Get ready to fall head over heels over a new favorite appetizer! These game-winning Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wonton Cups combine all the traditional buffalo chicken dip flavors with a range of textures in a portable, bite-sized packaging. Every cup is dripping with melted cheese and is crunchy, creamy, and tangy. These won’t last long, I promise!

Make these as a memorable potluck dish for your friends or on game day. They’re a fun and simple way to serve buffalo chicken dip, and since each person receives a tiny edible cup, serving is a breeze and mess-free.

We’ll walk you through the recipe step-by-step in this post so you can consistently make juicy shredded chicken and wonderfully crispy wonton wrappers. Along with some delicious variations and the answers to all the queries we’ve received from readers over the years, you’ll also find useful tips and methods to make them even better. Come on, let’s cook!

Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Recipe

• Perfectly Portioned: They are ideal for gatherings and parties because they are designed for single servings. Don’t do it twice!
• Incredible Flavor: The chilled cream cheese, ranch, and melted cheese temper the buffalo sauce’s sour spiciness with perfection.
• Amazing Texture: The creamy, cheesy chicken filling is perfectly complemented by the crispy wonton shell.
• Easy to Make: This recipe’s simple steps and readily available ingredients make it ideal for cooks of all skill levels.
• Customizable: Adjust the ingredients or degree of spiciness to your preference.

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Recipe At a Glance

• Cuisine: American
• Course: Appetizer, Snack
• Difficulty: Easy
• Servings: 24 Wonton Cups
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Calories per Serving: Approximately 110 kcal per cup

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Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe uses a blend of fresh ingredients and pantry staples to create a rich and flavorful filling.

For the Chicken:

• 1 lb (about 450g) boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Water for steaming/boiling

For the Wonton Cups & Filling:

• 24 square wonton wrappers
• Cooking spray (olive oil or neutral oil)
• 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 1/2 cup Buffalo-style hot sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot)
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1.5 cups shredded cheese blend (a mix of Swiss and Gruyère is fantastic, but Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Mozzarella work well too), divided
• 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 2 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño, finely minced (optional, for extra heat)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 1−2 cloves garlic, minced

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these detailed steps to create the most delicious buffalo chicken wonton cups your guests have ever tasted.

Step 1: Cook and Shred the Chicken

Create the Most Outstanding Wonton Cups with Buffalo Chicken Ever! We begin by preparing our filling, which is chicken. Juicy and moist chicken is essential. Since it will be baked later, avoid cooking it too long.

1. Season the Chicken: arrange the chicken breasts or tenders in a small saucepan or pot. Add black pepper and salt for seasoning.
2. Steam/Boil: Pour in only sufficient water to cover the pot’s bottom. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, covered with a lid. The chicken should be cooked through and no longer pink inside after 7 to 8 minutes of steaming, with a flip halfway through.
3. Shred the Chicken: After cooking, take the chicken out of the saucepan and let it to cool a little. Pulse the chicken several times in a food processor to achieve a fine, uniform shred. As an alternative, you can shred it quickly with a stand mixer set to low speed and use two forks to tear it apart by hand. Place the chicken shreds in a big mixing bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Form and Pre-Bake the Wonton Cups

This step is the secret to ensuring your wonton cups are perfectly crispy and can hold the filling without getting soggy.

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350∘F (175∘C).
2. Prepare Muffin Tin: Generously spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. If you have two tins, prepare both.
3. Form the Cups: Gently press one wonton wrapper into each muffin cup, pleating the sides as needed to form a cup shape.
4. Pre-Bake: Lightly spray the tops of the wonton wrappers with cooking spray. They should be crisp and faintly brown after 5 to 7 minutes in the oven. Watch them carefully since they can rapidly turn from golden to burned! Take them out of the oven when they’re done baking.

Step 3: Mix the Buffalo Chicken Filling

Now for the fun part—combining all those delicious flavors!

1. Combine Ingredients: Add the cubed cream cheese, ranch dressing, Buffalo hot sauce, minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, sliced scallions, optional minced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro to the bowl containing the shredded chicken.
2. Add Cheese: Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese blend to the bowl.
3. Mix Thoroughly: Mix everything together with a spoon or spatula until it’s creamy and thoroughly blended. In order to create a rich, cohesive filling, the cream cheese should be completely integrated.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake

It’s time to bring it all together for the final bake.

1. Fill the Cups: Spoon a generous amount of the buffalo chicken filling into each pre-baked wonton cup. Fill them up well!
2. Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the top of the filled cups.
3. Final Bake: Return the muffin tin to the oven set at 350°F (175°C). Bake for a further 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is attractively melted and bubbling on top and the filling is thoroughly warm.
4. Garnish and Serve: Remove the wonton cups from the muffin tray with care, then garnish and serve. Add some fresh cilantro as a garnish. Serve them right away, still heated and crispy, for maximum enjoyment.

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Pro-Tips for Wonton Cup Perfection

• Room Temperature Cream Cheese: It will be much easier to mix the filling and produce a smoother, creamier texture if you use softened, room temperature cream cheese.
• Don’t Overfill the Cups: Although it may be tempting to fill them to overflowing, leave a small amount of space at the top to avoid the cheesy filling spilling over and creating an oven mess.
• Rotisserie Chicken Hack: Do you have little time? Rotisserie chicken shreds are a tasty and practical shortcut. Just omit frying the chicken in the first place.
• Double Up the Wrapper: You can use two wonton wrappers per muffin cup, spacing them a little, for a more substantial and crunchy cup.
• Control the Spice: The buffalo sauce and jalapeño add a degree of heat. For a less hot variation, use a mild buffalo sauce or leave out the jalapeño completely.

Variations and Substitutions

• Blue Cheese Lover’s Twist: Buffalo and blue cheese are a classic pairing. Mix in 1/4 cup of blue cheese crumbles into the filling for an extra tangy kick. You can also drizzle the finished cups with blue cheese dressing.
• Different Cheeses: Feel free to experiment with your favorite cheeses. A sharp cheddar, pepper jack for extra spice, or a classic mozzarella would all be delicious.
• Air Fryer Method: To make these in an air fryer, form the wonton cups in silicone muffin liners. Air fry the empty cups at 350∘F (175∘C) for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Then, add the filling, top with cheese, and air fry for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Storage and Reheating

While these are best enjoyed fresh, leftovers can still be delicious.

• Storage: Store any leftover wonton cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: The best way to revive their crispiness is in an oven or air fryer. Reheat at 350∘F (175∘C) for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and crispy again. Avoid the microwave, as it will make the wonton wrappers soft and chewy.