheese to the mixture. Mix it up until well blended. Taste your dip at this point and see if it needs salt, pepper, garlic powder or onion powder. I usually don't put any in.

PRO TIP: I like to use a store bought rotisserie chicken whenever possible. It is already cooked, easy to shred and I can get the buffalo chicken and cheese dip ready quickly.

3. Spread the dip into a prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with more cheese if desired.  

Bake the buffalo dip covered in tinfoil, for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and dip is bubbly around the edges.

If you prefer a brown top do not cover. Dip will look prettier but it will be more difficult to scoop if your cheese is darkened.

Serve with baguette slices, celery sticks or corn or tortilla chips.

Can I Make Buffalo in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can! You will need to use the smallest slow cooker or crock pot you can find! Here's how:

1. Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Add all of the dip ingredients into your slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for 1 - 1 ½ hours and stir occasionally.

The best part? You can serve the dip in your slow cooker on low or warm making it ideal for parties!! Give the chicken mixture a stir periodically and add the cheese on top about 30 minutes before serving.

This method is perfect if you want to bring it to a party or gathering too! Transporting this Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip is so easy and after you plug it back in it will warm up quickly and be ready to serve in no time at all!

How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

This method works great when you're starting with raw chicken! In just TWENTY minutes you can have a great appetizer to share with friends and family.

1. Add the chicken breasts to the Instant pot.
2. Top with the hot sauce, sour cream and ranch dressing and mix it together a bit. Cover with the lid and cook using the meat/stew button for fifteen minutes. Then carefully do a quick release.

3. Use a hand mixer or two forks and shred the chicken well.
4. Add the cheeses to the pot.

5. Stir the dip until all the cheese melts. It should be warm enough to melt everything but you can use the Sauté feature to help if needed but be careful not to burn the cheese.

6. Serve buffalo dip up warm with tortilla chips, crackers or veggies.

If you love this buffalo chicken dip recipe, you might also enjoy this smoked buffalo chicken dip.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to three days.

Freezer: I definitely don't recommend it.  The cheesy mixture just doesn't taste right.  The texture becomes somewhat grainy and dry instead of smooth and creamy.  However, if you decide to give it a try, it will freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheat: There are a few different methods you can use for reheating.

1. The best way to reheat this dip is in a microwave-safe bowl for about two minutes at full power. Stir it halfway through and continue cooking until the desired temperature is reached.
2. Alternatively, you can also heat it on the stovetop over medium heat in a nonstick pan or skillet. Just be sure to stir the mixture occasionally so it doesn't burn and heats evenly.
3. For extra crispiness, you can also pop it back into the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes.

Can I make it in advance?

Yes, you can! This dip is perfect for meal prepping or making ahead for parties since it stores so well and reheats easily in the microwave or on the stovetop.

You may also prepare parts of this recipe ahead of time (prep the chicken and sauce) or the whole thing and store it in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap. 

About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, remove it from the fridge and leave it on your counter. Then bake it as directed though it may need a bit more time to cook.

How to Serve Buffalo Dip

This dip is most well known served as a snack with a variety of dippers! Here's a few of our favorites!

• Crackers, bread slices, or crostini
• Fresh veggie sticks such as celery, carrot, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini.
• Chips including tortilla chips, corn chips, and pretzels.
• Fresh pita slices or baked pita chips
• Bagel chips
• Pasta chips

Use up leftovers in some unique ways! Use it as a topping for sandwiches, wraps, and burgers, mix it into macaroni and cheese, or use it as a quesadilla filling.

It's really versatile so get creative!

Tips

• Shred your cheese yourself for best results. Shredded cheese contains additives to keep it from sticking together which also makes it less meltable.
• Use precooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
• The best way to cook it with fresh chicken is in the Instant pot since it can all e done together.
• Want it less spicy? Mix in some additional sour cream.

FAQ

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip Video

Look below to see our video.  This snack is so easy!

More Buffalo Chicken Recipes

Do you like buffalo chicken? Here some recipes you may also like to try.

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

This post was originally published September 2017. It has been updated with new images and content.