My Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip is a lightened up remake of a classic dish. I use Greek yogurt and reduced fat cream cheese to make this dish healthier without sacrificing flavor. This tasty low carb and keto dip is always a sure hit at parties and is the perfect addition to your game day menu. Make it in under 30 minutes!
I'm so excited to bring you this delicious Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip! This easy dip is always the first thing to go at parties and may just become your new favorite appetizer. Some of my other favorite game day grub includes my little Italy meatballs sliders with whipped ricotta, ultimate rotisserie chicken quesadillas, and healthy spinach artichoke dip.
This healthy buffalo chicken dip is the perfect recipe for football season and Super Bowl Sunday. It incorporates all the flavors of buffalo wings into a hot, creamy dip that everyone can dig into!
Not only is this dip delicious, it's also the perfect appetizer because it's super easy to make and can be assembled in advance. It's become one of my go-to appetizers for parties because I can prepare it the day before and just heat it up when my guests arrive.
Plus, I've lightened up this classic dish with a few tricks to make it healthier without sacrificing flavor! This lightened up buffalo chicken dip is made with Greek yogurt and reduced fat cream cheese so it's lower in fat and calories than traditional buffalo chicken dip. It's also low carb and keto.
So try this quick and easy recipe at your next Super Bowl party or anytime you're entertaining. It's definitely a crowd pleaser and your guests will love it even more when you tell them that it's healthy!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Dish
- Quick and easy- make it in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients
- Delicious- creamy, cheesy and has so much flavor with some heat from Frank's hot sauce
- Healthier than the traditional dish but doesn't skimp on flavor
- Crowd-pleaser- perfect for game day or any time you're entertaining
- Make-ahead- assemble the dish the day before and simply heat it up at party time
Why This Dip Is Healthier
Traditional buffalo chicken dip is very high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium from a mixture of cream cheese, bottled Ranch dressing and loads of shredded cheese. I decided to perform a "recipe resuscitation" on this crowd-pleasing dish to shave some calories, fat, and sodium without sacrificing flavor.
Here’s how I make my Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip:
- Swap in neufchâtel cheese for full-fat cream cheese. Neufchâtel cheese is a soft, French cow's milk cheese. It has less calories and ⅓ less fat than regular cream cheese but still has great flavor and nice creamy texture. It melts very well and is a good healthy option for dishes such as hot dips and creamy pasta sauces.
- Greek yogurt (nonfat or 2%) instead of bottled Ranch dressing. Greek yogurt adds a nice tangy flavor that complements the spicy hot sauce. It has less calories and fat and only a fraction of the sodium of bottled dressings. Plus, Greek yogurt is naturally thick and creamy, packed with protein, and low in carbohydrates. I even wrote a book about it! Want to learn more? Read my post about the nutritional benefits of Greek yogurt.
- Dried spices to add flavor. Because I don’t use a prepared salad dressing, I up the flavor by stirring in dried spices like garlic powder and onion powder. This also cuts down on sodium. Remember to use garlic and onion powder, not garlic salt or onion salt.
- No shredded cheese in the dip. Many buffalo chicken dip recipes stir a lot of shredded cheese into the dip. I find the texture of the dip from the Neufchâtel cheese and Greek yogurt to be rich and creamy enough. Instead, I sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled blue cheese on top of the dish.
Keto Buffalo Chicken Dip
This healthy buffalo chicken dip is also low carb and keto. It only has 1 gram net carbs per serving so it can fit in well with a low carb or keto diet. Serve it with vegetables for dipping rather than crackers or pita bread.
This dip is also lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than classic Buffalo chicken dip. It's also higher in protein from the Greek yogurt.
Ingredients
Recipe Notes and Substitutions (see recipe card below for full ingredient list):
- Shredded chicken- this is a great way to use up rotisserie chicken; you can also cook your own chicken.
- Neufchâtel cheese- this soft, French cow's milk cheese is sold at the grocery store as low fat or "⅓ less fat" cream cheese; you'll find it next to the regular cream cheese. It has the same tangy taste and creamy texture- you won't notice the difference.
- Greek yogurt- plain 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt instead of bottle Ranch dressing adds a boost of protein.
- Cheese- I use a block of cheddar cheese and shred it myself with a box grater; it melts better than pre-shredded cheese. You can substitute other cheeses like Colby Jack or mozzarella. I also like to sprinkle blue cheese crumbles on top of the dip however you can leave it off if you're not a fan.
- Hot sauce- I use Frank's red hot wings buffalo sauce.
How To Make Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip Step-By-Step
- Step 1- Shred the chicken with a fork.
