Whip up this easy-to-make appetizer in minutes! Creamy and slightly spicy Instant Pot buffalo dip features canned shredded chicken, tangy buffalo sauce, cream cheese, butter, and ranch dressing to make a dip that cooks to perfection in the Instant Pot. Serve it with tortilla chips, fresh vegetables, or our air fryer pita chips.
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip takes 10 minutes to make, and it is a fantastic option for game day or quick meal prep for the week ahead. And if you plan to serve the dip at your next gathering, don’t forget to pair it with guacamole and chunky salsa. Grab some chips, and dig in!
- Why You'll Love Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Additions and Substitutions
- How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Can I Make This Recipe in the Oven?
- Expert Tips
- Best Hot Sauce for Buffalo Dip
- Serving Suggestions
- What to do With the Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: Use canned chicken (I know, but it’s good – trust me) or shredded rotisserie chicken like the ones at Costco to reduce the prep time. You can also boil and pull apart chicken breast or chicken tenders if you don’t mind the work, but adjust the cooking time accordingly (see the FAQ for specific cooking times).
- Cream Cheese: Use softened, full-fat cream cheese for creaminess.
- Butter: Butter and buffalo sauce, name a better duo!
- Buffalo Sauce: Cater the heat to your preference. I use ½ cup, but if I need the sauce to be milder, I reduce the amount to ¼ cup. To make it spicier, I suggest using the recommended amount and adding thinly sliced jalapeños or serranos.
- Ranch: Add flavor and creaminess with store-bought or homemade ranch dressing. You can also use sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Cheddar Cheese: You can never have enough cheese when making buffalo chicken dip.
- Scallions: Scallions provide a nice peppery finish.
Additions and Substitutions
- Increase the heat by adding freshly sliced jalapeños or serrano chilies.
- You’ve heard of loaded baked potatoes, but have you tried loaded buffalo chicken? Stir crispy bacon bits into the dip along with the cheddar cheese.
How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Add canned chicken, cream cheese, butter, buffalo sauce, and ranch to an Instant Pot, and stir to combine.
Step 2: Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 2 minutes with a quick release, then stir in the cheddar cheese.
Step 3: Serve the dip straight out of the Instant Pot or add it to a serving dish. Garnish with scallions to serve.
Can I Make This Recipe in the Oven?
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Empty the mixture into a baking dish, top it with cheddar cheese, and bake for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh scallions.
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Expert Tips
- To avoid a burn notification and a messy Instant Pot, wait until you pressure-cook the other ingredients to add the shredded cheddar cheese. Adding the cheese too early can cause it to scorch and stick to the bottom of the pot, and no one wants that.
- Use the broiler to finish the buffalo chicken dip for golden, bubbly goodness. Transfer the buffalo dip to an oven-safe serving dish and stick it in the broiler for 2 minutes before adding the toppings.
Best Hot Sauce for Buffalo Dip
Selecting the best hot sauce for Buffalo dip depends on personal preference. The classic choice for Buffalo dip is Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. It’s the traditional hot sauce used in their original Buffalo wings recipe, lending delicious flavor and heat to the Buffalo dip.
If you prefer a milder option, use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce, which has a slightly lower heat level but delivers a similar flavor.
On the other hand, if you want a hot and spicy buffalo chicken dip, consider using Cholula, Tabasco, or Sriracha.
Serving Suggestions
- Corn Tortilla Chips, Corn Chips, Ritz Crackers, Pita, or Air Fryer Pita Chips
- Celery, Cucumbers, Carrots, Bell Peppers
- Pizza
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Cucumber Carrot Salad, Caesar Salad, Spinach and Arugula Salad
- Toasted Baguettes
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; they will keep for 3-4 days.
- Can You Freeze Buffalo Chicken Dip? Let the dip cool completely, and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Cover it with a layer of plastic wrap before securing the lid. Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip freezes for three months.
- Thaw – Defrost the dip in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – For individual servings, reheat in the microwave for one minute, stir, and continue warming in increments. Or you can reheat all the leftovers in the oven; cover the dish in foil, then bake for 10-15 minutes in the oven heated to 350°F (176°C).
- Repurpose – Make nachos or use the dip to top roasted potatoes. Fill romaine lettuce or a tortilla to create a buffalo chicken wrap. Add the filling to Hawaiian rolls and make buffalo chicken sliders, similar to our brisket sliders. Stir in the leftovers for a fun twist on mac and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this called Buffalo chicken dip?
The name is credited to a small, family-owned business called Anchors Bar; they came up with the the recipe as a way to feed the late night bar patrons.
Can I use boneless chicken breast?
Yes, but you will need to increase the cooking time. Add the ingredients to the Instant Pot except for the cheddar cheese. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 10 minutes and naturally release for another 10 minutes.
You can also cook frozen chicken breasts for the same amount of time. However, the Instant Pot may take longer to come to pressure.
Is buffalo chicken dip keto? Is it low-carb?
Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip is a great, low-carb alternative that easily fits the keto macros. The serving size for these calculations is ½ cup.
• Carbs – 3 Net Carbs
• Protein – 25g
• Fat – 81g
How do you thicken the buffalo chicken dip?
Our dip is pretty thick, but if you find it too thin, I recommend adding more cheddar cheese after the dip pressure cooks.
Can I make this recipe in a CrockPot or slow cooker?
1. Add the chicken, cream cheese, butter, buffalo sauce, ranch, and ¼ cup bleu cheese crumbles to a slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.
3. Give the dip a quick stir, then top it with the shredded cheddar cheese. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until the cheese melts.
More Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Serving Dish
- 3 cans chicken, 16-ounce, drained
- 1½ packages cream cheese, softened, cut into cubes
- ½ stick butter
- ½ cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup ranch
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
- scallions, thinly sliced, to garnish
- Add canned chicken, cream cheese, butter, buffalo sauce, and ranch to an Instant Pot, and stir to combine.
- Serve the dip straight out of the Instant Pot or add it to a serving dish. Garnish with scallions to serve.
- To avoid a burn notification and a messy Instant Pot, wait until you pressure-cook the other ingredients to add the shredded cheddar cheese. Adding the cheese too early can cause it to scorch and stick to the bottom of the pot, and no one wants that.
- Use the broiler to finish the buffalo chicken dip for golden, bubbly goodness. Transfer the buffalo dip to an oven-safe serving dish and stick it in the broiler for 2 minutes before adding the toppings.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Michael Rodriguez
Wednesday 19th of April 2023
I'm always looking for new and exciting appetizers to serve at my dinner parties and this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip did not disappoint! The combination of the spicy buffalo sauce and tangy ranch with the creamy cream cheese was a flavor explosion in my mouth. Plus, it was so simple to make in my Instant Pot. I served it with crusty bread and my guests couldn't stop raving about it. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it's a new favorite of mine!
Sarah L.
Tuesday 14th of February 2023
I made this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip for my Super Bowl party and it was a huge hit! It was so easy to make in the Instant Pot and tasted amazing with tortilla chips. The combination of buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and ranch made it perfectly balanced in flavor. I will definitely be making this recipe again! Thanks for sharing it.