Classic Buffalo Chicken Dip (Perfect Party Appetizer!)
Make the ultimate crowd-pleasing Buffalo Chicken Dip! This easy recipe combines chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, ranch, and cheddar for a creamy, cheesy, spicy delight. Perfect for parties!
Ingredients
(Original recipe yields 20 servings – likely appetizer portions)
Dip:
- ▢ 2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
- ▢ ¾ cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot Original)
- ▢ 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ▢ 1 cup ranch dressing
- ▢ 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided (use 1/2 in dip, 1 cup on top)
- ▢ (Optional: Salt and pepper to taste, though sauces are usually salty)
For Serving:
- ▢ 1 bunch celery, cut into 4-inch pieces
- ▢ 1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers (or other crackers/chips)
Instructions
1. Prepare Base and Heat Chicken/Hot Sauce:
- Gather all your ingredients. Soften the cream cheese to room temperature for easier blending. Drain the canned chicken thoroughly.
- In a large skillet, combine the drained chunk chicken and the ¾ cup of hot pepper sauce.
- Place the skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is heated through, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add Cream Cheese and Ranch Dressing:
- Add the softened cream cheese (broken into chunks) and the 1 cup of ranch dressing to the skillet with the hot chicken mixture.
- Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until the cream cheese is completely melted and all the ingredients are well blended, smooth, and warm. This will take another 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Mix in Cheese and Transfer to Slow Cooker:
- Stir in half (about ¾ cup) of the shredded Cheddar cheese into the skillet mixture until it’s melted and incorporated.
- Carefully transfer this entire creamy chicken mixture to your slow cooker insert. Spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar cheese (about ¾ cup) evenly over the top of the dip in the slow cooker.
4. Cook in Slow Cooker:
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid.
- Cook on the LOW setting until the dip is hot, bubbly around the edges, and the cheese on top is fully melted. This usually takes about 30-35 minutes (or potentially a bit longer, depending on your slow cooker).
5. Serve:
- Once hot and bubbly, turn the slow cooker to the WARM setting if you’re serving it over a period of time (like at a party).
- Serve the Buffalo Chicken Dip hot, directly from the slow cooker if desired, with celery sticks and chicken-flavored crackers (or your other favorite dippers) on the side. Enjoy!