Why I love this oven baked buffalo chicken dip recipe
This buffalo chicken dip is one of my go-to recipes for parties because it’s so easy to make and is always a hit.
It’s cheesy, spicy, and tastes kind of like buffalo wings in dip form.
But is way less messy to eat, and goes really well with chips, celery sticks or crackers.
Plus, I love that I can prepare it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven before guests arrive, so I’m not stuck in the kitchen during a party.
Looking for more easy dips? You'll love Rotel Dip and Spinach Artichoke Dip.
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 12 servings):
- Canned goods – 2 cans chunk chicken. Either white or dark meat will work.
- Dairy – 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 6 ounces cheddar cheese, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese.
- Condiments – ½ cup Buffalo sauce or other hot sauce. You can increase or decrease this amount depending on how spicy you like your dip to be.
- Spices – 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Fresh produce – (optional – for garnish) 1 bunch cilantro, 2 green onions
Substitutions & Additions
- Replace the canned chicken with shredded rotisserie chicken meat if preferred.
- Replace the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt to reduce some of the fat/calorie content of the dip.
- Or use Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing instead of the sour cream if you prefer.
How to make baked buffalo chicken dip
1 | Prep work
Start by taking the cream cheese out of the fridge a couple of hours before you begin. Letting it sit at room temperature softens it up, which makes mixing much easier and helps prevent lumps.
Grate 1½ cups of cheddar cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Using freshly grated cheese makes a noticeable difference in flavor and meltability compared to pre-shredded varieties.
Chop the green onion and cilantro if you’re using them for garnish. To keep them them fresh and crisp, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat your oven to 350°F
Grease or spray a 9″ x 13″ rectangular baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. This helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
2 | Make the dip
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, softened cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, garlic powder, half (¾ cup) of the grated cheddar cheese, and half (½ cup) of the grated mozzarella cheese.
Use a fork or large spoon to mix everything thoroughly. If the cream cheese is still a little firm, gently mash it with the fork as you mix to help it blend smoothly.
Spoon the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula to spread it out evenly. (This helps the dip cook evenly.)
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses over the top of the chicken layer. Cover the entire surface with cheese for a gooey, cheesy top.
3 | Bake
Bake the dip in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
You’ll know it’s ready when the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Keep an eye on it. If the cheese starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.
Once baked, turn on the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the cheese on top. But watch it closely during broiling to prevent burning. Cheese can go from perfect to burnt very quickly.
4 | Garnish and serve
Sprinkle chopped green onions and cilantro on top if you like. They add a fresh, bright flavor that balances the richness of the cheese and chicken.
Serve the dip warm, straight from the oven. It’s great with tortilla chips, crackers, or celery sticks.
I usually put the buffalo chicken dip casserole dish out on a hot plate so that it stays warm for as long as everyone is still eating it.
How to make ahead
To make this Baked Buffalo chicken dip ahead of time, prepare the entire mixture up to the point of baking.
After spreading the cheese on top, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
When ready to serve, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Then bake, garnish and serve following the same directions as above.
If you forget to take it out of the refrigerator (I do all the time!), you can cook it when it’s cold. But you will need to add an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.
Storage
If you have any leftover buffalo chicken dip (which almost never happens at my parties!), you can cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator.
When ready to serve again, reheat the dip in the oven at 350°F until warmed through and bubbly. Or microwave in short intervals, stirring in between, until hot.
It will keep for 3 or 4 days. Although I usually find it isn’t quite as good after it has been reheated.
Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 2 12.5 ounce cans chunk chicken drained
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup Buffalo sauce or hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- ½ cup chopped green onion optional for garnish
- ½ cup chopped cilantro optional for garnish
Equipment
- non-stick cooking spray or butter
- 9″ x 13″ casserole dish
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- Fork or mixing spoon
- Silicone spatula/spreader
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Grease or spray a 9″ x 13″ rectangular baking dish and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, garlic powder, half (¾ cup) of the grated cheddar cheese and half (½ cup) of the grated mozzarella with a fork until thoroughly combined.2 12.5 ounce cans chunk chicken, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup Buffalo sauce or hot sauce, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Spoon the chicken mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly with a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses over the top of the chicken layer.1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350℉, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the top of the cheese.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro if desired.½ cup chopped green onion, ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Serve warm.
Notes
- You can use shredded rotisserie chicken or baked chicken instead of canned if desired.
- For a slightly healthier version, substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
- Or use Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing instead of the sour cream, if desired.
- You can use more or less hot sauce depending on how spicy you like your dip.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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