Buffalo Chicken Dip is always a hit and this Slow Cooker Halloween Buffalo Chicken Dip is no exception! It's as easy as throwing everything together and letting it cook on low for a couple of hours. Then serve this easy recipe in a hollowed-out pumpkin to make it fun and festive!
This Halloween Buffalo Chicken Dip is ideal around the Halloween season. However, you can serve this dip any time of the year (minus the pumpkin). This was inspired by my other Buffalo chicken dip (WW friendly) on this site, and pairs well with Halloween Punch. If you're looking for Halloween snacks, you'll love this recipe!
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I got this recipe from a colleague a few years ago and have wanted to share it ever since! It's the best buffalo chicken dip I've ever had and it's great for Super Bowl Sunday or any game day!
🥘Ingredients
For this 5 ingredient dip recipe, you'll need:
- 6 cups shredded chicken (about 5- 8 oz chicken breasts) * I used rotisserie chicken
- 354 ml bottle of Buffalo wing Sauce (about 1.5 cups) * I use Frank's Red Hot
- 355 ml jar of Chunky Blue Cheese dressing (about 1.5 cups) * I use Litehouse or Renee's
- 2 -8 oz cream cheese packages *I use light
- 2 to 2.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese * I use low-fat
- 1 small to medium-sized pumpkin
- blue corn tortilla chips (optional)
- 2 orange peppers (optional)
🔪Instructions
Combine chicken, cream cheese, buffalo wing sauce, cheddar cheese, and blue cheese dressing together in the slow cooker.
Alternatively, bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until warmed through.
Set on low and cook for an hour, then stir ingredients.
Then allow to cook for an additional hour on low.
Meanwhile, cut a hole in the top and remove it, then trim the pumpkin around the stem.
Hollow out the pumpkin. * You can cut the hole a little bigger than I have made it, if you wish.
Line the pumpkin with food-safe plastic wrap (ie saran wrap)
*You don't have to do this, as the pumpkin is food safe, but I prefer to, as it keeps the taste of the dip from mixing with the pumpkin flavor.
Draw a jack-o-lantern face on the pumpkin. *I use an edible marker, as I cook the pumpkin after (the edible marker also rinses right off)
Trim the saran wrap and tuck it in a little.
Add the buffalo chicken dip to the pumpkin
Add more dip so you cover and can't see the saran wrap.
Place stem on the top of the dip.
Then put it on a platter with some blue corn tortilla chips and orange peppers (or whatever you prefer to serve it with)
If you're bringing it to a potluck, I recommend you stick a serving spoon in it and set out some small orange or black disposable plates (affiliate link) or orange to-go cups (affiliate link) so everyone can serve up their own.
Hint: You can buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store (in the deli section) that's already 'shredded'. It's much faster than pulling it off the chicken yourself. However, I felt it wasn't shredded enough, so I did shred it a little more with my mixer (see Top Tip).
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Chicken - You can cook chicken breast on the stovetop (fried or boiled - boiled makes it easier to shred) or in the air fryer or you can simply buy a rotisserie chicken. **To save time, I bought a rotisserie chicken that was already shredded.
- Pumpkin - you can use a sugar pumpkin or a regular carving pumpkin, but the sugar pumpkins are usually the right size for this recipe
- Lactose-free - use store-bought dairy-free blue cheese dressing or make your own, lactose-free cheddar cheese and lactose-free cream cheese
- Spicier - add additional buffalo chicken wing hot sauce (another ⅓- ½ of a bottle -about ¾ cup of buffalo sauce). NOTE: I like spicy and this was spicy enough for me!
- Dressing - you can substitute Ranch dressing for Blue Cheese dressing
- Add-ins- if you really love blue cheese, add some blue cheese crumbles. You can also add a little garlic powder, if you wish.
🥗 Side Dishes
- blue tortilla chips (which actually look black.)
