Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Name: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 small yellow onion sliced; 1 ½ cups chicken broth; 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts; 6 ounces softened cream cheese; ½ cup ranch dressing substitute Greek yogurt mixed with dried dill and garlic powder; ½ cup Frank's RedHot original sauce substitute any vinegar-based hot sauce; 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese substitute pepper jack for extra kick; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 24 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Chicken simmers low slow with onions and broth until shreddable. Cream cheese softens under heat, mixes with ranch, spicy hot sauce, cheddar, and mozzarella. Cheese melts to gooey, tangy, rich dip. Quick tweaks for heat or coolness. Feed a crowd or snack solo. Prep and cook rely on texture and aroma cues, not exact times. Common swaps like Greek yogurt for ranch, or pepper jack instead of mozzarella. Onion hides beneath, lending sweetness without overwhelming. Melted cheese pulls everything together for sticky, vibrant dip. Easy? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. Hold the chips tight.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 2h 45min

Total: 3h

Servings: 12 servings

#slow cooker #buffalo chicken #party dip #easy dinner #snack recipes #cheese dip

Chicken sits nestled over a bed of sliced onions soaking in broth. Slow cooker humming low, flavors coaxed out over nearly three hours. Shred. Mix with a creamy blend of cream cheese, ranch—swap Greek yogurt for tang—hot sauce wakes it all up. Sharp cheddar and mozzarella melt into tangy, stringy bliss. Taste, tweak heat or cool it down. Aroma thickening, cheese bubbling. Not about exact times, watch texture, listen for those tiny bubbles. Chopsticks tapping plate, spoon scraping sides. Chicken stays juicy not overcooked. Tried it twice before perfecting timing. No mush, just mix. Dip thick, ready for chips, celery, snacks. No frills, just good food.

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion sliced
1 ½ cups chicken broth
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 ounces softened cream cheese
½ cup ranch dressing substitute Greek yogurt mixed with dried dill and garlic powder
½ cup Frank's RedHot original sauce substitute any vinegar-based hot sauce
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese substitute pepper jack for extra kick
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

About the ingredients

Onions slow-cooked beneath chicken create background sweetness and moisture, don’t skip oddly. Broth choice matters—chicken broth preferred but veggie broth works for lighter flavor. Cream cheese texture impacts blend. If too cold or crumbly, microwaved briefly helps melting. Ranch dressing can be swapped for Greek yogurt mixed with spices to cut fat and add tang. Hot sauce brand boldness shifts heat level wildly; start small, add later for control. Cheese choice is personal—sharp cheddar adds bite; mozzarella pulls stringy warmth. Pepper jack swapped for mozzarella brings subtle heat. Chicken breasts best for shredding. Could use thighs for richer taste but longer cook times needed.

Method

Lay sliced onion thick on bottom of slow cooker, like a bed. Pour broth evenly over it, so onions start braising.
Nestle raw chicken right on top. Don't crowd but cover well. High heat setting, about 2 hours 45 minutes. Watch for chicken turning opaque and juicy but still holding shape. When juices run clear, ready.
Remove chicken gently. Place on plate. Shred with two forks—if a few chunks resist, even better texture. Take out onions from cooker. Drain broth completely; don’t leave soggy mess.
Turn slow cooker to low. Set timer around 35 minutes but keep an eye. Toss shredded chicken back inside. Add cream cheese chunks, dollops of ranch or Greek yogurt mix, hot sauce splash, shredded cheddar, and mozzarella.
Give everything a rough stir. Don’t worry about lumps of cream cheese, they’ll melt right into cheesy goo. Smell that? Onions are gone but depth remains.
Cover and let it bubble gently. Once cheese fully melted and dip looks glossy, almost sticky, test a spoonful. Too spicy? Swirl in extra yogurt or ranch. Need more zing? Drizzle extra hot sauce.
After 30 to 35 minutes, when dip is thick and chewy, ready to scoop. Best served warm. Chips, celery sticks, or crackers are key. Leftovers cold are hesitant but reheated? Even better.
Pro tip: Want sharper dip? Add minced garlic at shred stage. Cream cheese too crumbly? Microwave 10 seconds before mixing.
If broth runs low and chicken sticking, pour a little extra chicken broth or water to prevent burning. Onions can brown but avoid bitterness by careful sweeping before adding cheese.
If short on time, cook chicken separate in instant pot or poach then skip onion base—add chopped caramelized onions instead for aroma punch.

