Name: Buffalo Chicken Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 cups cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken; 8 oz softened plain cream cheese; 1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt; 1 packet hidden valley ranch seasoning; 1 cup franks buffalo hot sauce; 1/2 cup ranch dressing; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp black pepper; Salt to taste; 8 oz Colby jack cheese (freshly shredded ); 8 oz mild cheddar cheese (freshly shredded )

Buffalo chicken dip is one of those recipes that never needs an occasion. Game day, holiday party, random Friday night where you just want something really good to snack on. You start by mixing shredded chicken with softened cream cheese, sour cream, Frank's buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and a full packet of ranch seasoning until everything is smooth and well combined. Then you fold in half the cheese, spread it into a baking dish, pile the rest of the cheese on top, and bake it until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden. Serve with tortilla chips and watch it disappear before anything else on the table.

A creamy, cheesy casserole is scooped from a red baking dish, with melted cheese stretching and chopped green onions sprinkled on top.

My family makes this constantly and it never lasts more than about 20 minutes once it hits the table. The broil at the end is the step that takes it from good to great and it only takes about two minutes so do not skip it.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Rotisserie chicken makes this a genuinely fast appetizer. The most time-consuming part of the recipe is already done before you start.

Two kinds of cheese layered through the dip and piled on top produce a rich, gooey, deeply cheesy result that one type of cheese alone cannot match.

The ranch seasoning packet plus ranch dressing plus buffalo sauce together produce that specific buffalo chicken dip flavor that everyone recognizes and loves. It is bold and tangy and just the right amount of spicy.

This works for a crowd of 2 or a crowd of 20. Scale it up easily and it reheats beautifully which makes it one of the best make-ahead party dips you can have in your repertoire.

Ingredients Needed To Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

The Dip Base

Shredded cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken is the protein base. Softened plain cream cheese adds richness and body. Sour cream or Greek yogurt adds tang and creaminess. Frank's Buffalo Hot Sauce is the primary heat and flavor driver. Ranch dressing adds a creamy, herby element. Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet adds an extra concentrated ranch punch that makes the whole dip taste specifically like buffalo chicken rather than just spicy chicken.

The Cheese

Half the shredded cheese goes into the mixture itself for a cheesy, cohesive dip. The other half piles on top and melts into a golden, bubbly layer during baking. Freshly shredded Colby Jack and mild cheddar together produce a better melt and a more interesting flavor than either one alone.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip

Step 1: Make the Mixture

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, sour cream, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until completely smooth and well combined. Fold in half the shredded cheese.

A pink and white bowl with shredded cooked chicken sits on a wooden cutting board on a kitchen counter.

A white and pink bowl on a wooden board contains crushed orange chips, a block of cream cheese, and sprinkled black pepper, sitting on a white kitchen counter near a stove.

A pink mixing bowl on a wooden board contains spices, yogurt, and red sauce swirled together, sitting on a countertop in a modern kitchen.

A mixing bowl filled with shredded cheese and a creamy orange mixture, sitting on a wooden cutting board. A spatula rests inside the bowl on a white kitchen counter.

Step 2: Build and Bake

Spray a 9x9 baking dish and spread the mixture evenly across the bottom. Top with the remaining cheese in an even layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling.

A red baking dish filled with an orange cheese mixture sits on a wooden board on a kitchen counter, with a stove, vase with blue flowers, and golden decor in the background.

A red square baking dish filled with shredded cheddar cheese sits on a wooden board on a white kitchen counter, with a stove and decorative items in the background.

Step 3: Broil and Serve

Broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the top is golden brown. Watch it closely. Remove from the oven, top with sliced green onions, and serve immediately with your preferred dippers.

A square red baking dish with a baked cheesy casserole topped with chopped green onions, sitting on a wooden surface in a modern kitchen.

Storing and Reheating

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil for 15 minutes then uncover for 5 minutes to get the cheese bubbly again. The microwave works on medium power in 60-second intervals but does not restore the golden cheese top. This dip also freezes well for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven.

A baked cheesy dip topped with chopped green onions is in a red square dish, sitting on a black-and-white striped cloth atop a wooden surface.

Meghankay

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This buffalo chicken dip combines shredded chicken with cream cheese, sour cream, Frank's buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and two kinds of cheese baked until bubbly and golden for an easy crowd-pleasing party appetizer.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings: 10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

4 cups cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken
8 oz softened plain cream cheese
1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
1 packet hidden valley ranch seasoning
1 cup franks buffalo hot sauce
½ cup ranch dressing
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
8 oz Colby jack cheese freshly shredded
8 oz mild cheddar cheese freshly shredded

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked & shredded chicken breast, softened plain cream cheese, sour cream (or greek yogurt), buffalo hot sauce, and seasonings listed above. Mix until well combined.
Next add 4 oz Colby jack and 4 oz mild cheddar cheese into mixture.
Spray bottom of 9x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray, and add chicken mixture to bottom of dish.
Spread evenly, then add remaining cheese to top of mixture.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the sides are starting to bubble. Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Remove from oven, top with green onions for garnish.
Serve with tortilla chips, vegetables, crackers, or with tortillas to make a wrap.

Notes

The cream cheese must be fully softened before mixing. Cold cream cheese will not blend smoothly and you will end up with lumps throughout the dip no matter how long you stir.
Frank's Buffalo Hot Sauce is specifically recommended here. It has the right balance of heat and tang that makes buffalo chicken dip taste the way it should. Other hot sauces can work but the flavor will be different.
Freshly shredded cheese melts significantly better than pre-shredded bag cheese. The anti-caking agents in pre-shredded prevent it from melting into the smooth, gooey layer you want on top.
The broil at the end is what produces that golden, slightly crispy cheese top that makes this dip look and taste like something from a restaurant. Don't skip it and don't walk away from the oven during those 2 to 3 minutes.