This crockpot buffalo chicken dip recipe is a bit of a superstar! It’s been requested at pretty much every game day party I’ve been invited to attend in the past decade. People always line up for the recipe! Over the years, I’ve tweaked it a bit until it was absolutely perfect. By far the best tweak was to make it in the slow cooker.
The slow cooker is made for keeping dips hot and cheesy during the entire length of a football game. Trust me, it’s as tasty in the fourth quarter as it is at kickoff. This dip will stay gooey, cheesy, creamy, and warm no matter how long your party goes.
This slow cooker buffalo chicken dip is slightly tangy, slightly spicy, and 100% delicious! It’s also super simple to make. In the tradition of some of the best crockpot meals, this one is as simple as tossing in your ingredients, giving it a quick stir, and turning it on. A few short hours later, you have irresistible, gooey, cheesy deliciousness. This way, when you’re rushing around getting the rest of your party ready, you know that you have a yummy dip that’ll be ready to feed your hungry guests the moment they arrive.
How do you make Crockpot buffalo chicken dip from scratch?
Beyond shredding some chicken and cheese and dicing some onion and garlic, this recipe is truly a “dump everything in the slow cooker and let it warm up” kind of recipe. That’s one of the reasons we love it—you don’t have to spend a ton of time puttering in the kitchen while you’re trying to get ready for your party.
If you want to make this crockpot buffalo chicken dip in the oven instead though, we’ve included those instructions below. Just remember that the dip won’t stay warm for as long as it will in the slow cooker!
Protip: Use the Instant Pot instead!
Need to free up your crockpot for another recipe? Try our Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip!
What is Neufchâtel cheese?
This recipe calls for Neufchâtel cheese. You may not have known it, but chances are, you’ve had Neufchâtel cheese before. It’s sold in almost all supermarkets marketed as “Reduced Fat Cream Cheese” or “1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese.”
Neufchâtel is “real” cheese—no nasty additives to make it lower in fat and calories. The only real difference in taste is that it’s just a touch less tangy and rich. If you’re making a cheesecake or cream cheese frosting? Stick with regular cream cheese. If you’re just using it to add a creamy and thick base to a dish like in this dip? Neufchâtel works just dandy.
Wholefully Protip
Only have regular cream cheese on hand? No worries, you can sub that in perfectly in this recipe.
Do I need to use blue cheese?
Nope, if you’re not a fan of the strong flavor of blue cheese, you don’t have to add it. But, I’d recommend trying it the first time you make your crockpot buffalo chicken dip before you dismiss it as something you won’t like. There’s something about the combination of blue cheese and buffalo sauce that just works, and you might surprise yourself with how much you love it!
Why is my buffalo chicken dip runny?
We’ve tested this recipe below quite literally hundreds of times over the years, and it’s never been runny (in fact, occasionally it’s a bit too thick and creamy and needs to be thinned with more buffalo sauce to make it dippable).
If your dip came out a little runny, it could be because your onions were particularly juicy, your chicken wasn’t cooked all the way through, or you maybe made a mistake measuring the buffalo sauce. Either way, it’ll still be delicious!
Wholefully Protip
If you want to thicken your runny buffalo chicken dip quickly, make a slurry by mixing together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup buffalo sauce. Add the mixture to the still-hot dip and heat over low heat until thickened.
Do I really have to wait for the slow cooker to cool down before adding my Greek yogurt?
Yes, you should definitely take the time to allow your crockpot to cool down slightly. Greek yogurt can be finicky about heat. It tends to make your dip grainy and gritty if it’s added straight into the hot dip. Don’t worry; you’ll still have a nice warm dip, just not piping hot.
Wholefully Protip
Don’t want to wait it out? Sub in sour cream instead of the Greek yogurt to skip the waiting period.
How many does this crockpot buffalo chicken dip recipe serve?
The recipe below serves about 4-6 sports fans, but if your guests are big eaters or you have a full house or lots of overtime, you’ll want to double or even triple the recipe. A large, six-quart slow cooker will easily fit a triple batch of this buffalo cheese chicken dip—and don’t expect to have any leftover!
Is there an easy way to shred the chicken?
This slow cooker buffalo chicken dip calls for shredded chicken, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen getting it ready. If you’re looking for a super-easy way to get shredded chicken, grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from your local supermarket and pull off the meat in chunks. Here comes the genius part—toss it in the blender and pulse a few times for super simple shredded chicken!
You could also bake or boil some chicken breasts and use the same blender method. Don’t have a blender? Two forks pulling at the meat in opposite directions while the chicken is still hot also works well.
What do you serve with buffalo chicken dip?
Some of our favorite dippers for buffalo blue cheese dip include:
- Kettle chips
- Tortilla chips
- Crackers
- Celery, carrots, bell peppers, or other veggies
Can I make this crockpot buffalo chicken dip ahead of time?
You sure can! All you have to do is mix up the ingredients the day before—leaving out the yogurt—cover, and set it in the fridge. Then when game day comes, it’s a simple matter of popping them in the crockpot and cooking for 3-4 hours on low heat or 1-2 hours on high heat.
How long can this dip sit out for?
Since you’re keeping the dip on warm in your slow cooker, you’re in good shape when it comes to food safety and can leave it out for the entire length of your favorite sporting event.
How long does crockpot buffalo chicken dip last?
Store buffalo chicken dip leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The dip is delicious cold, but if you want to recreate the gooey, cheesy goodness of a warm dip, you can reheat it in the microwave or in a baking dish in the oven.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese (often sold as "1/3 Reduced Fat Cream Cheese")
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup buffalo wing sauce (use less or a mild version if you're heat-averse)
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I like full fat, but any will work)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Green onions, sliced
- Chips and celery sticks, for serving
Instructions
- Add the Neufchâtel cheese, chicken, wing sauce, blue cheese, cheddar, onion, garlic, and dill to the crock of a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 3-4 hours or High for 1-2 hours, until the onions are tender.
- Switch the slow cooker to Warm and remove the lid. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the yogurt, salt, and pepper.
- Garnish with green onions. Serve with chips and celery sticks.
Notes
Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients except the green onions together in a large bowl. Pour into an ungreased one quart casserole dish or other oven safe dish. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the dip is bubbly and beginning to brown. Sprinkle green onions on top and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 1441mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 22g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
