Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip (Paleo, Whole30)

Name: Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip (Paleo, Whole30)
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Cashews; 2 Tbsp. Palm Shortening (coconut oil works too); 1/2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast; 1/4 tsp. Salt; 1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar; 1 tsp. Lemon Juice; 2 cups Chopped Chicken; 1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce (see above); 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing (Whole30 recipe link above); 1/2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast

The classic game-day recipe that has you coming back for more! Only this time, it's dairy free, making it a Paleo and Whole30 Buffalo Chicken Dip!

A close up picture of dairy free buffalo chicken dip in a white glass baking dish. There is cilantro sprinkled on top and a brown wooden spoon in the dip.

I like to serve this with tostones (they're also dairy and gluten free!), or alongside other gluten free game day recipes.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions and Variations
FAQ's
Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Dip (Paleo, Whole30)
Other Dairy Free Appetizers to Try:

Ingredients

Buffalo Chicken Dip is a classic game day recipe! However, it's usually full of dairy and soy, which doesn't work for everyone. This Buffalo chicken dip is Whole30 compatible, paleo and keto friendly, and dairy free!

Typically it has cream cheese, but we're going to make a vegan, dairy free version.

Ingredients for dairy free buffalo chicken dip are all spread out on a dark wooden background. From left to right there are cashews, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, salt, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice mices, vegetable shortening, and chicken.

Here's what you'll need for the cream cheese and dip:

Cashews
Palm Shortening
Yeast
Salt
Nutritional Yeast
Apple Cider Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Buffalo Sauce
Ranch Dressing

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

First make your dairy free cream cheese. Soften the cashews via boiling, then blend them with the other cream cheese ingredients.

Tip-if needed, add small amounts of hot water to help achieve the smooth consistency.

A closeup of the blended dairy free cream cheese ingredients, with a rubber spatula inside the blender. A bag of roasted and unsalted whole cashews is in the background.

Next, combine all the blended vegan cream cheese with the remining ingredients, and mix together.

All of the ingredients measured out and placed in a white baking dish, ready to be mixed together.

Bake it all in a 1 or 1.5 quart oven safe dish. The oven should be pre-heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve and enjoy!

An overview of the finished dip, topped with cilantro and a grey towel nearby. — Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip Image

Substitutions and Variations

Cream Cheese-If you're reintroducing dairy on the Whole30, you can try real cream cheese in place of the dairy free version. Use a regular 8 oz. package and let it sit out for a bit to soften first.
Blue Cheese-On that same note of reintroducing dairy, toss some bleu cheese crumbles on top, or place alongside to please both dairy eaters and non dairy eaters alike!
Homemade Ranch-this dairy free ranch is completely Whole30 compatible and Paleo friendly, and tastes so fresh!
Premade Ranch-Try this ranch from The New Primal (affiliate link). Use code THECLEANHAPPYLIFE for 15% off your entire purchase! They also have 3 levels of buffalo sauce and nutritional yeast too!

FAQ's

How to reheat dairy free buffalo chicken dip?

The best way to reheat this dip is in the oven. Put the oven on 350 degrees Farhenheit and heat it until your desired temperature. You could also add more ranch or buffalo sauce before reheating to keep it moist.

What to serve with dairy free buffalo chicken dip?

Celery sticks and baby carrots are great options, and Whole30 compatible too! You could also try tostones as mentioned above, or tortilla chips!

Can I make this in advance?

You absolutely can! Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.