Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
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This easy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe is so simple and delicious! The ranch dressing adds a great flavor and the cream cheese adds a creaminess that you can’t resist.
This slow cooker recipe is easy to transport to parties and tailgates or provides a stress free way to entertain guests at home.
A few other party dips we enjoy are Bagel Dip, Cheesecake Fruit Dip & Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
I love that this recipe is so versatile and EASY. Stir 5 simple ingredients together, heat and stir again. It doesn’t take much time to create a very dynamically flavored dish quickly at home.
Bitter celery balances hot sauce and the creamy dairy flavors. Chips add a nice crunch and are easy to load up with this meaty mixture.
Precooked canned chicken gives you so many more options, so that’s the version that I’ll share in this post. I love that chicken and turkey taste very similar in this recipe, so use what you have on hand or whatever is a better value.
Serve this delicious buffalo chicken dip with Pulled Pork Sliders, slices of Stromboli, veggies and plenty of tortilla chips for a fun party spread. We like the scoopable chips the best for ease of eating!
This recipe tastes great with chips or celery for dipping. Leftovers can be used to make Buffalo Chicken Roll-Ups, Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Peppers, and Buffalo Chicken Bites.
Buffalo Chicken Dip in the Slow Cooker
The ingredients can be mixed up and put in a slow cooker until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through. OR the recipe can be prepared in the oven in twenty minutes at 350°F.
Regardless of how you heat the recipe be sure to stir at least once. If you leave the recipe in the slow cooker on low or keep warm be sure to continue to stir so the ingredients don’t burn on the edges.
Another Buffalo flavored appetizer we love is there Buffalo Deviled Eggs.
What’s In Buffalo Chicken Dip?
- Shredded Chicken – canned or fresh both work fine, we prefer canned chicken or turkey for convenience and a longer shelf life. There are more notes below on the topic.
- Cream Cheese – adds a richness and creamy flavor that nothing else but a good dairy product can do.
- Hot Sauce – provides the color, the signature cayenne flavor and heat that people crave, but it is balanced by using a variety of ingredients.
- Ranch Dressing – also makes the dip creamy and helps thin it out to be more of a dip consistency. The herbs give ranch its signature, delightful flavor.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – sharp cheddar is our favorite way to finish off the dip, I firmly believe cheese makes most recipes better!
Does It Matter If I Use Hot Sauce or Buffalo Sauce?
Hot sauce has a cayenne pepper base and more of an edge than Buffalo Sauce which adds butter and other ingredients to hot sauce.
Begin with hot sauce in this recipe and mellow it down with the other ingredients listed.
You may decrease the amount of hot sauce if desired for a more mellow flavor.
Should I Use Fresh Chicken or Canned Chicken?
Since there are so many additional flavors added to the chicken in this Buffalo Chicken Dip it really doesn’t matter what kind of chicken is used. While canned chicken may not look as nice as a freshly cooked chicken breast, but the quality and food safety are the same or better.
Canning meat is a way to help preserve and keep meat shelf-stable without refrigeration, so it truly is beneficial. My husband’s family raises turkeys and there is a canning plant in the area that will make canned turkey and chicken. This practice supports family farmers and decreases the need for refrigeration which is costly.
I enjoyed the opportunity to make this recipe for Karina Nova and Ross Caruso on WBNS Channel 10 in March of 2018. I was asked to bring two different versions of the recipe. One using fresh chicken breasts that I cooked and shredded on my own and the second using canned meat. The anchors and crew LOVED both versions and they couldn’t tell a difference.
We had some debate about this issue prior to the time I shared this Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip on TV, so I was asked to bring two recipes. One with canned chicken and one with fresh chicken. No one could tell the difference!
Although it was 7 a.m. the crew had been there for hours, so they really enjoyed this treat!
Another recipe that tastes great with fresh or canned chicken is our Shredded Chicken Sandwiches and Tuscan Chicken & Spaghetti Casserole.
How To Make Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken
- Mix all ingredients together
- Pour into lined or greased crock pot
- Cook on high for one hour and stir at least once
- Serve warm with tortilla chips, celery or other vegetables
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- After opening a can of chicken drain the liquid and fluff the meat with a fork to help separate all of the pieces
- There are a variety of types of canned chicken from all breast meat to all dark meat and other choices in between. We prefer to use chicken breasts, but use the type that you prefer.
Step By Step Instructions
Drain canned chicken or turkey or cook meat in water and drain.
Add to a lightly greased 4.5 quart slow cooker and shred or fluff meat until it is all separated into finer pieces.
Pour hot sauce and ranch dressing over the meat. Stir it up!
Slice cream cheese and lay across the top of the meat.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
Cover and set to high for 1 hour.
Stir at least once while cooking, after about half an hour. The cheese on top will be melted and the cream cheese will look soft when ready to stir for the first time.
Stir again before serving.
When the cheese is all melted and the mixture looks uniform serve warm and enjoy!
Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Extra dip can also be cooled and frozen for up to 3 months.
Why Does Buffalo Chicken Dip Get Runny?
If the canned meat is not drained the mixture will be too runny. Also using too much hot sauce and ranch in proportion to the amount of meat can make the dip runny.
If dip is runny try to add some additional meat and cream cheese a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Dip
Celery and tortilla chips are the most popular items to serve with this easy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe.
Carrots and other veggies on a tray are also a great option as well as snack foods that you graze on like Dried Beef Roll-Ups.
Other Easy Crock Pot Party Food Ideas
- Crock Pot Loaded Cauliflower Casserole (Low Carb)
- Crock Pot Loaded Red Potatoes
- Fiesta Sausage Dip
- Meaty Baked Beans
- Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Mess Cake
Printable Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 28 ounces canned shredded chicken drained
- 8 ounces cream cheeses softened
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Drain canned meat, pour into a lightly greased crock pot and fluff or separate the pieces of chicken.
- Add hot sauce and ranch dressing and stir well.
- Slice up cream cheese and spread pieces over the top of the meat.
- Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
- Cook on high in the slow cooker for one hour or until all of the cheeses are melted.
- Stir at least once while cooking and again when finished.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips or veggies.
Notes
- Can also be baked in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes at 350°F and stirred a couple times until all cheese is melted and creamy
- I use a 4.5 quart slow cooker for this recipe
Originally shared on March 23, 2018 with pictures updated on March 21, 2023.
