Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crock Pot Recipe)
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Making buffalo chicken dip in your crock pot is the easiest way to create a creamy, spicy, and oh-so-delicious snack or appetizer. Not only is it tasty, it’s also dairy free, gluten-free, keto, and paleo friendly, so dip to your heart’s content!
2025 Update: This recipe is still a family favorite. It has been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and add extra cooking tips for our readers. We hope you love it as much as we do!
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Buffalo Chicken Dip Crock Pot Recipe
This Buffalo Chicken Dip will quickly become your new favorite appetizer. Not only is it absolutely delicious, but it’s made in the slow cooker so it’s incredibly easy to make with hardly any hands on time!
I recently made it for a small game day party. The huge spread of food included delicious finger foods like chicken wings, guacamole, jalapeño poppers, but this dairy free dip was eaten up first.
Why This Recipe is Better Than Others
- Flavorful, but not overly spicy. If you enjoy super spicy foods, you can always add more heat, but most people love it just as it is. The flavors in the buffalo sauce won’t burn your tastebuds.
- Healthier and not as heavy. It’s a dairy free buffalo chicken dip, so there aren’t any heavy ingredients like sour cream or cream cheese. Just plenty of tasty goodness!
- Dairy free, gluten-free, Paleo, and low carb/keto friendly. Because it’s compatible with so many different eating plans, all of your guests can enjoy it!
If you’re a fan of buffalo sauce, be sure to check out these recipes for Buffalo Chicken Nachos, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, and Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- boneless skinless chicken: Use boneless breasts or thighs. For extra flavor, marinate them in buffalo ranch chicken marinade!
- buffalo sauce: Make my homemade buffalo sauce recipe, or use your favorite recipe or store bought brand. I use ghee to keep this recipe dairy free, but if you have an allergy, substitute with any dairy free butter substitute you like.
- celery: While you can certainly leave this ingredient our of your dip, I like the crunch it adds.
- green onions: These are also known as scallions, and some call them spring onions.
- nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a vegan and dairy free way to add savory, cheesy flavor to a recipe. Don’t skip it! Look for it in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
- coconut cream: This is a super tasty dairy free substitute for heavy cream. If you don’t have an issue with dairy products, you can substitute this with heavy cream or half & half.
- mayo: The dreamy creamy consistency comes from mayo. Be sure to use Whole30 compatible mayonnaise so it’s free of hidden sugars.
- Serve with (all optional): hot sauce, healthy ranch dressing , cassava chips, pita chips, or air fryer tortilla chips.
Equipment
Of course, you’ll need a slow cooker. You will also need a sharp knife for chopping, a cutting board, a mixing bowl and mixing spoon, and an oven-safe serving dish.
If you have pressure cooker and want to use it instead, there's an Instant Pot version further down in this post.
Making Buffalo Chicken Dip in a Crock Pot
I told you that making buffalo chicken dip in a crock pot is easy, and it really is! You have to do a tiny little bit of prep work, chopping the onion and celery, but then, just dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and press the start button!
Scroll to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
- Do the prep work. Dice the onion and celery and slice the green onions.
- Add everything except for mayo into the crockpot. You don't need to add any liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 3.5 - 4 hours, until the chicken is super tender and easy to shred.
- Use two forks or a hand mixer to shred the chicken, then stir in the mayonnaise. Cover and allow the mixture to cook together for about 10 more minutes.
Note: Waiting to add the mayo ensures the creamiest buffalo chicken dip.
- Garnish and serve. If I'm having a big group of people over, I will usually serve the buffalo chicken dip in the crock pot. Otherwise, transfer the dip to a bowl or casserole dish for serving.
And that's it! You've got a seriously delicious, dairy free buffalo chicken dip.
Tips and Suggestions
Here are a few helpful suggestions:
- Want to make the dip ahead of time? Store the cooked dip in a covered container in the refrigerator. Just before your guests arrive, transfer it to an oven safe casserole dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for about 20 minutes at 375°F. The mixture should be warm all the way through and starting to bubble.
- The cook time will vary by make/model, especially if your slow cooker is older. When the chicken dip is safe to eat, it should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Don't leave out for more than 2 hours. If you use a serving dish rather than keeping it in the slow cooker, the dish shouldn't stay out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. After that, there's a risk of bacteria growing that can make you sick.
Making Buffalo Chicken Dip in an Instant Pot
- Add the chicken, ½ cup of water or chicken broth, onion, celery, and half of the buffalo sauce to your Instant Pot. Set to High Pressure (or Meat/Stew) and cook for 10 minutes.
- Allow for a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes. If you're new to Instant Pot Cooking, just do nothing and wait for the pressure to naturally dissipate for 5 minutes. Carefully turn the valve to the venting position and allow the rest of the pressure to release (Quick Pressure Release).
- Set the chicken in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. Carefully use a ladle or large spoon to remove about ½ cup of liquid from the Instant Pot and discard it.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot, then stir in all the other dip ingredients and the rest of the buffalo sauce. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and allow it to cook together, stirring often, for about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot, garnish with all your favorite toppings, and serve.
Storing Leftovers
Transfer leftover dip to an airtight container or zip top bag. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, then reheat in the microwave or oven.
Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe FAQ
Yes, it is perfectly safe to slow cook raw chicken. However, it is not safe to cook frozen raw chicken in a crock pot. The slow cooker doesn't heat up quickly enough to cook the frozen meat properly, so foodborne bacteria will have a chance to grow.
Absolutely! Although the flavor of canned chicken isn't as good as fresh, using it is a great way to save time. Just be sure to drain any water/oil from the can first.
Other Easy Crock Pot Recipes
- Keto Mississippi Pot Roast in Crock Pot
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Whole30 Crockpot Recipes
- Crock Pot Sweet Hawaiian Chicken
I'd love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crock Pot Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ⅔ cup buffalo sauce homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup coconut cream or heavy cream or half & half
- 3 stalks celery about ¾ cup diced
- ½ medium yellow onion about ⅔ cup diced
- ⅔ cup nutritional yeast
- ⅔ cup mayo sugar-free
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup ranch dressing sugar-free - *See Notes
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery
Video
Instructions
- Dice the onion and celery and slice the green onions. Add the chicken breasts, coconut cream, buffalo sauce, nutritional yeast, onions, and half of the celery to the slow cooker. Don’t add the mayonnaise yet.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 3.5 – 4 hours, until the chicken is super tender and shreddable. Use two forks or a hand mixer to shred the chicken, then stir in the mayonnaise.
- Cover and allow the mixture to cook together for about 10 more minutes. Top the finished dip with sliced celery, green onions, ranch dressing, and extra hot sauce. Serve in the slow cooker itself or transfer the dip to a bowl or casserole dish for serving.