Cooking tips

Don’t rush chicken cook time. Look for juice clarity and firmness—not rubbery or pink. Onion bed prevents sticking and adds sweetness. Draining broth before cheese step keeps dip from being runny. Stirring rough is fine—cream cheese melts soon. Low simmer keeps cheese gooey without oil separation. Taste mid-way, adjust heat or coolness with hot sauce or ranch/yogurt. Cover tight to trap steam and soften cheese. Watch edges for browning onion bits—darkened bits add flavor but too much burns. If broth low when cooking cheese mix, add splash to prevent burning. Reheating must be gentle to keep texture. Sometimes microwave and stir to revive dip.

Chef's notes

💡 Onion bed under chicken thick sliced, slow braise in broth. Sweetness sneaks in, moisture prevails. Don’t rush; watch edges brown dark but not black. Drain broth fully or dip runs runny at cheese step. Cream cheese too cold? Microwave in short bursts to soften. Helps smooth mix. Ranch swapped for Greek yogurt with dill, garlic for lighter tang. Hot sauce varies wildly; start light, add later if heat too shy or wild. Sharp cheddar cuts richness; mozzarella stringy melt balance. Use chicken breasts mostly; thighs change timing and texture, richer but need longer cook times. Keep eyes and nose on textures and smells, timing flexible but signals clear.
💡 Chicken cooked on high for close to three hours until juices clear, opaque flesh. Don’t overcrowd; air circulation critical. Shred with two forks, leave some chunks—texture layer. Onion stays underneath first step, then removed; don’t toss in shredded mix, or bite ruins dip. Broth drained before cheese addition; keeps tuck glossy not loose. Low heat setting after adding cheese and mix; gentle bubble, watch cheese melt slow. Stir roughly if lumps show. Smell deep onion-waft, cheese richness thickening. Check often, taste mid-cook; add hot sauce to kick, yogurt or ranch to mellow. Heat level hits personal, layered slowly.
💡 If cream cheese too crumbly or cold, microwave 10 seconds to soften before mixing. Thick chunks better than uneven lumps; melts better at low heat. If dip sticky but dry edges form, add splash broth or water during late cook to prevent burning. Watch bottoms and laters for early browning bits — adds flavor but too much burns bitter. If short on time, cook chicken separate in Instant Pot or poach, skip onion base; add caramelized onions chopped later for aroma punch. Don’t skip the onion step if possible, subtle sweetness grounds flavors. Chicken texture depends on doneness signals, not clock alone; opaque, firm but juicy.
💡 Keep cover tight after adding cheese mix; trap steam to soften cream cheese and melt everything evenly. Stir mid-way rough, lumps dissipate. Cheese melt texture is key: glossy, almost sticky but not oily. If dip runs low on broth while warming, add small water splash. Monitoring bubbles and scent helps decide doneness—not just time. Onions provide sweetness but can brown black if edges not swiped clean before cheese step—adds bitter notes. When reheating leftover dip, gentle microwave and stir revive gooey blend, keep cheese texture from separating. Hot sauce brand boldness shifts heat dynamically; start low work up.
💡 Sharp dip? Mince garlic added at shredding phase for punch. If cream cheese too cold, crumbly, goes gritty. Microwave short bursts; check softness often. Broth choice matters—chicken broth richer; veggie broth lighter flavor, changes background taste. Cheese choice flexible; sharp cheddar gives bite, mozzarella stringy softness, pepper jack adds subtle heat but swaps change mouthfeel and flavor layers. Chicken thighs richer but need longer slow cook time and different shredding results. Watch timing flexible but rely on aroma, color, textures. Melted cheese pulls whole mix together; aroma deep, dip thickened. Serve warm for sticky texture, chips or celery paired well.

Common questions

How do I know chicken is done?

Look for clear juices, chicken opaque and firm but juicy. Not rubbery or pink inside. Timing varies but juices running clear best clue. Test with fork, shred test chunks for texture contrast.

Can I substitute ranch for something else?

Greek yogurt mixed with dried dill, garlic powder works. Cuts fat, adds tang. Ranch creaminess replaced nicely but tastes different. Both good. Depends on what you have and flavor prefs. Mix and match.

What if dip gets too runny?

Drain broth fully before cheese steps. Excess liquid breaks dip texture. Adding chicken broth or water during cooking can thin or help prevent burning, but too much runs the dip. Low heat and close watching important to balance moisture.

How to store leftovers?

Refrigerate in airtight container. Reheat gently microwave stirring often or low oven heat. Don’t reheat too long at once or cheese separates. Can freeze but texture changes. Best eaten within a few days. Always stir while reheating for even heat and melted cheese.