If you’re in need for a quick and easy, throw-together party appetizer: This Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip has you covered!
I love dips, they are just the best. I very regularly make a Ranch Dip for vegetable sticks. I also make a copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce whenever we have chicken nuggets.
But a full-on baked dip? Only for special occasions! And a big football game is definitely a special occasion, even if it’s just the food I’m interested in ?
The good thing is: This dip is still incredibly easy to make! Just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Cheese: Monterey Jack is perfect, but cheddar or a cheddar blend also work great.
- Dressing: You can use a blue cheese dressing in place of the Ranch, if you prefer. My husband loves the blue cheese but I prefer the Ranch. So… I use Ranch ?
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken or canned chicken both work. Of course, you can also cook and shred a large chicken breast by yourself! I love making chicken breast in the air fryer for this!
- Wing sauce: I like using buffalo sauce for this. I know people also make this with plain red hot pepper sauce. Also, if you only like it a little bit spicy… You can use ketchup and just a bit of the hot sauce. Signed, a person who really prefers this with half ketchup, half buffalo sauce (I made it with all buffalo sauce for the photos, and it was really very spicy).
How to make a Buffalo Chicken Dip
1. Start by combining all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. That’s your prep work pretty much done!
2. Spread this in a 1-quart baking dish. You can sprinkle on some cheese, if you like! I prefer it with a little cheese sprinkled on, makes it look better.
Don’t overdo it with the cheese on top, though. Or you’ll be left with a blob of cheese to dig through before you get to the dip!
3. Bake the dip until bubbly, then serve right away while it’s hot.
Recipe tips
- Cream cheese: Make sure to soften the cream cheese first (just leave it out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and it should be fine). Otherwise, it’s harder to properly combine all ingredients.
- Make ahead: You can assemble the dip up to a day ahead. Keep it in the casserole dish covered in the fridge, then sprinkle with cheese and bake right before serving.
- Serve dip hot: Definitely serve this dip hot. That’s when it’s smooth and delicious!
More easy game day snacks
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded Colby Monterey Jack cheese plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken breast
- ½ cup Buffalo wing sauce OR hot pepper sauce OR ketchup for a mild version
- ½ cup ranch dressing OR blue cheese salad dressing
- celery sticks plus corn chips, bread, carrots… for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine all ingredients (except for the celery and other dippers!) in a medium mixing bowl.
- Spread in shallow 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with a little extra cheese.
- Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes, until dip is bubbly around the edges and cheese has melted. Serve immediately with celery and other things for dipping.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Cheese: Monterey Jack is perfect, but cheddar or a cheddar blend also work great.
- Dressing: You can use a blue cheese dressing in place of the Ranch, if you prefer. My husband loves the blue cheese but I prefer the Ranch. So… I use Ranch ?
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken or canned chicken both work. Of course, you can also cook and shred a large chicken breast by yourself! I love making chicken breast in the air fryer for this!
- Wing sauce: I like using buffalo sauce for this. I know people also make this with plain red hot pepper sauce. Also, if you only like it a little bit spicy… You can use ketchup and just a bit of the hot sauce. Signed, a person who really prefers this with half ketchup, half buffalo sauce (I made it with all buffalo sauce for the photos, and it was really very spicy).
Recipe tips
- Cream cheese: Make sure to soften the cream cheese first (just leave it out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and it should be fine). Otherwise, it’s harder to properly combine all ingredients.
- Make ahead: You can assemble the dip up to a day ahead. Keep it in the casserole dish covered in the fridge, then sprinkle with cheese and bake right before serving.
- Serve dip hot: Definitely serve this dip hot. That’s when it’s smooth and delicious!
Linda Pugh says
So good…the best. When making the dip I was also making chicken salad and being lunchtime, got a roll out for a sandwich but the dip looked so good that I smeared the roll first with dip then my regular amount of chicken salad. Oh. My. Goodness! I just invented my new favorite sandwich… buffalo ranch chicken salad on toasted roll.
Nora says
Linda, now I’m hungry! That sounds delicious – glad you liked the recipe.
Anne Sullivan says
Trying this fir the big game tomorrow, will white cheddar work as the cheese?
Nora says
Yes, absolutely!