Who doesn’t love eating jalapeño poppers? But making them is another thing altogether. It needs a lot of work, and I almost always end up with burning fingers afterward! Yes, it happens every single time! And no, I cannot wear gloves. So here is my solution: Throw all the ingredients plus some in a bowl and bake it to ooey, gooey, cheesy perfection! It’s a throw-it-in-a-bowl-and-stick-it-in-the-oven type of appetizer. The best part about this hot dip is that it stays creamy and scoopable even after it cools down. That’s a big plus in my dictionary because once we sit down to watch the game (fine, who am I kidding? Once we sit down to gossip), I am not getting up to reheat things. I like to serve this with chips, crackers, nachos, or toasted bread. You can scoop up the spicy chicken dip on top of crispy bread and have a DYI crostini kind of situation.
Ingredients for Jalapeno popper chicken dip
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this delicious recipe See the recipe card for quantities. Chicken - You can use precooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded. Rotisserie chicken is a good option, too. I have just boiled a chicken breast and shredded it with a fork. A vegetarian option would be mixed cooked vegetables like carrots and beans. Jalapeño peppers—I used four fresh jalapenos, from which I removed the seeds and pith. You can leave the seeds in if you want the dip to be spicy. A great alternative here would be pickled jalapenos or even a jalapeno jam. Cheese - Any melty cheese would work. I have used freshly grated cheddar cheese. Cream cheese & Mayonnaise - These are the ingredients that will give the dip a creamy texture. Mayonnaise will make sure that your dip stays creamy and scoopable even when cold. Garlic powder - This has become a staple in my kitchen. It’s great when you want to add garlic without adding texture to dishes. Or without peeling and chopping a garlic clove. Parsley - Any fresh herb would work. You can sub parsley with green onions, chives, coriander, or cilantro, too. Butter & Bread crumbs - You could skip this if you want, but that crispy buttery later on top is literally a crowning delight! And the smell! Oh..There isn’t anything better than butter and bread together!
How to make Jalapeno Chicken Dip
Before starting, make sure the cream cheese is soft and at room temperature, or the mixing will be a chore!
Step 1: Prep the chicken & Jalapenos
You can use precooked chicken or boil a chicken breast with water until it’s cooked through. Then, as shown in the picture below, shred it with two forks. Finely chop the jalapeno. If you don’t want the dip spicy, discard the pith and seeds, as shown below. For a spicy dip, use smaller jalapenos with the seeds and pith.
Step 2: Make the chicken mixture.
Mix everything except bread crumbs and butter- Cream cheese, mayonnaise, shredded chicken, cheese, parsley, garlic powder and chopped jalapenos. Make sure to press down with a spatula to avoid having clumps of unmixed mayonnaise and cream cheese.
Step 3: Bake the Dip
Transfer the mixture to an oven-proof serving dish. Mix the melted butter and bread crumbs together. Spread on top of the chicken mixture. Bake in a preheated oven till the top is golden brown, and you see the mixture bubbling from underneath. Your jalapeno popper chicken dip is ready!
Serving chicken dip with jalapenos
You can serve the dip straight out of the oven. I like to add it to a big platter with chips, crisps, and vegetables like celery, carrots, and cucumber. You can also serve it with warm bread and a spoon to scoop the dip. If you are hosting a crowd, I like to add a couple of contrasting dips like this cooling greek yogurt dip or my quick green onion dip.I sometimes add a chunky dip like this mango salsa or a charred corn bean salsa. Oh and if you are a spicy girl(or boy!) like me, then you can also try this dip called crazy feta. It takes like 5 ingredients!
Storage
If you are not eating the jalapeno popper chicken dip in a couple of hours, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. In fact, it makes for the most delicious sandwich filling.
