Make America’s most popular dip for your next party!
What’s your go-to dip for parties? Mine is this creamy, cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip. I used to worry that friends and family would get sick of seeing it on my menu, but that never happens; every time I serve it, guests say things like, “I was hoping you’d have the Buffalo Chicken Dip,” so I take the ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach and just continue to make this amazing dip whenever we have people over.
If you live in a world where there’s no such thing as too much cheese (I have been residing in this world forever), this is the dip for you. There’s cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and, of course, since it is Buffalo Chicken Dip, peppery hot sauce and tender shredded chicken. And we can’t forget the ranch dressing, the rich, velvety, and zesty ingredient that brings this whole dish together.
The flavors in the dip are pungent and super-delicious, but one of my favorite things about it is the process of making it—I find the layering almost meditative. The layering! First, you make sure that all of your shredded chicken is coated in whatever hot sauce you choose (choose your favorite, of course). That then goes into your baking dish. The next layer is the cream cheese combined with the ranch dressing. It’s all topped off with a mix of sharp cheddar and tangy Monterey Jack cheeses. It couldn’t be easier to make, and it comes out of the oven so hot and bubbly that you’d better have your chips and veggies ready for dipping because no one will be able to wait to eat it!
Buffalo chicken wings are an American favorite and have been since they were invented in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. And while they’re worth the extra work (baking or frying the wings, tossing them in the Buffalo sauce, making a ranch dressing to go with, deciding where everyone will put the bones), it’s so much easier to get those great flavors when you make Buffalo Chicken Dip, which, by the way, is really spectacular with Seasoned Potato Wedges.
Which Specific Ingredients Do You Recommend?
We recommend using a full-fat block of cream cheese (as opposed to the whipped kind that comes in a tub). Bring it to room temperature before combining it with the ranch dressing; this will ensure the smoothest, most creamy results. For a bit of spice, traditionally, Buffalo sauce is made with Frank’s Red Hot sauce, which has its own distinct peppery bite, but you can use any kind of hot sauce you like. Frank’s is not too spicy, so if you want more heat in your dip, use something like Tabasco to give it more fire. As for chicken, first, let me say that chicken breasts are best for this recipe because chicken thighs will produce a bit more grease, but feel free to use thighs if you prefer dark meat to white. You can cook the chicken any way you like—poach, bake, broil, grill, roast—it just depends on the taste you are seeking (the methods that produce more flavor, like grilling or roasting, will just add depth to your dip). You can also use rotisserie chicken or even canned chicken. For dressing, use store-bought or homemade ranch, both work great. Or substitute blue cheese dressing for the ranch. Or use a mix of both! Last, in terms of cheese, we recommend Monterey Jack and cheddar, but the cheese you use to top your Buffalo Chicken Dip depends entirely on what you like best—spicy Pepper Jack gives the dip extra zing, mozzarella will give it more cheese pull, while tangy cheeses like Fontina or Gouda bring a rich nuttiness that complements everything else perfectly.
How do I prep and store this dip?
You can prepare Buffalo Chicken Dip through Step 5, cover the pan, and leave it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking it, as long as you have cooked the chicken the same day (in other words, if you are using leftover chicken that has been cooked 1-2 days before, you should bake the dip before refrigerating). Cooked Buffalo Chicken Dip can be stored in its baking dish or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months (thaw frozen dip overnight in the fridge before reheating).
Serving Suggestions
Even though Buffalo Chicken Dip is considered the most popular dip in the U.S., that doesn’t mean it should be the only one you serve at your get-togethers. One thing I love to do is set up a dip buffet with Buffalo Chicken Dip and fresh veggies, Loaded Baked Potato Dip with (what else?) potato chips, this delicious Italian Sub Dip with squares of toasted focaccia, Spinach Artichoke Dip with pita chips, and Queso with corn chips: something for everyone! I also put out a big bowl of Chocolate Sauce with a tray of cut-up fruit and some small cookies for dipping.
While Buffalo Chicken Dip is a favorite party food, that doesn’t mean you can’t serve it for dinner! I know that might sound crazy, but we’ve done Buffalo Chicken Dip bowls with Baked Rice on the bottom, then the chicken dip, and then topped with some Tomato Sauce. Or a bowl with Refried Beans on the bottom, then the chicken dip, and topped with Chipotle Sauce. And on the rare occasions when we have any leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip, we eat it inside a Baked Sweet Potato!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 cup hot sauce
- 2 packages 8 ounces each cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, mix the shredded chicken with the hot sauce until well combined. Spread this mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, blend together the cream cheese and ranch dressing until smooth and heated through.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chicken layer in the baking dish.
- Top evenly with both Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly, and the cheese is melted.
- Allow the dip to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve with your choice of dippers, such as celery sticks, carrot sticks, tortilla chips, or sliced baguette.
Where is the blue cheese dressing? That is what we use in Buffalo.
Hi Nancy, I used ranch instead of blue cheese in this recipe but I suggest blue cheese as a great swap. I agree it also tastes great!
I love this! I think having a blend of Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses really improves it over dips that use cheddar cheese only. Thanks for the recipe.