Whip up creamy Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip in minutes for a quick, no-fuss appetizer. The simple 5-ingredient dip cooks perfectly in the Instant Pot, freeing you up to entertain your guests. Enjoy it with homemade corn tortilla chips, vegetable crudités, and air fryer pita chips.
Why is it 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.
Key Ingredients
Making Buffalo chicken dip in the Instant Pot is super convenient and cuts down on prep time. Here’s everything you need to get started.
- Chicken: Drain canned chicken breast for this recipe to reduce prep time. It’s tender, so it absorbs the Buffalo sauce and doesn’t dry out.
What’s the best chicken for Buffalo chicken dip?
Use what you have—of course, if you’ve got extra time, you can cook the chicken specifically for the dip. Bake or broil chicken breasts, let them cool, and shred them. If you don’t have a go-to method, try my Dutch oven pulled chicken.
Rotisserie chicken is a quick option that saves you time and effort. Just shred the store-bought chicken (I grab mine at Costco) and mix it right into the dip.
Speaking of convenience, canned chicken works perfectly when you need a quick appetizer– the primary reason of this easy Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip recipe.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese softened at room temperature so it blends seamlessly into the dip.
- Buffalo Sauce: Adjust the heat to your liking. I usually go with ½ cup of Buffalo sauce and a spoonful of unsalted butter for balanced flavor but add more or less depending on your spice tolerance.
What’s the best hot sauce for Buffalo dip?
Frank’s RedHot Original is the gold standard hot sauce for Buffalo chicken dip. It’s the classic choice for traditional Buffalo recipes, offering balanced heat and tang without being overly spicy. And the vinegar in the sauce complements the richness of the dip. More Buffalo sauce options: Primal Kitchen Buffalo sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo sauce, or Noble Buffalo sauce.
Combine butter with your favorite hot sauce if you want to mix things up. Texas Pete and Crystal Hot Sauce have a similar taste. Try Cholula, Tabasco, or Sriracha for a slightly different flavor.
For iconic Buffalo dip flavor, stick with Frank’s!
- Ranch: Flavor the dip with your favorite store-bought or homemade ranch dressing. For another variation, try flavored ranch dressing such as dill pickle ranch dressing or cottage cheese ranch dip, or swap it out for sour cream, blue cheese, or Greek yogurt.
- Cheddar Cheese: You can’t go wrong with extra cheese in Buffalo chicken dip—shredded cheddar cheese adds all the cheesy goodness.
- Scallions: For a fresh-tasting finish, sprinkle peppery chopped scallions over the top.
Additions and Substitutions
- Crank up the heat. For the spicy folks out there, why not add freshly chopped jalapeño or serrano peppers? Or you can stir in a few cans of Hatch green chilies for a little Southwestern flair.
- Load it up. You’ve heard of loaded baked potatoes, but what about loaded Buffalo chicken dip? Include mix-ins like crispy bacon bits or sour cream for additional flavor.
How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine canned chicken (drain it before you add it), softened cream cheese, butter, Buffalo sauce, and ranch in the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 2 minutes with a quick release. Remove the lid and stir in the cheddar cheese. Transfer the dip to a serving dish to serve.
What is a quick release on the Instant Pot?
Quick release refers to releasing the steam from the Instant Pot rapidly by turning the steam valve to the venting position. This method is used for foods you want to stop cooking right away, like vegetables or seafood.
Step 3: Optional: If time permits, sprinkle cheddar cheese on the top and broil on low for 1-2 minutes, depending on the strength of your oven.
Can I Make This Recipe in the Oven?
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and combine the ingredients (apart from cheddar cheese) in a mixing bowl.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Then, garnish with chopped scallions.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Use full-fat cream cheese and butter softened at room temperature so they easily blend into the other ingredients.
- Add cheese at the end. 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 will cause it to scorch and stick to the bottom of the pot.
If you enjoy Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip, try one of these appetizers!
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip is ready in just 5 minutes, making it the ultimate snack for parties or game day. Plus, with the Instant Pot’s warming function, you can keep it hot and serve it straight from the pot—no extra dishes needed!
If you plan to serve the Buffalo dip at your next gathering, complete the spread with guacamole, crab spinach dip, chunky salsa, beetroot dip, and salsa verde. Serve it with plenty of tortilla chips, crackers, crostini, corn chips, and pita chips.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover Buffalo chicken dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze Buffalo chicken dip? While you can freeze Buffalo chicken dip, I don’t recommend it since freezing will alter the texture. If you decide to freeze it, let the dip cool completely. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and cover the surface with plastic wrap before securing the lid. Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the frozen dip in the refrigerator overnight for the best results.
- Reheat: Warm individual servings in the microwave for one minute. Stir and warm in 30-second increments until hot. Transfer the dip to a baking dish to reheat larger portions. Cover it with foil and bake at 350°F (176°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Repurpose: Leftover Buffalo chicken dip is an excellent topping for nachos and a delicious filling for tortilla or lettuce wraps. Use the dip to make Buffalo chicken sliders or bake into a casserole. It tastes delicious, spooned over roasted potatoes, tater tots, and French fries.
More Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Serving Dish
- 3 cans (16 ounce) chicken breast, drained through a colander
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature and cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- Combine canned chicken (drain it before you add it), softened cream cheese, butter, Buffalo sauce, and ranch in the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 2 minutes with a quick release. Remove the lid and stir in the cheddar cheese. Transfer the dip to a serving dish to serve.
- Optional: If time permits, sprinkle cheddar cheese on the top and broil on low for 1-2 minutes, depending on the strength of your oven.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Use full-fat cream cheese and butter softened at room temperature so they easily blend into the other ingredients.
- Add cheese at the end. 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 will cause it to scorch and stick to the bottom of the pot.
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.