Instant Pot Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
This Instant Pot healthy buffalo chicken dip is an easy & delicious appetizer that everyone will love! Complete with Crockpot & Oven instructions!
This recipe was originally published on January 20, 2020 and updated with new photos and copy on April 30, 2022.
What Makes This Recipe Great
There is nothing like a good dip! Creamy buffalo sauce + chicken is the best combination in my opinion. So, I set out to create a healthy buffalo chicken dip that’s keto, whole30, and paleo, and I have to say it turned out amazing! Tender shredded chicken, perfectly creamy, and just the right amount of heat= perfection!
The great thing about this Instant Pot recipe is that the chicken breasts get cooked with buffalo sauce, ghee, and spices, so, all you have to do is plop them into the pot and let them cook! That’s it! It couldn’t be easier.
How To Make This Recipe
This recipe also doubles as a really quick and easy way to make shredded buffalo chicken for salads, bowls, etc. It’s so great for meal prep! Simply follow the first steps before combining it with the cream cheese and ranch dressing.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts: You can use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer!
- Frank’s Red Hot: or hot sauce of choice.
- Ghee: I love the 4th and Heart brand and I get it on Thrive Market.
- Spices: Paprika, Salt & Garlic Powder.
- Kite Hill Cream Cheese: This is an almost milk-based dairy-free cream cheese. The ingredients are Whole30 compliant, but some say that it is considered to be SWYPO. I will let you decide what works best for you!
- Ranch Dressing: I love Tessemae’s Whole30 compliant version!
Shredded Chicken Prep
Bake Only – No Instant Pot
- If you want to use pre-cooked chicken that you already have on hand, simply combine 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken with all of the ingredients.
- Pour into a casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Buffalo Dip
- Add the ghee, hot sauce, chicken, and spices to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Shred the chicken, then add in the cream cheese and ranch and stir. Serve as-is, or transfer to a baking dish and bake at 375 for 20 mins until it’s bubbling.
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- To make just shredded buffalo chicken, simply follow the first steps until you are done shredding the chicken.
Step by Step
- Preheat your oven to 375. Pour the hot sauce and ghee into the instant pot.
- Place the chicken breasts on top in an even layer, making sure not to overlap if possible.
- Sprinkle the paprika, salt, and garlic powder on top of the chicken. Lock the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Manually release the pressure and shred the chicken breasts using two forks (or a stand mixer). You can do this directly in the pot, or move the chicken to a cutting board.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and toss with the buffalo sauce.
- Stir in the cream cheese and the ranch dressing, then pour into a 8 x 8 (or 10 x 7) casserole dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is hot and the sides are bubbling.
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
How to Serve This Recipe: You can serve this healthy buffalo chicken dip with veggies for Whole30, Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, or Simple Mills Sea Salt Crackers for paleo.
Baking Option: It’s best to use an 8×8 or 10×7 inch baking dish for this dip. A 9×13 is going to be too large! If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also make this in the oven. It will require pre-cooked shredded chicken.
Nut-Free: To make this nut-free, sub 3/4 cup mayo for the almond milk cream cheese.
FAQs
It’s SO easy! Simply bring your chicken breasts to a boil in a large pot of water. Cover and remove from the heat. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Shred, and you’re done!
1. Simply combine the hot sauce, ghee, chicken breasts, and spices in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours then shred the chicken.
3. Add in the cream cheese and ranch. You have the option to heat it for a few minutes and leave it as-is, or you can transfer it to a baking dish and bake it until bubbling per the directions.
Actually, this healthy buffalo chicken dip is totally keto-friendly! In one serving of this healthy buffalo chicken dip, it’s just 2 net carbs! Serve with celery sticks to keep it low-carb.
More Whole30 Dips & Appetizers
If you try this recipe and love it, a 5-star rating and review below would mean the world. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Instant Pot Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, can also sub boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead. I used 3 breasts.
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot, or preferred hot sauce
- ¼ cup melted ghee
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 8 oz Kite Hill Almond Milk Cream Cheese*, See below for a nut free alternative
- ½ cup Tessemae's Ranch dressing
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375. Pour the hot sauce and ghee into the instant pot. Place the chicken breasts on top in an even layer, making sure not to overlap if possible. Sprinkle the paprika, salt, and garlic powder on top of the chicken. Lock the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Manually release the pressure and shred the chicken breasts using two forks (or a stand mixer). You can do this directly in the pot, or move the chicken to a cutting board. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and toss with the buffalo sauce. Stir in the cream cheese and the ranch dressing, then pour into a 8 x 8 (or 10 x 7) casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is hot and the sides are bubbling. Serve with veggies, Siete chips, or Simple Mills crackers.
Bake Only – No Instant Pot
- To use pre-cooked chicken, simply combine 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken with all of the ingredients. Pour into a casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Combine the ghee, hot sauce, chicken, and spices in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Shred the chicken and add in the cream cheese and ranch dressing. Serve as-is, or transfer to a baking dish and bake for 20 mins at 375.
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken (no dip)
- To make just shredded buffalo chicken, simply follow the first steps until you are done shredding the chicken. Serve on wraps, on salads, or in bowls with cauliflower rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, and ranch!
41 Comments on “Instant Pot Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip”
This recipe is a crowd favorite and a staple in my house. I have made this so many times and even my non dairy free friends say they prefer this one over the original version. This recipe is so easy and quick. I do the primal kitchen mayo substitution for the kite hill cream cheese due to a mushroom allergy. I love to make a big pot and then eat left overs in siete almond flour tortillas as a quesadilla version. SO YUMMY.
Yum love that idea! Thanks!
I found this while doing whole 30 a few years ago and this has remained as a party staple in our house. The best buffalo chicken dip!
Thanks Kristen!
Made this for an impromptu cookout. A friend is dairy free and I wanted something for her to eat. Turned out great and everyone loved it. Wasn’t a huge difference between this recipe and the dairy recipe.
So glad to hear this! Thank you!
I needed to bring a last minute side dish to a party and brought this! I only had regular cream cheese, primal kitchen ranch, and primal kitchen buffalo sauce but it turned out SO good! I can’t wait to try it dairy free next time but everyone loved it.
So glad to hear it!!