There's something wildly irresistible about warm, cheesy dips that bring a little heat and a whole lot of comfort to the table. This Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe is that perfect blend of spicy, creamy, and downright addictive—ideal for gatherings or anytime you want to impress without fussing over the stove.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe quickly became my go-to for game days and casual get-togethers because it’s incredibly easy, yet delivers a deep layer of flavor that people keep coming back for. It makes entertaining feel effortless and tasty.
- Hands-Off Cooking: Just toss your ingredients in the crockpot and let it do the magic—no standing over the stove.
- Perfectly Balanced Heat: The Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce gives a spicy kick without overwhelming the cheesy, creamy goodness.
- Crowd-Pleasing Texture: The blend of cheeses creates that perfect gooey, melty texture that dips should have.
- Flexible Serving: Whether you want to pair it with chips, veggies, or pretzels, it adapts to your snack spreads beautifully.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe plays a vital role in creating a creamy, spicy, and flavorful dip that’s still easy enough for a weeknight snack or party treat. Let’s break down why I rely on these staples.
- Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce: This iconic sauce gives the dip its signature bold, spicy flavor—don't substitute with a milder hot sauce or you'll lose that classic buffalo heat.
- Full fat sour cream: Creaminess that balances the spice with a slight tang, adding richness to the dip’s texture.
- Dry ranch dressing seasoning mix: Adds a savory herb and tangy depth that works beautifully alongside buffalo flavors.
- Spices (chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt): These create a complex, smoky, and savory backbone without overpowering the main ingredients.
- Cooked and shredded chicken: I prefer rotisserie chicken for convenience—and it absorbs the sauce perfectly.
- Blue cheese crumbles: The sharp, creamy cheese adds that unique bite and contrasts perfectly with the heat.
- Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses: Cheddar brings a sharper flavor while mozzarella ensures gooey, melty consistency—trust me, don’t skip either.
- Full-fat cream cheese: Cubed and melted into the dip, it enhances creaminess and cohesion in the texture.
Make It Your Way
One of the best parts about this Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe is how easily it adapts to your preferences. I love adding a little extra blue cheese on top for boldness, but if you’re not a fan, swapping for extra cheddar or even pepper jack works great.
- Variation: When I wanted a milder version for the kids, I cut back the hot sauce by half and upped the cream cheese—still creamy and delicious but with a gentler heat.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free chips or fresh veggies as dippers, and this dip stays naturally gluten-free.
- Extra Protein Boost: I've tossed in some cooked bacon bits once for a smoky twist—highly recommend if you want to level it up.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Crockpot Like a Pro
Start by spraying your crockpot insert generously with nonstick cooking spray. I always do this first because it prevents cheesy sticks later, making cleanup a breeze—trust me, it’s worth the extra minute.
Step 2: Mix the Base Ingredients
In the crockpot, whisk together Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and all the spices until smooth. The whisking helps those dry ranch and spices dissolve evenly, so you don’t get surprise bites of powder later.
Step 3: Add the Chicken and Cheeses
Stir in your shredded chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and most of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. This creates your hearty base with layers of flavor building up before the cream cheese melts in.
Step 4: Add the Cream Cheese Cubes
Microwave the cubed cream cheese on a plate for about 25 seconds—just enough to soften it. Place these cubes evenly over the dip mixture but don’t stir yet. This step helps them melt evenly during cooking, avoiding clumps.
Step 5: Cook and Stir
Cover and cook on low for 1 hour. After that, give everything a good stir to mix in the melted cream cheese. Depending on your crockpot’s age and size, you might need to cook for another 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, until it’s bubbling and gooey.
Step 6: Add Final Cheese Layer and Serve
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella on top, cover again, and cook for 20 more minutes until that top layer is beautifully melted. Keep warm on low and get ready to dig in.
Top Tip
Making this Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe for the first time, I learned a few things that made every batch better. Here are the tips I wish someone had told me:
- Don’t Skip the Cream Cheese Softening: Softening it before adding prevents clumps and helps the dip become ultra-smooth.
- Use Rotisserie Chicken: Saves so much prep time and adds great flavor—plus, it’s usually more tender.
- Check Your Crockpot’s Heat Level: Older crockpots vary in power, so start checking after 1.5 hours to avoid overcooking or drying out the dip.
- Final Cheese Layer: Adding the cheese on top last gives a perfectly melty crusty texture that everyone eyes first at the party.
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe
Garnishes
I love tossing chopped green onions and extra blue cheese crumbles on top right before serving. It adds a fresh brightness and a little extra tang, making the dip visually inviting and flavor-packed.
