This Nashville Hot Chicken Dip takes everything you love about that famous spicy fried chicken and turns it into a creamy, tangy appetizer that’s ready in under 20 minutes. Crispy popcorn chicken is folded into a smooth blend of cream cheese, honey, hot sauce, and seasonings.
This ridiculously addictive dip is different from every other buffalo-style dip you’ve made! The chicken gives it substance without making it heavy, and the pickles add a tangy bite. And unlike traditional Nashville hot chicken, nobody’s dealing with deep frying or hours of prep work.
Instead of spending time frying chicken and coating it in that signature cayenne paste, we’re getting all those bold flavors in a make-ahead dip that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. It has an ideal Nashville heat level that’s spicy enough to make you sweat but not so hot you can’t go back for seconds (or thirds).
I love making this for game-day parties because it gives you all the spicy flavor you want, while being something different and unique. Plus you can make it the night before if you’re trying to keep game day stress-free.
I’ll walk you through the simple steps for getting authentic Nashville hot flavor. Once you bring this to a party, you’ll be asked to bring it again and again.
Looking for more game day appetizers? Try my recipes for boom boom sauce, cottage cheese dip, or baked Buffalo chicken dip.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Cream cheese: Make sure it’s softened before you start. The softer it is, the smoother your dip will be.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Honey
- Hot sauce: I typically reach for Frank’s RedHot for this recipe. It has that vinegary kick that’s perfect for Nashville hot chicken flavor.
- Popcorn chicken
- Pickles
- Green onions
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
How to Make Nashville Hot Chicken Dip
- Cook the popcorn chicken according to package directions and let it cool. Then dice it into small pieces.
- Add the softened cream cheese and buttermilk to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it for 1 minute, then carefully beat it with a hand mixer until it’s completely smooth. If your mixture is still thick after beating, microwave it for another 30 seconds and beat again.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon of honey, one tablespoon of garlic powder, two teaspoons of cayenne pepper, and ¼ cup of hot sauce. Beat everything together until it’s thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Stir in 1 cup of the chopped, cooled popcorn chicken. Make sure it’s evenly distributed throughout the dip.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining cayenne pepper, honey, and hot sauce. Stir it together until the honey is fully mixed in.
- Transfer your dip to a serving bowl (or leave it in the bowl you mixed it in). Pile the remaining cup of chopped popcorn chicken right in the center on top. Drizzle that spicy honey-hot sauce mixture all around the chicken. Top everything with pickle slices and chopped green onions.
Serving Ideas
When serving this dip, crackers and chips are your obvious go-tos. I usually grab a box of buttery crackers and some sturdy tortilla chips so people can make their own choice. Pretzel crisps add a salty, crunchy element that plays beautifully against the honey-sweetness in the dip.
I’ve also found that fresh vegetables make an unexpectedly great pairing. Celery sticks, cucumber rounds, and bell pepper strips cut through the richness of the cream cheese, letting that spicy kick shine.
I always set out a small spoon next to the dip so people can grab extra pickles and green onions from the top. Those toppings are part of the appeal, and letting guests customize their bite makes it feel more interactive and fun.
How to Store
This dip keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It is better to store the toppings separately from the dip itself. The pickles will release liquid, making the dip watery if they sit together too long.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- The first time I made this, I skipped the microwave step because I thought my cream cheese was soft enough. That was a mistake, because it was lumpy and took forever to mix.
- I’m a big fan of using frozen popcorn chicken for this recipe because it’s convenient and stays crispy even after you mix it into the dip. You can use homemade popcorn chicken or even leftover fried chicken if you have it on hand. Just make sure whatever chicken you use has that crispy coating that gives you texture in every bite.
- The cayenne pepper and hot sauce give this dip its signature Nashville hot kick, but you’re in control of the fire. If you’re serving this to people who can’t handle much heat, dial back the cayenne to 1 teaspoon in the base and ¼ teaspoon in the topping sauce.
- You can leave the pickles as whole slices for a prettier presentation, or chop them into smaller pieces so they’re easier to scoop up with every bite.
Reader Questions
Yes! You can prepare the cream cheese base up to 24 hours in advance, but don’t add the chicken until you’re ready to serve. Then store it covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, stir in one cup of the chopped popcorn chicken. This keeps the chicken crispy and saves you time when you’re hosting.
Nope! This dip is served at room temperature or slightly chilled. The only heating you do is softening the cream cheese in the microwave to make it easier to mix. If your dip has been sitting in the fridge and feels too thick, you can microwave it for 20-30 seconds and stir, but it’s not necessary.
Sure. While I prefer frozen popcorn chicken for convenience, you can use any cooked, breaded chicken. Leftover Nashville hot chicken tenders, chopped, would be amazing. Regular chicken tenders work too. Even rotisserie chicken in a pinch, though you’ll miss out on that crunchy texture. Whatever you use, make sure it’s fully cooked and cooled before adding it to the dip.
You can make a quick buttermilk substitute by adding two teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to ¾ cup of regular milk. Stir it together and let it sit for 5 minutes until it curdles slightly.
With two teaspoons of cayenne in the base plus ¼ teaspoon in the topping, this dip has a solid medium heat level. It’s got that Nashville hot chicken kick without being unbearable. The honey helps balance the heat with a touch of sweetness, and the pickles provide cooling relief. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with less cayenne and taste as you go.
I typically use Frank’s RedHot because it’s what I always have in my fridge, and it has the right vinegary tang for Nashville hot chicken flavor. Crystal or Louisiana hot sauce works great, too. If you want authentic Nashville heat, look for a hot sauce with cayenne as the main pepper. Avoid super-thick hot sauces like sriracha.
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Nashville Hot Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- 2 cups chopped popcorn chicken cooked and divided
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- ½ cup pickle slices for topping
- ⅓ cup green onions for topping
Instructions
- Cook the popcorn chicken according to package directions. Let it cool and then chop it into small pieces.
- Add the cream cheese and buttermilk to a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. Carefully beat using a hand mixer until completely smooth. If it's still too thick, microwave for 30 seconds, then beat again.24 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup buttermilk
- Add one tablespoon of honey, one tablespoon of garlic powder, two teaspoons of cayenne, and ¼ cup of hot sauce. Beat again until thoroughly mixed. Add in 1 cup of the chopped popcorn chicken and stir.1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, ¼ cup hot sauce, 2 cups chopped popcorn chicken
- In a small bowl, add the remaining cayenne, honey, and hot sauce. Stir to make a sauce. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl (or leave it in the bowl you made it in), and add the remaining cup of chopped popcorn chicken on top in the middle. Drizzle the sauce all around. Add pickle slices and scallions. Serve with your favorite crackers, chips, and more.¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 tablespoons hot sauce, ½ cup pickle slices, ⅓ cup green onions
Notes
- The cayenne pepper and hot sauce give this dip its signature Nashville hot kick, but you’re in control of the fire. If you’re serving this to people who can’t handle much heat, dial back the cayenne to 1 teaspoon in the base and ¼ teaspoon in the topping sauce.
- You can leave the pickles as whole slices for a prettier presentation, or chop them into smaller pieces so they’re easier to scoop up with every bite.
- If you want to make this ahead of time, you can prepare the cream cheese base up to 24 hours in advance, but don’t add the chicken until you’re ready to serve. Then store it covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, stir in one cup of the chopped popcorn chicken. This keeps the chicken crispy and saves you time when you’re hosting.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by adding two teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to ¾ cup of regular milk. Stir it together and let it sit for 5 minutes until it curdles slightly.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
