Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip (One-Pan, 30 Minutes)

Quick Facts:

Time: 30 minutes active (freeze-ahead friendly) • Yield: Serves ~12 as a dip • Skill: Easy • Method: One-pan bake or crock pot warm • Diet: Gluten-free friendly

Introduction

Buffalo Chicken Dip is the back-pocket appetizer that fixes two problems at once: you want bold, game-day flavor, and you don’t want to scramble when people show up. This one mixes in minutes and bakes to a bronzed, bubbling top with a creamy, scoopable center that clings to chips and veggies. It’s ideal for meal prep, too—assemble, portion, and freeze so you can go from freezer to oven and serve a hot snack with no stress. The base method clocks around 30 minutes and is specifically written to be made ahead and frozen safely for up to three months, with thaw-or-bake-from-frozen options.

Why You’ll Love It

• Weeknight-easy: Beat, stir, bake—clear times that deliver.
• Flexible: Oven bake, broil finish, or keep warm in a slow cooker.
• Balanced flavor: Tangy heat + creamy body + fresh finish.
• Great leftovers: Stays smooth after gentle reheat.

Want different heat levels and mix-ins? Check out my Buffalo Chicken Dip recipes.

This bold, creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip is your game-day MVP—ready in 30 minutes, perfect for prepping ahead, and irresistibly scoopable from the oven or slow cooker.

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Calories: 215

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ⅓–½ cup buffalo wing sauce
• ⅓ cup ranch dressing
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions (optional)

Equipment

• Hand mixer or spatula To mix ingredients smoothly.
• 6–8 inch baking dish Oven-safe.
• oven Bake and optionally broil.
• slow cooker (optional) For keeping warm after baking.

Method

 

1. Beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth and lump-free for best blending.
2. Mix in buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing. Taste and adjust for salt and heat.
3. Fold in shredded chicken and 1 cup of mozzarella until evenly combined.
4. Spread the mixture into a greased 6–8″ oven-safe baking dish and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
5. Bake at 350°F for 20–30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Broil 2–3 minutes at the end for a golden top if desired.
6. Let rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with green onions, and serve with dippers.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 17gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 420mgPotassium: 135mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 460IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 0.3mg

Notes

Make-ahead friendly and freezer-safe for up to 3 months. To lighten it, use Greek yogurt in place of some cream cheese. Watch for bubbling edges and a golden top as the doneness cue.

Great with celery, chips, pita, or carrot sticks. Optional garnishes include green onions, chili flakes, or an extra drizzle of wing sauce.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ⅓–½ cup buffalo wing sauce (choose your heat)
• ⅓ cup ranch dressing
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions, optional

What each ingredient does:
Cream cheese: creamy body; binds.
Wing sauce: heat and tang.
Ranch: cools salt/acid; rounds flavor.
Chicken: meaty bite and protein.
Mozzarella: melt and browning.
Green onions: fresh snap.

Pro tip: Beat the cream cheese first—lump-free dip every time.

Substitutions & Swaps

• Aromatics: Add garlic powder or onion powder to taste.
• Protein: Shredded turkey or rotisserie chicken are excellent; canned chicken works if drained well.
• Cheese: Try a mozz/cheddar blend for sharper flavor.
• Diet tweaks: For dairy-light, swap part of cream cheese with Greek yogurt; for GF service, make sure your sauces and dressing are certified GF.
• Time savers: Rotisserie chicken + pre-shredded cheese = 5-minute assembly.

Equipment Notes

Use a 6–8″ oven-safe baking dish. A hand mixer or sturdy spatula both work; a broiler adds gorgeous color. If transporting, bake and then hold warm in a small slow cooker (stir occasionally).

Step-by-Step

1. Whip the base: Beat cream cheese smooth so it melds with the sauces.
2. Mix sauces: Add wing sauce and ranch; taste to gauge heat and salt.
3. Fold + load: Stir in chicken and 1 cup mozzarella for pull in every scoop.
4. Pan + top: Spread into an even layer in a greased baking dish; top with the remaining cup of cheese (look for a fleecy, even blanket before baking).
5. Bake hot: 350°F for 20–30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling; broil 2–3 minutes for deep golden patches.
6. Finish: Rest 5 minutes; shower with green onions and serve.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating

• Make-ahead: Assemble and refrigerate up to 3 days; bake when ready.
• Freeze: Wrap tightly; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and bake as written, or bake from frozen in a freezer-to-oven-safe dish by placing it in the oven while it preheats and continuing to bake until bubbling.
• Store: Refrigerate leftovers 3–4 days; reheat gently.

Build a freezer-friendly snack stash with picks from my Dip Recipes.

How to Lighten / Make It Creamy

Lighten: Swap half the cream cheese with Greek yogurt; add extra chicken or a handful of finely chopped cauliflower for body.
Creamy: After baking, fold in a few spoonfuls of yogurt for silk—off heat so it stays smooth.

Toppings, Garnishes & Finishes

• Crunch: Toasted breadcrumbs or crushed pita chips.
• Fresh: Green onion, parsley, or chives.
• Tang/Heat: Extra wing sauce drizzle or chili flakes.
  A sprinkle, a swirl, a squeeze—your three-second upgrade.

Sides & Pairings

Serve with carrot coins, celery sticks, bell pepper strips, warm pita, baguette toasts, kettle chips, or crackers. Crisp, citrusy drinks pair well with the creamy heat.

Scaling the Recipe

Double for a 9×13″ crowd pan; add a few minutes until edges actively bubble. Halve for two 10-oz ramekins (great individual freezer portions).

Nutrition & Dietary Notes

Protein-forward and hearty; contains dairy. Keep sauces/dressing GF to suit gluten-free eaters. Portion control is easy with ramekin bakes.

Troubleshooting

Too salty: Add a spoon of yogurt or squeeze of lemon; stir.
Too bland: Pinch of salt + more wing sauce; finish with green onions.
Too loose: Bake a few extra minutes uncovered; let stand 5 minutes.
Overbrowned top: Tent with foil in the last minutes or skip the broil.

FAQs

Can I use a slow cooker from start to finish? Yes—combine ingredients in a small slow cooker on Low until melted, then switch to Warm to serve; broil in an oven-safe dish to brown if desired.
What chicken works best? Shredded cooked breast or rotisserie; well-drained canned chicken is fine.
Can I assemble days ahead? Up to 3 days in the fridge before baking.
How long to freeze? Up to 3 months tightly wrapped; thaw or bake from frozen per method.

For a complete spread, mix and match from my Appetizer Recipes.

Variations

Ranch-Herb: Add dill + parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
Smoky Heat: Stir in a pinch of smoked paprika and chili flakes.
Extra-Cheesy: Blend in ¼ cup Parmesan and finish with a quick broil.

Chef Notes / Test Kitchen Tips

Browning is flavor: don’t skip the brief broil—pull when you see mottled golden patches. Watch the bubbles at the edges (your best doneness cue) and let it stand briefly to thicken to scoopable perfection. Portioning into small containers creates effortless freezer “grab-and-bake” servings.

Conclusion

When you want a bold, shareable appetizer without stress, this easy, freezer-friendly Buffalo Chicken Dip delivers. Keep a few portions ready to bake, and you’ll always have something hot, creamy, and crowd-pleasing on hand. If you make it, drop a comment with your favorite dippers.