Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip
Creamy baked buffalo chicken dip with rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, ranch and cheddar. Thick enough to scoop, ready in 35 minutes.
25% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 25 min
- Resting
- 5 min
- Serves
- 10
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 16 g
- Per serving
- $1.08
Why this recipe works
This is the dip that empties first at a game-day table. Rotisserie chicken makes it a 10-minute job to mix, and it bakes in the same dish you serve it in.
- Using a full 3 cups of chicken to one block of cream cheese keeps the dip thick; most runny buffalo dips have too much sauce for the amount of chicken.
- Beating the softened cream cheese with the hot sauce and ranch first makes a smooth base before the chicken goes in, so there are no cold lumps.
- Full-fat block cream cheese holds together in the oven; light or whipped cream cheese tends to separate into an oily layer.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- 1½-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate
- Medium mixing bowl
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Make the base
Stir the cream cheese, hot sauce and ranch together in the bowl until completely smooth.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Fold in the chicken
Fold in the chicken and 1 cup of the cheddar until everything is coated. The mixture should be thick, not soupy.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Bake
Spread it in the baking dish and scatter the remaining ½ cup of cheddar over the top. Bake until bubbling at the edges and the cheese has melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Rest and serve
Let the dip stand for 5 minutes, then scatter with scallions. Serve warm with tortilla chips, celery sticks and crackers.
AI-generated illustration of this step.
Cook's notes
- Soften the cream cheese properly (about an hour on the counter, or 20 seconds in the microwave) or the base will stay lumpy.
- Mix it up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes straight from the fridge.
- Leftovers reheat well at 350°F for 15 minutes; stir halfway.
Nutrition per serving
285 calories
$1.08 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 23% of calories | 16 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 7% of calories | 5 g |
| Fat | 70% of calories | 22 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 580 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Can you make buffalo chicken dip in a crock pot?
Yes. Stir everything except the topping cheese together in a small slow cooker, cook on low for 2 hours, stirring once, then add the cheese and cover until melted. Keep it on warm for serving.
Why is my buffalo chicken dip runny?
Usually too much hot sauce and ranch for the amount of chicken, or light cream cheese. Stick to 3 cups of chicken per 8-ounce block of full-fat cream cheese.
Is buffalo chicken dip gluten-free?
Often, but check the labels: most cayenne hot sauces are gluten-free, while some bottled ranch dressings and rotisserie chicken seasonings are not.
