This is my go-to buffalo chicken dip, and the crockpot makes it about as easy as party food gets. Rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, Frank’s RedHot, ranch, and cheddar go in, and about an hour and a half later you’ve got a hot, creamy dip that stays warm right in the pot.
More Buffalo Chicken Favorites:
The Keys to Nailing This Recipe
There are only five ingredients here, so a couple of small choices make a big difference in how it turns out.
-
Use Frank’s Original hot sauce —
Buffalo wing sauce has butter in it, which makes the dip greasy and salty. The plain cayenne sauce gives you the heat and tang without the extra grease. -
Stick with full-fat cream cheese —
Reduced-fat cream cheese can turn grainy and watery after a long heat. Full-fat melts smooth and holds the dip together. -
Stir every 30 minutes —
Cream cheese scorches along the sides of the crock if you leave it alone. Stirring keeps the edges from browning and blends everything smooth.
How to Make Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Most of the time here is hands-off. You’ll just need to come back every half hour to give it a stir.
1. Shred the Chicken
Pull the meat off a rotisserie chicken and toss the skin and bones. One bird gives you about 3 to 4 cups of meat, which is right where you want to be.
Use more for a chunkier dip, or a little less for a creamier one.
Shred the chicken into short, bite-size pieces, and chop any long strands. Long pieces pull out of the dip in one big clump and snap your chips in half.
No Rotisserie Chicken? No Problem!
My Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken uses the same appliance, so you can cook the chicken one day and make the dip the next.
2. Load the Slow Cooker
Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add it to a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker along with the chicken, Frank’s RedHot, and ranch dressing. Stir it together as well as you can.
Don’t worry if it looks lumpy at this point. The cream cheese is still cold, and it’ll blend in smoothly as it softens.
3. Cook on HIGH and Stir
Cover and cook on HIGH for about 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. Each stir pulls the warmer cream cheese off the sides and mixes it into the middle, so it melts evenly instead of scorching.
The dip is ready when it’s hot all the way through, the cream cheese is completely blended with no white streaks, and the edges are just starting to bubble.
✦ Watch the sides of the crockpot: Slow cookers run hotter along the walls. If you see the edges turning brown before the middle is melted, give it an extra stir.
4. Stir In the Cheddar
Add the shredded cheddar, stir, cover, and cook another 5 to 10 minutes, just until it’s melted. Give it one last good stir so it’s smooth.
Shred the cheddar yourself if you can. Pre-shredded cheese has a powdery coating to keep it from clumping in the bag, and it can melt grainy instead of smooth.
5. Keep It Warm for Serving
Switch the slow cooker to WARM and set it out with the dippers. Keep the lid on between servings and give it a stir every so often so a skin doesn’t form on top.
If it gets thick after a while, stir in a splash of ranch or milk to loosen it back up. Plan on serving it within about 4 hours of switching to WARM.
What to Dip and Serve Alongside
You want dippers sturdy enough to scoop a thick, chunky dip without breaking. Here’s what works best:
- Thick tortilla chips (restaurant-style or scoop-shaped)
- Celery sticks, the classic buffalo pairing
- Carrot sticks
- Sturdy crackers like Triscuits or butter crackers
- Pita chips
- Toasted baguette slices
It’s also good spooned onto a baked potato or rolled into a tortilla for a quick lunch.
Round Out the Spread
Storage and Make-Ahead
To store: Let the dip cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until it’s hot all the way through. For a full batch, warm it back up in the slow cooker on HIGH, stirring every 20 minutes.
Freezing: You can freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. The cream cheese can turn a little grainy after freezing, but a good stir while reheating smooths most of it out.
Make-ahead: Load everything except the cheddar into the slow cooker insert the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Since it starts cold, give it about 30 extra minutes on HIGH.
FAQs
Can I use canned chicken instead of rotisserie?
Yes. Two 12.5-ounce cans give you about the same amount as one rotisserie chicken. Drain them really well and press out the extra liquid, or the dip turns watery. Break the chicken into small pieces with a fork before adding it. Canned chicken is a little softer and saltier, so taste before adding any extra salt.
Can I put raw chicken in the crockpot for this dip?
I don’t recommend it. A thick cream cheese base heats slowly, so raw chicken won’t cook through evenly or safely in 90 minutes, and you can’t shred it once it’s buried in the dip. Cook the chicken first.
If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, my Instant Pot Pulled Chicken gets you shredded chicken in under an hour.
How long can buffalo chicken dip stay on Warm?
Up to about 4 hours. The Warm setting keeps it hot enough to be safe, but the dip slowly thickens and can start browning along the edges. Keep the lid on between servings and stir it every so often. If it gets too thick, a splash of ranch or milk loosens it right back up.
Why is my buffalo chicken dip greasy or runny?
Greasy dip usually comes from buffalo wing sauce (which has butter in it), pre-shredded cheese, or heat that’s too high for too long. Stir well and switch to Warm, and blot any oil on top with a paper towel. Runny dip often means the canned chicken wasn’t drained well. Leave the lid off for 15 minutes on HIGH, or stir in a little more shredded cheddar to thicken it.
Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep the chicken: Remove any skin and bones. Shred into short, bite-size pieces and chop any long strands.
- Fill the slow cooker: Add the cream cheese, chicken, hot sauce, and ranch. Stir together as well as you can. The cream cheese will blend in as it softens.
- Cook: Cover and cook on HIGH for about 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes, until hot throughout and the cream cheese is completely blended.
- Add the cheddar: Stir in the cheddar, cover, and cook another 5 to 10 minutes, just until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Serve: Switch to WARM and top with green onions if you like. Serve with sturdy tortilla chips, celery, or crackers. Keep covered between servings and stir occasionally.
Notes
- Hot sauce: Use Frank’s RedHot Original, not Buffalo Wing Sauce. Wing sauce has butter and makes the dip greasy.
- Canned chicken: Two 12.5-oz cans, drained very well, can replace the rotisserie chicken.
- Holding: Serve within about 4 hours on WARM. Stir in a splash of ranch or milk if it gets too thick.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.
- Make-ahead: Assemble everything but the cheddar the night before and refrigerate. Add about 30 minutes to the cook time.
- Doubling: Double everything in at least a 6-quart slow cooker and add 30 to 60 minutes on HIGH, stirring every 30 minutes.
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