- Step 2- Mix the softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper together until smooth.
- Step 3- Stir in the shredded chicken and sliced scallions.
- Step 4- Transfer the dip to a square baking dish, oval baking dish or round pie pan and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with scallions and blue cheese crumbles (optional).
How To Serve This Dish
I like to serve buffalo chicken dip with veggies like carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced bell peppers, broccoli or cauliflower.
I also like to serve it with tortilla chips, crackers or toasted pita bread. For a tasty low carb/keto option, try this dip with my cauliflower cheesy bread.
Chef's Tips
- You can adjust the amount of hot sauce depending on how spicy you want the dip.
- The crumbled blue cheese on top is optional but I like it for the classic buffalo wings flavor.
- This dip can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Then bake it in the oven when you're ready to serve it.
Recipe FAQS
Traditional buffalo chicken dip can be high in calories, fat, and sodium. My healthy buffalo chicken dip, however, is healthier without sacrificing flavor. It has less calories, fat, and sodium than the classic dish and has more protein.
The best way to store this dip is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or oven until hot.
Buffalo chicken dip will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Yes, you can freeze buffalo chicken dip. To freeze the dip, assemble it in a freezer-safe baking dish and cover it tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, bake in the oven as per recipe instructions.
This recipe is part of my Healthy Super Bowl Recipes Round Up!
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Recipe
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) Neufchâtel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese), softened
- 1 5.3 oz container (about ½ cup) nonfat or 2% Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup Frank's red hot buffalo sauce (add more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded, cooked chicken breast
- ¼ cup sliced scallions
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (can substitute other cheese like Colby Jack, Monterey Jack or mozzarella)
Optional toppings:
- crumbled blue cheese, sliced scallions, hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix the softened cheese, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper together in a large bowl until smooth.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and scallions.
- Transfer the dip to an 8x8-inch square baking dish, oval baking dish or round pie pan. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and dip is bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with crumbled blue cheese, scallions, and hot sauce, if desired. Serve with crackers, chip, celery and/or carrot sticks.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce depending on how spicy you want the dip.
- The crumbled blue cheese on top is optional but I like it for the classic buffalo wings flavor.
- This healthy buffalo chicken dip can be assembled up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. It can also be stored in the freezer or up to 3 months. To freeze the dip, assemble it in a freezer-safe baking dish and cover it tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, bake in the oven as per recipe instructions.
- Once cooked, the best way to store any leftover dip is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or oven until hot.
Anonymous says
This still looks like a lot of sodium --- I wonder if there are lower-sodium alternatives for the Frank's and Neufchatal --- ?
Anonymous says
I made this on the stove today--better than the original! I still used lowfat sour cream. I looked at the ingredients in ranch dressing mix, which most recipes call for. Since that contains buttermilk, I decided to add about 2 tablespoons of powdered instant buttermilk to mine.
ur says
Thank you for the tip on a lighter version of cream cheese and replacing Greek yogurt for bottled dressing. We love Greek yogurt.
Anonymous says
We really enjoyed this, my husband without knowing this was a healthier version said this was the best buffalo chicken dip he ever had!
wendyb964 says
Thank you very much. I've finally "perfected" my homemade Greek yogurt and use it for almost anything with a creamy texture. Not a fan of bottled dressings either, this very well may make an appearance today. Love your recipe resuscitations as they often make me think outside my usual healthier substitutions.
Anonymous says
You say one serving is 70 calories... How much is one serving? 1/4 cup? 1/2 cup? 2 Tbsp?
sonaliruder says
The recipe makes about 3 1/4 cups, so one serving is 3 1/4 tablespoons.
Anonymous says
I would like to make this tomorrow but do not have chicken. Could I skip the chicken? Or maybe use tuna that I have on hand instead? Thanks.
sonaliruder says
The chicken is one of the main ingredients in this dish so I haven't tried the recipe without it. Tuna would probably be a good alternative. You may want to avoid the blue cheese if using tuna, it may not be the best combination of flavors. Let me know how it turns out!
Michela says
very colorful dip! it looks scrumptious!I'm a new follower, I just discovered your blog and read some of your latest recipes, they're all yummy!
ur says
What a perfect timing for a perfect party dip. Looks yummy and easy to create. Thanks Sonali
Beverley says
This is just too good to be true but I know it is...yum yum yum all the way home. You are a genius when it comes to healthy delicious food xoxo
Jenn@slim-shoppin says
I am going to make this over the weekend! Thanks - it sounds wonderful!
From Valeries Kitchen says
Love the idea of lightening this stuff up! I bet it is wonderful. Will have to try. Pinning 🙂