This crowd-pleasing smoked buffalo chicken dip is a savory, spicy appetizer perfect for cookouts, parties, and game-day events!

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip cooked in a smoker

If you haven’t tried buffalo chicken dip before, here is your chance! It’s creamy, delicious, and loosely based on the immensely popular buffalo chicken wing. This savory dip is easy to make and calls for simple ingredients. The best part is that you can cook it using your grill, smoker, or oven. Super easy and flavorful too! We are particularly fond of that rich smoke flavor, so we encourage our close friends, family, and readers to make this dip using their grill or smoker.

What are the best woods for smoking dip?

When it comes to smoking buffalo chicken dip, the type of wood you use can significantly impact the dip’s flavor. Here are some of the best woods for smoking dip:

Apple: Applewood is mild and adds subtle fruitiness to the dip.
Cherry: Cherry wood will add a mild, sweet fruitiness. It is one of our favorites for this dish.
Pecan: Pecan wood will add more depth and nuttiness to the dip. Also a great choice.

Ingredients

Shredded chicken (canned, grilled, baked, or smoked chicken)
Cream cheese
Buffalo wing sauce (regular or extra hot)
Ranch dressing (see recipe notes for details)
Crumbled blue cheese
Green onions
Garlic powder
Salt and black pepper
Chips, veggies, or sliced baguettes for serving
Wood chips (or pellets) for smoking
9″x9″ aluminum pan (or cast iron skillet with similar dimensions)

How to make it

Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. Add wood chips for about 5 minutes before placing the dip on the smoker.
Combine the softened cream cheese, buffalo wing sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Add the shredded chicken to the mixing bowl and gently fold it until evenly coated.
Scoop the Buffalo chicken mixture into a 9″ X 9″ aluminum foil pan (or cast-iron skillet), even out with a spatula. Add a bit more blue cheese crumbles on top if desired.
Place the pan in your grill or smoker and close the lid.
Smoke the dip for 90 minutes to 2 hours until the dip is bubbling around the edges and cooked through.
Remove it from the smoker, let it cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve with chips or a sliced baguette.
Store leftover buffalo dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through.

What are alternative ingredients for buffalo chicken dip?

Need an alternative ingredient? We have plenty of suggestions you can use depending on your taste preferences and dietary restrictions.

Greek yogurt: Swap out the cream cheese for Greek yogurt for a lighter dip. It will add a little more tartness to the overall flavor.
Extra cheese: Add 1/4 cup each of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack for extra creaminess.
Turkey: If you don’t have chicken, substitute it with shredded cooked turkey breast or thighs. This is a great way to use up those holiday leftovers.
Vegan alternatives: Use a plant-based substitute like tempeh, tofu, or seitan in place of chicken. For vegans, swap out the cheese for a vegan cashew cream cheese.
Different dressing: Use a chunky blue cheese dressing, real mayonnaise, or full-fat sour cream instead of the ranch dressing.
Southwest flavors: Add spices like 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper for extra heat and flavor.

Can you freeze smoked buffalo chicken dip?

Yes, you can freeze buffalo chicken dip, but it’s important to remember that the texture may change slightly after freezing and reheating, especially if you’ve made substitutions. Regardless, here are some great tips for freezing and reheating buffalo chicken dip

Allow the dip to cool completely before freezing. If the dip is still warm when you put it in the freezer, this will cause condensation, which can affect the texture of the dip.
Transfer the dip to an airtight container or a resealable freezer-safe plastic bag. Do not overfill. Use two containers if needed.
Freeze the dip for up to 2-3 months. Remember to label it, so you can track how long it’s been in the freezer!
Thaw the buffalo chicken dip in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

What to serve with buffalo chicken dip

Tortilla chips: Tortilla chips are a classic and simple option for serving with buffalo chicken dip. Their crunchy texture and mild flavor perfectly contrast this luscious, spicy dip.
Veggies: Carrot and celery sticks, sliced cucumbers, and bell peppers make a great option for those following a low-carb diet. The celery comes in handy for counteracting the spice of the dip.
Bread or crackers: Sliced baguette (crostini), pita chips, or crackers work well with this dip. Their mild flavor and crispy texture are a nice contrast to this wonderfully spicy, tangy dip.

What are good occasions to serve buffalo chicken dip?

Buffalo chicken dip is versatile and can be served at holiday parties, game day events, potlucks, movie nights, and it makes a delicious quick dinner idea!

Like this smoked buffalo chicken dip? Try these recipes too.

Smoked Pimento Cheese Spread

Smoked Hummus

Jalapeno Popper Corn Dip

Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip

We take this crowd-pleading buffalo chicken dip to the smoker for additional flavor. This savory, spicy appetizer is perfect for cookouts, parties, and game-day events!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Servings:

Calories: 321kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken smoked, canned, grilled, or baked
8 oz. of cream cheese softened
2/3 cup of Buffalo wing sauce regular or extra hot
1/2 cup of ranch dressing see notes
1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese
3 medium green onions finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. Add wood chips for about 5 minutes before placing the dip on the smoker.
Combine the softened cream cheese, buffalo wing sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Add the shredded chicken to the mixing bowl and gently fold it until evenly coated.
Scoop the Buffalo chicken mixture into a 9" X 9" aluminum foil pan (or cast-iron skillet), even out with a spatula. Add a bit more blue cheese crumbles on top if desired.
Place the pan in your grill or smoker and close the lid.
Smoke the dip for 90 minutes to 2 hours until the dip is bubbling around the edges and cooked through.
Remove it from the smoker, let it cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve with chips, veggies or a sliced baguette.
Store leftover buffalo dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through.

Notes

Use a good quality ranch dressing for this recipe. It makes all the difference! We recommend Litehouse, Marie’s, or a similar jarred dressing found in the refrigerated section at your local market.