- orange peppers (cut into pumpkin shapes with a piece of green onion for a stem and cut the remainder into strips)
- carrot sticks
- celery sticks
🍽Equipment
For this cheesy dip, you will need a sharp knife, an edible black marker (or use a regular black marker if you don't plan on cooking it after), a slow cooker, or a Halloween baking dish or Halloween cake pan (if you are baking it in the oven instead of a slow cooker). Or just serve it in a Halloween pumpkin dish. If you want to cut the orange peppers into pumpkin shapes, you'll need a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (affiliate links)
🌡️Storage
I don't recommend carving the pumpkin until the night before you are serving this buffalo dip. And keep the dip stored in a separate container until just before serving. You will want to serve the dip warm. If you're bringing it to a potluck, transport them separately, then heat up the dip and put them together. Or bring the dip in a slow cooker and warm it up there.
Store leftover buffalo chicken dip (remove it from the pumpkin) for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. *The dip comes out very easily
You can cook the pumpkin and make pumpkin puree, after you've taken out the dip. If you get a little dip on the pumpkin, just rinse it off. You can also rinse off the edible marker.
👪 Serving Size
This easy buffalo chicken dip recipe makes 18- ½ cup servings so it's perfect for a Halloween party or potluck. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. *You will have some leftover dip (in addition to what you put in this pumpkin, in case you need to add more when you are serving. If you increase it, you'll need more pumpkins.
💭Top tip
Shred chicken using your mixer (video), with your stand mixer or hand mixer. I used my hand mixer for this recipe. It's much faster than doing it with forks and it comes out perfectly evenly shredded! You simply add pieces of chicken to the bowl and turn on the mixer. But it can get a little messy so beware!
If you're looking for festive Halloween appetizers, you'll love this recipe! Whether you are going to a potluck or hosting your own Halloween party, your party guests will love this Slow Cooker Halloween Buffalo Chicken Dip too!
And be sure to try my Party Halloween Cheesecake for dessert!
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📋 Slow Cooker Halloween Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups shredded chicken (about 5- 8 oz chicken breasts)
- 355 ml bottle of Frank's Hot buffalo wing Sauce
- 355 ml jar of Lighthouse Chunky Blue Cheese dressing or Renee's Chunky Blue Cheese dressing
- 2 blocks light cream cheese
- 2 to 2.5 cups shredded old cheddar
- 1 small to medium sized pumpkin hollowed out
Instructions
- NOTE: The photos will NOT print automatically -you need to check off the box for 'instruction images' and 'recipe image' IF you want them printed.
- Combine chicken, cream cheese, buffalo wing sauce, cheddar cheese, and blue cheese dressing together in the slow cooker. Set to cook on low for one hour.*OR alternatively, bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes @ 350 degrees F
- Then stir ingredients.Allow to cook for an additional hour on low.
- When all ingredients are blended together and it's warmed through, it's ready!
- Cut a hole in the top and remove it, then trim off the pumpkin around the stem. Hollow out the pumpkin.
- Line the pumpkin with saran wrap.
- Draw a jack o'lantern face on the pumpkin with an edible marker.
- Add the buffalo chicken dip to the pumpkin.
- Add more buffalo chicken dip to pumpkin so it covers saran wrap.
- Place stem on top of buffalo chicken dip.
Mich
Looks so good - am saving for football season! I'll serve it in a hollowed-out bread loaf that resembles a football. Thank you for the recipe!
Terri Gilson
Hi Mich,
That sounds like a great idea!
Terri
Sean
I wish I was at a big ol' halloween party eating this right now. And by eating it, I mean I would literally be standing beside the pumpkin, just shoveling wayyyy too much into my mouth at any given time. Haha. Love the idea to serve it in the pumpkin - fantastically cute.
Kristen
We’re going to make this for our adult get together, as the kids aren’t huge fans of spice. But, I LOVE buffalo anything, so I can’t wait to try this.
Bernice
How fun! I can see this dip being popular with my family any time of year but it's especially cute served in a little pumpkin.
Vanessa
A super delicious dip and the presentation in the pumpkin is so fun!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Vanessa!
Colleen
This buffalo dip is so delicious any time, but it's especially fun served in a pumpkin for Halloween. Such a great idea!
Terri Gilson
Thank you!
Marie B
Look at this pumpkin! How delicious! I've never heard of such a dip, must try!! Thanks for sharing.
Terri Gilson
Oh you are in for a treat, Marie! 🙂