Hussnain Ahmad
This Buffalo chicken dip recipe is the perfect appetizer for game day or a crowd. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with shredded chicken and tangy Buffalo sauce.
It bakes up hot and bubbly with a fondue-like cheese sauce and just the right amount of heat, thanks to Frank’s hot sauce. Everyone I’ve served it to loves it!
If you love Buffalo hot wings, this buffalo chicken dip is for you. It’s especially good served with crusty bread, sturdy crackers, or crisp veggies like carrots and celery.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: I usually start with leftover roasted chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. You can also use our stovetop shredded chicken, slow cooker shredded chicken, or poached chicken recipes.
- Hot Sauce: Use your favorite brand. We love Frank’s RedHot or Crystal Hot Sauce for their flavor and mild heat. These are also what I use when making homemade Buffalo sauce.
- Butter and Flour: These form the base of our creamy dip. They turn into a roux that thickens the milk (similar to making creamy mac and cheese).
- Milk: I like the richness of whole milk, but 2% is fine.
- Veggies: To add flavor to the dip, cook finely diced onion, carrot, and celery in butter with minced garlic.
- Cheese: For a smooth, creamy dip, use a mix of cream cheese and a melty cheese such as white cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack for a little extra heat.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Buffalo Chicken Dip
Tip 1: Make the creamy base. The base of this dip starts like a classic macaroni and cheese. Cook onion and celery in butter until soft, then stir in garlic and flour. Cook until the flour turns lightly golden, then whisk in the milk until it thickens into a smooth béchamel sauce.
Tip 2: Make it cheesy. For the creamiest texture, stir in a bit of cream cheese. The stabilizers help the dip stay silky and smooth (just like in our queso recipe). Then add shredded cheese for flavor. I love white cheddar, but pepper jack adds a nice kick.
Tip 3: Make it Buffalo-style. To transform this from a creamy sauce to a Buffalo dip, stir in a generous amount of hot sauce. You can add to taste on this one, so you can make it as spicy as you want. When you are happy with the flavor, stir in your chicken.
Tip 4: Bake it! Transfer the dip to a baking dish, sprinkle extra cheese on top, and broil until hot and bubbly. It only takes a few minutes, and that gooey, golden topping makes all the difference.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes
Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip
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This Buffalo chicken dip recipe is easy to make and perfect served with crisp celery sticks and crusty bread. We love using Frank’s RedHot Original since it’s full of flavor without being too spicy, but feel free to use your favorite hot sauce. Just taste as you go, since some brands pack a bit more heat.
This dip is just as good with or without chicken. We’ve made it both ways, and it’s always a hit.
8 Servings
You Will Need
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken, see tips
2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
½ cup finely chopped celery (1 stalk)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 ounces cream cheese, block-style
8 ounces sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated, about 2 cups
Dash Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons Frank’s RedHot Original, or more to taste
Celery sticks and/or crusty bread, for serving
Directions
1Warm the milk: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Turn off the heat and set aside. You can also warm it in the microwave.
2Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3Make the roux: Stir in the garlic and flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4Add the milk: Slowly whisk in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking until smooth. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.
5Add cheese: Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream cheese and all but a small handful of the cheddar until melted and smooth.
6Add hot sauce and chicken: Add the Worcestershire sauce and 5 tablespoons of hot sauce. Taste and adjust the spice and salt as needed. Stir in the shredded chicken.
7Broil and serve: Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler to high. Transfer the dip to a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Place the dish on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until bubbling and lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with celery sticks, or slices of crusty bread.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Make ahead: You can prepare this up to 3 days in advance. Follow our recipe directions, but do not broil. Store the dip covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Gently reheat the dip in a saucepan over medium-low heat until thoroughly heated through. Pour the dip into the baking dish, add extra cheese on top, and broil until the top is bubbling and cheese begins to brown.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories
291
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Protein
16 g
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Carbohydrate
8 g
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Dietary Fiber
1 g
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Total Sugars
4 g
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Total Fat
21 g
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Saturated Fat
12 g
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Cholesterol
89 mg
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Sodium
315 mg
We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us
