Last updated January 23rd, 2025
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Nothing says game day feast like some thick and creamy buffalo chicken dip. Make this easy football appetizer for your team’s next big win!
As you may know if you follow us here at The Candid Cooks regularly, or have even just browsed our site, Nicole and I love buffalo chicken. So much so that we have to share our absolute favorite way to enjoy it with you: buffalo chicken dip.
This delicious recipe has been a staple at family parties for years, and is always requested when we ask “what can we bring?” It’s gotten to the point where we have to make a double batch just to make sure everyone gets some!
With a great balance of heat and flavor and a creamy dippable texture, this buffalo chicken dip is the perfect finger food for any game day, cookout, or party. And really, you don’t even need a reason to make this amazing dip. We make it all the time just for the two of us! (Especially during the Super Bowl).
What This Recipe Entails
This recipe is really easy to make, however it does take a little bit of time to make because you have to cook the chicken before you can make and bake the dip.
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
If you are looking to make this recipe easier on game day, you can boil and shred the chicken ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to defrost the chicken before making the dip if you opt for the freezer method.
Buffalo Chicken Dip Ingredients
We believe that there is no reason to use any unique or complicated ingredients to make buffalo chicken dip. With only 5 ingredients needed for this thick and creamy buffalo chicken dip, you’ll see why everyone who has it calls it the best buffalo chicken dip there is!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken breast
- Cream cheese
- Frank’s Red Hot
- Ranch dressing
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
If ranch dressing isn’t your thing, you can make this buffalo chicken dip without ranch by using blue cheese dressing instead. Their texture is similar so it won’t affect the creaminess of this dip – just the flavor.
You might be wondering what kind of chips go with buffalo chicken dip, since you’ll need something to actually dip into your new favorite snack! We always recommend using Fritos scoops, and you won’t catch us eating buffalo chicken dip without them. For other suggestions, see the section below on What Do You Dip In Buffalo Chicken Dip?
How To Make Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip
With just those 5 simple ingredients this recipe comes together with 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven. Here’s everything you need to know for assembling and baking:
- First, slice the chicken breast into pieces that are roughly the size of your palm. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the chicken to the pot and turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and begin preparing the dip. Combine softened cream cheese, Frank’s Red Hot, ranch, and cheddar cheese in a large, oven-safe baking dish. Stir well to combine.
- Next, remove the cooked chicken from the pot and transfer it to a cutting board. Shred using two forks.
- Then, add the shredded chicken to the baking dish in batches, stirring to incorporate.
- Bake (uncovered) for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir well and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. Stirring partway through helps the dip heat evenly without drying out the top layer.
- Serve hot with Fritos Scoops (or your favorite dipping vehicle) and enjoy!
For an easier time mixing the ingredients before baking, put the cream cheese out on the counter ahead of time to soften up. We generally aim to get it out about 30 minutes before we want to cook. If you are short on time or forget to take the cream cheese out early, you can also soften it on a plate (or in the baking dish) in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
If you want your dip more or less spicy, you can adjust the amount of hot sauce you use. Just be aware that by adding more or less liquid, the consistency of the dip will change.
One of the best things about this buffalo chicken dip is just how thick and creamy it is. That’s thanks to 3 things:
- The proportion of solid to liquid ingredients
- The addition of cream cheese
- Baking the dip in the oven uncovered
Storing And Reheating Leftovers
When you do happen to have leftover buffalo chicken dip (which is a very rare occurrence), you can store it for up to 5 days in a covered container in the fridge.
To enjoy the leftovers, you can either heat up small portions in the microwave (about 1 to 2 minutes, stir halfway through), heat a larger batch in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on how much is left), or simply enjoy it cold.
What Do You Dip In Buffalo Chicken Dip?
Determining what to dip is almost as important as the dip itself. You want something that complements both the flavor and texture of the dip and helps take it to another level. Here are some of our top recommendations for what to dip in buffalo chicken dip:
- Fritos scoops
- Tortilla chips
- King’s Hawaiian rolls
- French baguette slices
As we previously mentioned, our favorite dippers are Fritos scoops. We know it isn’t traditional, but we find the extra flavor and crunch superior to regular tortilla chips. Give it a try, and you’ll see for yourself why we can’t have buffalo chicken dip without them!
However, any kind of dippable chip will work well here. After all, the buffalo chicken is the star of the show.
If you are looking to make this game day snack into a meal or a more substantial appetizer, King’s Hawaiian rolls can be used to make simple buffalo chicken dip sliders. Just slather some dip onto the rolls and call it a day! For parties or game days, you can put out both chips and rolls, so that your guests can decide for themselves how they want to snack.
No matter what you choose to dip, or if you decide to make sliders, this buffalo chicken dip will become your new go-to appetizer as quickly as it disappears from the dish. Just don’t blame us if you don’t have a second batch ready to go! We tried to warn you 🙂
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Love this recipe? You may also enjoy these buffalo chicken recipes:
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Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken breast raw
- 8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese softened
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 1¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 party-size bag Fritos Scoops
Instructions
- First, slice the chicken breast into pieces, roughly about the size of your palm.
- Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then add the chicken to the pot and turn heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- While chicken is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and begin preparing the dip. Combine cream cheese, Frank's Red Hot, ranch, and cheddar cheese in a large, oven-safe baking dish. Stir well to combine.
- Next, remove the cooked chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Shred using two forks. Add the shredded chicken to the baking dish in batches, stirring to incorporate.
- Bake (uncovered) for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir well and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with Fritos Scoops, or your chip of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
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This has been my go to recipe for football games my whole life. I’ve never had a buffalo chicken dip as creamy as this one. We just made it for the Super Bowl and it was delicious as always!