Just 4 ingredients make up this popular quick and easy Chicken Dip with Cream Cheese. Addictive as it is delicious, serve this cold with crackers, tortilla chips, bread or veggies. This recipe for chicken dip recipe is made even easier by using canned chicken. Ready in minutes.
If you’re looking for more easy popular cheese-y appetizer ideas, don’t miss these: Dubliner Cheese Spread, and Whipped Goat Cheese and Jam and Crackers.
This recipe for Cream Cheese Chicken Dip was first published September of 2013 and updated October 2021 with new photos and step by step instructions.
Every single time I serve this chicken spread appetizer I am consistently asked for the recipe.
It’s creamy, its hearty, it so simple to make and best of all, extremely popular.
It’s a perfect game-day appetizer recipe because it’s easy to eat. Just serve it with an appetizer knife for spreading, and there’s no fuss or mess. That makes it perfect finger food. You can serve it with crackers, sturdy chips, or even sliced baguette.
The slightly sweet and tangy cream cheese is a welcome partner for salty savory chicken. Add everyone’s favorite, a package of ranch dressing, and with a bite of heat from your favorite salsa …. who can argue with that flavor profile. It’s unique and it simply works.
This chicken dip recipe can be made with your favorite brand of purchased salsa or my fresh Essential Restaurant Style Salsa.
Its just flat out crazy delicious. Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Only 4 ingredients to make this cream cheese chicken dip! How simple can it get? As soon as the cream cheese comes to room temperature and soft enough to stir everything up, it’s ready in about 5 minutes.
- Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Seasoning
- Your favorite Mexican Salsa
- 1 large can chunk chicken breast, 12.5 ounces
- Cream Cheese softened to room temperature, 2 8-ounce blocks
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Step 2: Using a large spoon, mix everything together until well combined. Once you’re finished, the texture will resemble a chicken pate. Smooth, creamy and ready for that cracker.
Serving Tips
This dip is almost like a chicken spread, so sturdy is the key.
- Add Some Color: Sprinkle with Red Chile Powder, Chimayo is a great choice here. If you don’t have Chimayo use ground Ancho chile powder. Or how about a little bit of paprika, crushed red pepper flakes or even Aleppo pepper flakes?
- Top this chicken dip with sliced black olives. It simply creates a better presentation.
- Serve with a sturdy cracker. Triscuits are a great choice. Or even some crusty bread.
- Instead of serving with crackers, serve this with sturdy vegetables, such as celery, sliced cucumbers, sliced radishes. Just remember to keep it colorful.
- Spread this cream cheese chicken dip onto tortillas, roll up and slice to make chicken pinwheels.
Serve it up and be ready to share the recipe. Everyone will ask.
One of this appeals of this recipe for chicken dip is that it uses canned chicken. Easy and quick. But why not substitute rotisserie chicken. Simply using forks, shred the chicken into small chunks and continue with the recipe.
Absolutely yes. As with many recipes, allowing the flavors to “marry” will result in a more flavor. You can make this dip a couple of days ahead. Pull it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving so let is soften a bit.
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Packet is a certified gluten free product. Source: The Gluten Free Bar. Chicken breast and cream cheese are naturally gluten free and Keto friendly, as well as salsa, as long as the manufacturer hasn’t added too much sugar. Read the label. And with only 4 grams of carbs per serving this is most certainly a low carb option.
Yes, there is so much flavor in the Ranch Dressing, so much texture with the chicken and and a punch of heat with the salsa, that a bit of sacrifice with flavor from a low fat cheese will hardly be noticed.
Riffs on Chicken Dip
- If you’re opposed to making this a canned chicken dip, simply bake two small boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 12 ounces) in the oven. When cooled, shred the meat and proceed with the recipe.
- I’ve called this appetizer recipe a chicken dip, but it’s thick enough to be referred to as a cheesy chicken spread. Grab your favorite sandwich bread and make a chicken salad sandwich.
- Half an avocado, remove the seed and spoon this chicken dip into the avocado, for a zippy easy quick lunch.
So if you’re looking for an appetizer with chicken for your next party, consider trying this Cream Cheese Chicken Dip … it’s a winner.
Tips For Success
- Allow one hour for the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
Recipe for Chicken Dip with Cream Cheese
If you’re looking for dip recipes with chicken, I hope you give this recipe a try. This is a super easy crowd pleasing appetizer. Cream Cheese Chicken Dip is a winner.
And if you’re looking for more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my Appetizer Category. You’ll find lots of fun finger food recipes, including the most popular on my site for Campechana, a delightful Mexican appetizer.
More Appetizer Dips with Cream Cheese
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Chicken Dip with Cream Cheese and Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese softened to room temperature (2 8-ounce packages)
- 12.5 ounce canned white meat chicken drained, reserving 1 Tablespoon liquid to add to thin the dip
- 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
- ¼ – ½ cup Jarred Salsa I started with ¼ cup and added salsa until I liked the flavor combination depending on heat and flavor
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using a large spoon, mix all ingredients together until well-blended. Serve with crackers or vegetables. I like Triscuits or Wheat Thins.
Notes
- Garnishing this chicken dip recipe with a red powder makes for a better presentation. Try using smoked paprika, or Aleppo pepper for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Because it’s high in fat, cream cheese will come to room temperature (soft stage) in about an hour.
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Packet is a certified gluten free product. Source: The Gluten Free Bar. Chicken breast and cream cheese are gluten free and Keto friendly. Salsa is keto friendly unless the manufacturer has added too much sugar. Read those labels. Ditch the crackers and substitute carrots and celery sticks.
- Can This Cream Cheese Chicken Dip Be Made In Advance? Absolutely yes. As with many recipes, allowing the flavors to “marry” will result in a more flavor. You can make this dip a couple of days ahead. Pull it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving so let is soften a bit.
- Serving ideas: Serve this with crackers, tortilla chips (Fritos come to mind because they’re sturdy), bread or veggies.
Nutrition
Chicken Dip With Cream Cheese …It’s What’s For An Appetizer
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
I spread this on tortillas and roll up and cut to make pinwheels it is delicious!
LOVE This idea!
ANYONE TRY THIS WITH CANNED ALBACORE?
Hi Mary. I’ve not tried it with Albacore, but it sounds like a good idea. If you do try it, please come back and leave a comment about the flavors. Thanks.
Such a terrific looking dip! I’d like a bowl for dinner, please. 🙂
It’s delicious John. Very popular every time I serve it.
What a great dip! Will have to add it to my list of Must Try’s! We need to get together soon!
Made this to take to an outdoor baby shower in the park yesterday afternoon. It was gone before we got to the gifts! I think it WAS an extra gift to the party!! Thanks for something so easy and yummy!
Hi Martha Jo. And thanks for your note. So glad this recipe was a hit. It is one of the most popular appetizer recipes on my site, everyone seems to love it.