Buffalo Chicken Dip is the perfect game day appetizer, especially if you’re a lover of Frank’s hot sauce and all things buffalo chicken! It’s an incredibly easy “mix and bake” recipe that only takes 35 minutes to make. It’s one of my favorite crowdpleasers for parties, especially alongside other hits like Homemade Corn Dogs and Homemade Mozzarella Sticks.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - Scooped with Frito Chip

Of all the appetizers you can make for watching football or sports on TV, buffalo chicken dip is one of the best and easiest options. While appetizers like Baked Chicken Wings and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are both wonderful and essential on game day, they’re a bit more involved to make. Including a dip like this on the menu is really nice because it’s simple to put together, can be done in advance, and tastes great.

As indulgent as this recipe is, believe it or not, it’s actually suitable for a wide variety of dietary styles, like gluten-free, low carb, and keto. It’s classic to serve the dip with corn chips, but when I was following low carb and keto diets, I ate spoonfuls of it in endive cups and with celery sticks, and it was delicious.

Tips for Best Results

Use the correct sauce – For the best flavor, I recommend using Frank’s Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. This is the original, authentic sauce, and though other brands have come up with their own versions, they don’t taste the same.

Cook the chicken gently – You will need cooked chicken breasts for this recipe, and I recommend cooking them in the slow cooker via my Crockpot Chicken Breast method. It makes for the absolute juiciest, moistest, most gently cooked chicken, which is ideal since the chicken will need to go in the oven again for this recipe. You may also use rotisserie chicken from the store.

Use good mayonnaise – Though it’s not the dominant ingredient here, we’ll use a little bit of mayonnaise to give us the perfect dip consistency. Make sure to use a good-tasting mayonnaise brand, or better yet, make your own homemade Mayonnaise for the best flavor.

Franks Buffalo Chicken Dip - in Oval Dish with Pretzel Crisps

One thing I love about this recipe is it’s very hearty. I played with the proportions to make it so each bite has a generous amount of chicken, and less of the creamy filler. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still plenty cheesy and indulgent, but without gobs of sour cream. It’s well balanced!

Step by Step Overview:

In a bowl, combine cooked chicken breast, shredded cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sliced scallions, and Frank’s hot sauce:

Franks Hot Sauce, Chicken, Cheddar Cheese, Scallions, and Cream Cheese in Bowl

How you cook the meat is up to you, but I always keep a batch of Crockpot Chicken Breast around in the fridge or freezer, so I have chicken ready for recipes like this.

Spread the mixture evenly into an 8×8 baking dish. You can also do mini ramekins for individual portions, or even double the recipe for a 9×13.

Buffalo Chicken Dip spread in Baking dish with Green Spatula

Make-ahead Option

If you’re not ready to bake the dip right now, you can stop here, cover the dish, and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, bake it in the oven as directed. You may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time since the mixture is starting out colder.

Then bake the Buffalo dip in the oven until bubbly, cheesy, and hot! Since the chicken is already cooked, you’re really just warming up the cheese and letting the ingredients meld together.

Crockpot Option

If you don’t want to bake the dip in the oven, you can also make Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip. It takes a lot longer, but one benefit is that the crock will keep the dip warmer a little bit longer when serving. However, it’s also harder to serve from the crock.

I love the dip best when it’s a little bit browned on the edges of the pan, like this:

Dipping Chip Into Oven Buffalo Chicken Dip

How to Serve It

Put a trivet on the table and carry the baking dish straight from the oven to the table with oven mitts. This is definitely a dip best enjoyed piping hot. Serve it with tortilla chips, celery sticks, carrot sticks, endive cups, crackers, or baguette slices.

To round out the perfect spread, serve this dish alongside Potato Croquettes, Fathead Pizza, and Guacamole.

This recipe is gluten free, low carb, and keto friendly!

Recipe Tips and FAQ

How do you store leftover buffalo chicken dip?

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can this chicken dip be frozen?

Yes, for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How do you reheat buffalo chicken dip?

Reheat in a 250F oven, covered with foil, for about 15 minutes, until warmed through. Or reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until bubbling and warm.

Can you make buffalo chicken dip without cream cheese?

Yes, you can make it mayonnaise and sour cream based instead, but the texture will be less thick. Try a 1/2 cup of each.

Can you make this dip spicier?

Yes, add cayenne pepper to taste. It’s actually fairly mild with the regular Frank’s hot sauce. Dairy tends to temper down the heat.

What do you serve with buffalo dip?

Corn chips, flat pretzel crisps, celery sticks, carrot sticks, endive cups, crackers, and baguette slices are all great.

Can you serve the buffalo dip cold?

I don’t think it tastes good cold, because the cheese should be gooey and melted. Fortunately, the dip takes well to reheating.

Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out! Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

Scooping Buffalo Chicken Dip with a Frito Chip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
This Buffalo Chicken Dip is the perfect game day appetizer, especially if you're a lover of Frank's hot sauce and all things buffalo!
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Ingredients

  • 2 cooked chicken breasts (about 3 cups chopped)
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce*
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 3 scallions sliced
  • 6 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 6 oz cheddar cheese shredded**

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Chop the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
  • Mix the chopped chicken with the Frank’s hot sauce, mayonnaise, scallions, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese.
  • Spread the chicken mixture into an 8×8 baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, until bubbling and slightly golden on the edges. 
  • Serve with whatever accompanying snack you’d like, such as tortilla chips, pretzel crisps, celery sticks, endive cups, and more. Enjoy!

Notes

*I almost never specify brands for recipes, but it’s important to use Frank’s hot sauce here. It should be very easy to find.
**Colby jack is another great cheese for this dip.
Storing leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Place in a 250F oven, covered with foil, for about 15 minutes, until warmed through. Or heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until bubbling and warm.
Make-ahead instructions: You may mix this recipe together up to two days in advance and keep it in the fridge, then bake it fresh whenever you want to serve it. You may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time if you’re baking it straight from the fridge.
Crockpot option: Alternatively, you can cook the dip in the crockpot instead of the oven. Instructions are in my Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip post.
Cream cheese substitute:  If you wish to make this dip without cream cheese, you can make it with 1/2 cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream. The texture will be looser.
Making it spicier: Add cayenne pepper to taste.
Serving suggestions: Serve with corn chips, pretzel crisps, celery sticks, carrot sticks, endive cups, crackers, or baguette slices.

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 699mg, Sugar: 1g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas

Post updated with new photos, writing, and tips in July 2018. Originally published in October 2012.