An Easy, Small Batch Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe with Baby Spinach

This is exactly what it sounds like: buffalo chicken dip with spinach mixed into it. I tried it with artichokes and a few different cheeses, but this is the version that consistently turned out the best. It’s also a smaller batch recipe for buffalo chicken dip and makes about 6 servings. (Or less servings if you’re hungry) 🙂

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Spinach Dip:

• 10 oz. Chicken Breast
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp. Oil (Avocado, Vegetable, or Olive)
• 1/2 cup Wing Sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)
• 1/2 cup Whipped Cream Cheese
• 2 cups packed Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar, plus more for topping
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack plus more for topping
• 1/3 cup Sour Cream
• chopped Green Onions, for garnish

Ingredient Notes and Tips for Buffalo Chicken Spinach Dip:

• You can use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of shredded chicken breast if you are short on time. Buy a plain rotisserie chicken and shred 10 ounces of it. Season the shredded chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. (Rotisserie chickens typically do not need additional salt.)
• Frank’s Red Hot or Frank’s Wing Sauce are ideal for this recipe. Crystal hot sauce is also a good substitute, and Aldi has an off-brand of Frank’s (that looks similar) that works well, too.
• I always use whipped cream cheese for dips because it is much easier to stir into the other ingredients. Rather than waiting for dense cream cheese to come to room temperature, grab a tub of whipped cream cheese and make your life easier.
• Baby Spinach is crunchy, delicious, and easy to chop into small pieces for this dip. You can use other fresh spinach, but be sure to chop it before stirring it into the dip. I don’t love frozen spinach for this recipe, but if that is your preference, thaw it before using and then squeeze out any additional liquids before stirring it into the dip.
• Sharp Cheddar & Monterey Jack are a great flavor and texture combination for Buffalo Chicken Spinach Dip. The cheddar tastes amazing with the other ingredients, and the Monterey Jack is super melty. Feel free to use a mild cheddar in place of sharp cheddar, and use Pepper Jack in place of Monterey Jack for an extra kick.

This dip can be served immediately OR you can spoon it into an oven-safe baking dish, sprinkle it with additional cheese, and broil it for a few minutes to get a bubbly, browned, cheesy top. I also recommend sprinkling some green onions over the top before serving!

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Spinach Dip:

• If you’re working with one large chicken breast, carefully slice it in half lengthwise to create two thin halves. Check out this post (about halfway through the blog post) for visuals of how to do this.
• Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 tsp. of it to stir into the dip later. Season all sides of the chicken with the remaining 3/4 tsp., and set the chicken aside for about 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Turn the heat off from under the pan, and transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes (resting the chicken makes it juicier and more tender), then shred it in the bowl.

• Transfer the shredded chicken and any juices from the bowl back into the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and stir the chicken into the juices, also stirring in any browned bits from the pan.

• Once the chicken is warm, stir in the hot sauce. Coat the chicken in the hot sauce, then stir in the remaining 1/4 tsp. of chicken seasoning and whipped cream cheese until combined.

• Stir in the chopped baby spinach and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has wilted into the other ingredients.

• Stir in the cheeses and sour cream.*

• Spoon the dip into an oven-safe dish, and top with more shredded cheese. Broil the dip for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned, then carefully remove it from the oven and garnish with chopped green onion.
• Serve warm with tortilla chips, carrot sticks, celery sticks, grilled pita, or crackers.

*This dip can be served as soon as the cheese and sour cream are mixed into it, if preferred.

Other Buffalo Chicken Recipes:

• Buffalo Chicken Sliders for Two
• Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad for Two
• Grilled Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Loaded Buffalo Tots
• Shredded Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
• Buffalo Chicken Tacos

I hope you love this Buffalo Chicken Spinach Dip! If you make it and love it, I would really appreciate a comment and rating below! If you take a picture and share it on Instagram, be sure to tag me so I can share it with everyone, too. Email me if you have any questions, too.

xx Sara