Side Dishes
This dip pairs wonderfully with crunchy celery sticks, carrots, kettle-cooked chips, and even buttery crostini. I often set out a mix of salty pretzels and veggie sticks so guests can choose their preferred crunch or freshness.
Creative Ways to Present
Once, for a football party, I served the dip inside a hollowed-out bread bowl. It not only looked impressive but also gave a delicious edible scoop option. You can also portion it into small ramekins for a chic, individual serving style at dinner parties.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover dip is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it’s perfect for up to 3 days, though with kids around, it rarely lasts that long! Give it a good stir before reheating to bring everything back together.
Freezing
Freezing this dip works well for meal prep or saving party extras. I portion mine into freezer-safe containers and thaw overnight in the fridge before gently reheating. Just know the blue cheese’s texture might change slightly after freezing, but the flavor remains spot on.
Reheating
I reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat, stirring often to get that creamy texture back without scorching. The microwave works too—heat in short bursts and stir between—to avoid overheating or separating the cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions:
While you can substitute another hot sauce, Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce is the classic choice that delivers the perfect balance of heat and flavor. Other hot sauces may lack that signature buffalo taste or may be too spicy or mild.
You can prepare all the ingredients the night before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready, layer them in the crockpot and cook as directed, or fully assemble and refrigerate, then cook the next day.
Fresh veggies like celery sticks, carrot slices, bell pepper strips, and cucumber rounds are fantastic, as well as pretzels, crackers, or toasted bread slices. This dip is very versatile!
Yes! The dip itself is naturally gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free hot sauce and ranch seasoning. Just choose gluten-free dippers like veggies or gluten-free crackers to keep it safe for gluten-sensitive guests.
Final Thoughts
This Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe has become one of those comforting staples I default to when I want to wow friends without stress. Its ease, combined with bold, cozy flavors, means you’ll probably end up making it again and again—just like I do. So grab your crockpot, gather the ingredients, and enjoy all the compliments heading your way. You’ve got this!
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Buffalo Chicken Dip Crockpot Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 14 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy and flavorful Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe is perfect for game day or parties. Made in a crockpot, it combines tender shredded chicken, tangy buffalo sauce, creamy cheeses, and ranch seasoning into a warm, melty dip that's sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, NOT original/traditional
- ¾ cup full fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound (4 packed cups) cooked and shredded chicken (about 1 large rotisserie chicken)
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 ⅓ packed cups finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- ⅔ packed cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, cubed into 12 pieces
For Serving
- Green onions (optional, for garnish)
- Additional crumbled blue cheese (optional, for garnish)
- Cilantro or parsley (optional, for garnish)
- Chips, crackers, crostini, pretzels, veggies, etc., for dipping
Instructions
- Prep Crockpot: Spray the crockpot insert with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking during cooking.
- Combine Ingredients: In the crockpot, whisk together the buffalo wing sauce, sour cream, ranch seasoning, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until smooth. Stir in the shredded chicken, blue cheese crumbles, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and ⅓ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese until combined.
- Add Cream Cheese: Microwave the cubed cream cheese on a plate for 25 seconds to soften, then evenly distribute the cream cheese pieces on top of the chicken mixture without stirring them in.
- Cook and Stir: Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 1 hour. After 1 hour, stir the mixture thoroughly to combine the softened cream cheese evenly.
- Continue Cooking: For large or newer crockpots, the dip should be nearly done; for older or smaller crockpots, cook an additional 1 to 1 ½ hours on low, stirring occasionally, until all cheeses are melted and the dip is hot throughout.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ cup shredded cheddar and ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheeses evenly on top of the dip. Cover and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes until the cheese topping has melted.
- Garnish and Serve: Turn the heat to low or warm to keep the dip hot while serving. Garnish with chopped green onions, additional blue cheese crumbles, and cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve with your choice of chips, crackers, crostini, pretzels, or fresh vegetables like carrots, celery sticks, and bell peppers.
Notes
- Using a rotisserie chicken saves time and adds flavor.
- If you prefer a spicier dip, increase the amount of buffalo sauce or add cayenne pepper.
- Nonstick spray helps prevent the dip from sticking to the crockpot.
- Microwaving the cream cheese softens it for easier melting and mixing.
- Stir occasionally if using an older or smaller crockpot to prevent burning on the sides.
- Garnishes like green onions and cilantro add freshness and color.
- Serve with a variety of dippers to suit all tastes, including vegetables for a lighter option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/14th of recipe
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
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