Let your Crockpot do the work for you with this creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe. Spicy buffalo sauce, cream cheese, ranch dressing and shredded chicken combine to form the best game day or Super Bowl party appetizer. Chicken wing dip is so quick and easy to make and will have your guests begging you for the recipe!
Whenever someone mentions the Super Bowl the first thing that comes to my mind is…
Over the years I have transformed this game day favorite into many variations from Buffalo Chicken Celery Bites and Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, to making a vegan version with these Buffalo Cauliflower Bites.
But up until now none of those recipes had been NEARLY as easy as the Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip you’ll find below.
Much like other slow cooker and Crock-Pot recipes, all this one requires is for you to dump in the ingredients, press the start button, and wait for the spicy-creamy-dip magic to happen.
There’s also only 5 simple ingredients that you’ll need in order to mix it up.
And with the appliance set to the warm function, you can have a hot dip ready for your guests to snack on all night long!
Ingredients
The 5 simple ingredients you need to make this Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe include:
- Chicken. 1 ½-pounds of shredded cooked chicken is needed, or roughly 5 cups. You can either buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up, make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken from chicken breasts, or even use canned chicken.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce. You can either get the pre-made kind from the grocery store, such as Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce, or make your own Buffalo Sauce from scratch. Since homemade sauce is made with butter and not just butter flavoring, the butter will tend to separate as the dip cools and will need to be stirred more frequently. Avoid using Frank’s Red Hot original; the dip will turn out WAY too spicy if you do!
- Cream Cheese. You know all of that creamy goodness in this dip? It comes from a block of cream cheese! But no worries if you’re lactose intolerant, because there are some dairy-free cream cheese brands out there now that taste incredible! Daiya and Kite Hill are both highly recommended.
- Ranch Dressing. This is another component that adds some creaminess and helps to mellow out the spice of the buffalo sauce. Blue cheese dressing may be substituted. A dairy-free alternative can also be used.
- Cheddar Cheese. A mild or sharp shredded cheddar cheese is best. Also, feel free to swap it out with a milder cheese such as Mozzarella or Monterrey Jack, or leave it out completely.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip in the Crockpot
The basic steps for making Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
Add Ingredients
Start by pouring the wing sauce into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. You want to make sure there is a liquid in the bottom so the other ingredients do not burn.
Top the sauce with the shredded chicken, cream cheese, ranch dressing, and cheese.
A quick tip: cutting the cream cheese into cubes will allow it to melt much faster!
Cook in Crockpot
Warm the ingredients for 1-2 hours on the high setting, or 3-4 hours on low.
Once the cheeses begin to melt (this should take about 30 minutes) stir everything together. Continue cooking until the dip is bubbling hot.
Serving
Garnish with a sprinkle of green onions and blue cheese crumbles for extra flavor. Pair the dip with tortilla chips, a baguette, and crackers. Or, veggies such as carrots, celery sticks, and bell peppers are great for a low-carb diet!
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Dairy-free – Make the buffalo sauce from scratch with a vegan butter alternative, and use dairy-free cream cheese, Ranch dressing, and cheese.
- Low-carb – Serve with celery sticks, carrots, or bell peppers.
- Keto – Ensure the buffalo wing sauce does not have any added sweetener, and pair with veggies for dipping.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Cook and shred the chicken in advance.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: Seal in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Return the thawed dip to a slow cooker, or quickly warm it in the microwave.
FAQs
Yes, you can! Mix all of the ingredients and spread them in a large baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.
Buffalo sauce got its name because it was created at a bar in Buffalo, New York in the 1960’s. This recipe features the flavors of buffalo chicken wings mixed with creamy ingredients creating a dip, hence the name.
Tortilla chips, baguette slices, crackers, carrots, celery sticks, and bell peppers are all great dipping options.
Too much buffalo sauce or ranch dressing can result in a runny dip. Make sure to include the cream cheese and shredded cheese to create a thick and creamy texture.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Make it from scratch. Homemade buffalo wing sauce tastes better and is healthier because it doesn’t have the added preservatives.
- Save some time. Rotisserie chicken is an easy option and has more flavor than canned chicken.
- Pour it in. Start with the sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker so the other ingredients don’t burn.
- Cube it up. Smaller pieces of cream cheese will melt more quickly and evenly.
- The sharper, the better. Sharp cheddar cheese will give the dip the most flavor.
More Game Day Recipes
In addition to this easy buffalo chicken dip, serve these snacks while watching your favorite team play:
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Let your Crockpot do the work for you with this creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe. This chicken wing dip is so quick and easy to make and will have your guests begging you for the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. cooked chicken shredded, about 5 cups
- ¾ cup buffalo wing sauce not hot sauce
- 8 oz. cream cheese cubed
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- Green onions optional
- Blue cheese crumbles optional
Instructions
-
Pour the wing sauce along the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add in the shredded chicken, cubed cream cheese, ranch dressing, and cheese.
-
Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 1-2 hours, or low and cook for 3-4 hours.
-
After about 30 minutes the cheeses should begin to melt. Give the ingredients a good stir and keep cooking until everything is heated through.
-
Serve with a sprinkle of green onions and blue cheese crumbles, if desired. Enjoy the dip with tortilla chips and crackers or veggies such as celery sticks and carrots if on a low-carb diet!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: Seal in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
Simple Syrup
What Temperature is Chicken Done?
Lime Sorbet
How to Boil Corn on the Cob
Sarah Provencal says
I’ve made this a number of times. Everytime its a success! Last few times I mixed everything with warm chicken and let it all melt together on the stove…then let it cool and served it cold! It was to die for!
London Brazil says
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sarah! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!