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Buffalo Chicken Dip is a game-day must! Whether you’re watching the game at home or with your friends, everyone will love this spicy, creamy dip.

Tortillas sticking out of a buffalo chicken dip in a white casserole dish, with margaritas in the background

My husband has been in the best mood since he heard the Big Ten announced their schedule for the 2020 season.

In fact, I think he’s about 2 seconds away from making a paper chain to countdown the days until the first Ohio State Buckeyes game.

And since he’s been really into air fryer chicken wings, I’d thought I’d throw a little buffalo chicken dip action into the mix using the same flavors as the wings he’s been loving. Game day snacks are the best, right?

Overhead view of the ingredients for buffalo chicken dip arranged on a concrete counter

BAKED BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Have you ever had Buffalo Chicken Dip? 

I feel like it’s a game-day must-have here in the Midwest. We love a good dip around here (like Jalapeño Popper Dip or French Onion Dip), and there’s something about the contrast of a creamy dip with the spicy hot sauce that is always a hit. 

I’ve had a few different versions of this snack, including slow cooker versions. This particular version is prepped quickly on the stove and then finished in the oven, which means you can get the top as browned and crispy as you like! 

Whisk stirring spices into buffalo sauce for buffalo chicken dip

WHAT HOT SAUCE AND CHICKEN SHOULD I USE?

Obviously two of the main ingredients in this dip are going to be hot sauce and chicken. But there are a few options for both of these, so which should you use?

One of my friends has a literal collection of hot sauce. We’re talking 50+ types of hot sauce. So when I wanted to know which was the right hot sauce to use in this Buffalo Chicken Dip, I turned to the expert.

Hand pouring ranch dressing into a saucepan with the sauce for buffalo chicken dip

For a classic buffalo sauce flavor, you’ll want to grab your favorite classic cayenne pepper sauce. My friend recommended Sweet Baby Ray’s Hot Sauce or Frank’s RedHot. 

For the chicken, I like to grab a rotisserie chicken and shred it up. It’s quick and easy and the cooking has already been done for me. 

You could also cook chicken breasts, shred them, and store them in the freezer for whenever you need them.

I’m going to be honest, though, sometimes I take the ultimate shortcut. Are you ready?

Shredded chicken being poured into a saucepan with the sauce for buffalo chicken dip

Sometimes I use canned chicken in this dip. 

It’s not an ingredient I reach for a lot, but it works great in this kind of recipe! It is also really finely shredded, which can be nice.

If you want bigger pieces of shredded chicken, go for the rotisserie. If you want it super fine? Canned is the way to go. (I promise no one will know!)

Hand sprinkling cheddar cheese on top of buffalo chicken dip in a white casserole dish

HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

This dip is so simple to make, you’ll find yourself making it for everything from your annual Super Bowl party to a casual weekend movie night!

Ingredients you’ll need

All of the ingredients for this dip are easy to find, and may even be things you already have on hand in your fridge and pantry:

  • 1 cup hot sauce, such as Sweet Baby Ray’s or Frank’s RedHot
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup ranch dressing
  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • ½ cup shredded cheese of choice – cheddar, monterey jack, pepperjack, etc.

If you want, you can use homemade ranch dressing in this recipe, but the bottled stuff will do just fine.

Shredded cheese on top of buffalo chicken dip in a white casserole dish, ready to be baked

Making this recipe

To make this baked Buffalo Chicken Dip, grab a saucepan and whisk together the butter and hot sauce over medium heat until the butter is melted. 

Did you know that you just made buffalo sauce? Yep, buffalo sauce is just a combo of hot sauce and butter. 

Some buffalo sauce recipes will add other ingredients, such as vinegar or spices. But at its simplest, it’s just hot sauce and butter. (The butter is why it tastes so good!)

Next, whisk in the seasonings and cream cheese, adding in the ranch dressing once the cream cheese is melted.

Give it a taste – now is a good time to add salt and pepper to taste and adjust the heat level if necessary.

Overhead view of baked buffalo chicken dip in a white casserole dish surrounded by celery sticks and margaritas

Stir in the chicken and spread the dip into a 2-quart baking dish. Top with the shredded cheese of your choice; I like to use cheddar, but you could use monterey jack or pepper jack if you prefer.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. If you like, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes until the top is nice and browned.

Garnish with a little sliced green onions or cilantro and you’re ready to serve!

How to make this dip spicier or milder

I know not everyone will love a spicy dip and others will want it super spicy, so there are a couple of ways you can adjust the heat in this recipe:

  • For a milder dip, omit the Old Bay seasoning and paprika and increase the ranch dressing to taste. You can add as much as ½ cup more ranch dressing if needed.
  • For a hotter dip, add additional Old Bay seasoning to taste, or add a few drops of a super fiery hot sauce.
White casserole dish with buffalo chicken dip next to celery sticks on a concrete counter

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS

If you’ve got friends coming over for game day, you might be wondering if you can make your Buffalo Chicken Dip ahead of time.

The answer is: absolutely!

To do this, just prep the dip and spoon it into the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake it off. 

You may find that you need to bake it for a bit longer if baking from chilled, so add on an extra 10-15 minutes if needed for the dip to get hot and bubbly.

Hand dipping a celery stick into buffalo chicken dip in a white casserole dish

WHAT TO EAT WITH BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

So, what do you serve with this spicy, creamy dip?

There are lots of options! 

Tortilla chips are my favorite. Make homemade tortilla chips if you’re feeling fancy. Celery sticks and carrot sticks really drive home that buffalo wing feel, since they are often served alongside baskets of hot wings.

Pretzel crisps or crackers would be good, too.

Hand holding a tortilla chip with buffalo chicken dip

Honestly, this dip makes a great wrap, too, especially the next day. I wrap it up in a tortilla with some lettuce and tomato for a spicy buffalo chicken wrap. Sometimes I even turn it into buffalo chicken sliders!

Whether you’re making this Buffalo Chicken Dip for a party or a game-day tailgate at home alongside Ham & Cheese Sliders or Crockpot Pulled Pork, it’s sure to be one of the first things to disappear!

Celery sticks and tortilla chips sticking out of buffalo chicken dip in a white casserole dish
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Buffalo Chicken Dip

By: Jamie Lothridge
4.47 from 98 ratings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Buffalo Chicken Dip is a game-day must! Whether you’re watching the game at home or with your friends, everyone will love this spicy, creamy dip.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hot sauce such as Sweet Baby Ray’s or Frank’s RedHot
  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup ranch dressing
  • 4 cups shredded chicken
  • ½ cup shredded cheese of choice – cheddar monterey jack, pepperjack, etc.

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside. 
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together hot sauce and butter until butter is melted. Add in Old Bay seasoning and paprika, followed by the softened cream cheese. Whisk until cream cheese is melted, then add in the ranch dressing and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir in shredded chicken. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly. If desired, broil until top is browned. 

Video

Notes

For a milder dip, omit the Old Bay seasoning and paprika and increase the ranch dressing to taste. For a hotter dip, add additional Old Bay seasoning.

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Sodium: 1167mg, Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

4.47 from 98 votes (98 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. Natasha Duggan says:

    How many cans and what size cans of chicken do you use to equal the amount of chicken called for in the recipe?

    1. Jamie says:

      Hi Natasha-
      You’ll just need the equivalent to 4 cups of chicken total.
      -Jamie

  2. Janet Fazio says:

    This looks like the perfect game-day food! We’re so excited to have sports back, that we’re doing it up every weekend. Looking forward to trying this out.

    1. Jamie says:

      Thanks so much for stopping by, Janet! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
      -Jamie