It doesn’t have to be hard to serve a crowd, while staying true to your healthy diet. This Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip is also gluten free, paleo, Whole30, and keto compliant! Added bonus: it only takes half an hour to make.
This Healthy Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip is tangy, creamy, spicy, and full of your favorite traditional buffalo chicken dip flavor. Plus, it’s great for just about everything:
- Superbowl parties, tailgating, or sporting events
- 4th of July
- Birthdays
- Cookouts
- Labor Day, Memorial Day
- Late night snacking, and more!
What Exactly Makes This Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip, Healthy?!
Traditional buffalo chicken dip is full of gluten, dairy, msg-loaded ranch, and more! This dip uses a dairy free cream cheese, freshly cooked chicken (without all the preservatives used in pre-cooked chicken), and a homemade ranch dressing that takes only minutes (removing the dairy and msg typically used). Plus, you can opt to leave the chips and crackers out and serve with colorful vegetables such as celery, carrot sticks, and sliced red pepper, for a lower in carbs, paleo/Whole30/keto friendly option!
Ingredients Used to Make Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Of course, the main feature of this dish is the chicken! You can grab two boneless skinless chicken breasts and bake them. Or if you want to save yourself some work, grab an unseasoned rotisserie (there’s no point in having extra seasonings when the heat and flavor of this dish will overpower them anyways).
Next, grab a vegan cream cheese to ensure your dip is free of dairy (I used Kite Hill®). You may need to get this at a local health food store. Then you’ll need hot sauce (I used Frank’s RedHot® Original which is gluten free). You’ll then need sliced green onions, carrot sticks, cut celery, and a sliced red pepper.
The ranch dressing will be homemade with paleo mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen’s®), unsweetened dairy free milk (I used almond), and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. To make things easy, I grabbed a packet of Primal Palate®’s Garden Ranch Seasoning. You can however, also make it with seasonings of your own (see recipe below for details).
Finally, if you are not doing Paleo, Whole30, Keto or want additional options for guests, grab organic corn or potato chips. I highly recommend Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Dippers for this (they taste almost exactly like Fritos® scoops.
How to Make Shredded Chicken
If you decided to take the shortcut and grab the rotisserie chicken, it’ll just need to be sliced/shredded. I find this is easiest to do when its still warm, but not hot. Tear the chicken into shreds with your hands, after slicing it off, then sliced any pieces that are a bit too large. This recipe is best without the skin.
If you decided to grab two chicken breasts, add them to a small baking pan (I used an 8×8 glass square pan) filled with about 1/2” of water in the bottom. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then bake for 45-55 minutes or they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Shred as you mentioned above with the rotisserie chicken, when not hot but warm.
How to Make Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip
When the ranch is mixed up (all the ingredients stirred in a bowl) and the chicken is ready, there’s very minimal work left! Just mix all dip ingredients except the green onions, in a bowl, and add to the oven to bake.
Bake 15-20 minutes at 350°F or until hot. Remove from oven, then sprinkle with scallions. Serve with chips, gluten free crackers and/or cut up veggies.
How to Make This Buffalo Chicken Dip in Advance
This dairy free buffalo chicken dip can be made 1-2 days in advance: making it the ultimate fast party food! Simple mix the dip ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. About half an hour before you’re ready to serve it, add to the baking dish and bake as indicated in the recipe directions.
How to Serve This Dip/What to Serve with It
This dip is quickest/easiest served with crackers and/or corn or potato chips for easy scooping. For healthy Paleo, Whole30, Keto, and low card options, serve with vegetable sticks of preference! Options can include, but are not limited to, carrot sticks, celery sticks, bell pepper slices, and cucumber slices.
What to Do with Leftover Dip
Make sure if you’re keeping it, that the dip does not sit out longer than 2 hours. Leftover dip can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It tastes good cold OR reheated in a microwave, a saucepan over medium heat, or in the oven (for about 10 minutes at 350°F.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes:
If you loved this recipe, make sure to check out these additional healthier chicken favorites:
- Paleo Chicken Tikka Masala
- Chicken Bacon Gnocchi with Trader Joes Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Paleo AIP Chicken Pot Pie
- Paleo Chicken Piccata
I hope you enjoy this easy and fun party appetizer! Remember, healthy doesn’t have to mean time-consuming.
Here’s to guilt-free party favorite and to regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients
For Dip
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or about 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 1 package (8 ounces) vegan cream cheese, softened (I used Kite Hill®)
- ½ cup hot sauce (I used Frank's RedHot® Original)
- ½ cup ranch dressing homemade*
- ½ cup green onions , sliced
For Serving
- 1 bag organic corn or potato chips (omit for Paleo/Whole30)
- 1 box of gluten free crackers (omit for Paleo/Whole30)
- Celery, carrot sticks, 1 sliced red pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake chicken breasts for 45-55 minutes or they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Shred.
- Add all dip ingredients (except scallions) to a large bowl. Mix. Scoop in a baking dish (I used a 2-quart 8×8 glass pan).
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until hot. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with scallions. Serve with chips, gluten free crackers and/or cut up veggies.
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