Just 4 ingredients make up this popular quick and easy Ranch Chicken Dip Appetizer. Addictive as it is delicious, serve this with crackers, tortilla chips, bread or veggies. This recipe for chicken dip is made even easier by using canned chicken. Ready in minutes.
This recipe for 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 easy appetizer with chicken 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 or canned home made salsa recipe.
Its just flat out crazy delicious. Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Only 4 ingredients to make this 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 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 Tip: Right before serving, sprinkle with Chimayo Chili Powder. If you don’t have Chamayo use ground Ancho chile powder. If you don’t have Chamayo and would still like a sprinkle of red, how about a little bit of paprika, crushed red pepper flakes or even Aleppo pepper flakes? You can even top this with sliced black olives. It simply creates a better presentation.
Serve it up and be ready to share the recipe. Everyone will ask.
Riffs on Chicken Ranch 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.
- Instead of serving with crackers, serve this with sturdy vegetables, such as celery, sliced cucumbers, sliced radishes. Just remember to keep it colorful.
- Half an avocado, remove the seed and spoon this Ranch Chicken Spread 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 Chicken Ranch Dip … it’s a winner.
Because it’s high in fat, cream cheese will come to room temperature (soft stage) in about an hour.
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.
I like sturdy crackers such as Triscuits or Wheat Thins. Fritos are a good choice and sturdy potato chips, Celery and carrot sticks work well.
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.
Recipe For Chicken Ranch Dip
I hope you give this chicken dip recipe a try and if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes.
And if you have a favorite appetizer with chicken, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Appetizer Recipes with Cream Cheese
- Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball Everyone’s favorite ingredients rolled into one tidy package. Great for pot lucks, but bring the recipe because they’ll ask.
- Jalapeno Artichoke Cheese Dip This is an artichoke dip recipe that takes a trip South of the Border by adding Jalapenos and cream cheese.
- Elways Artichoke Dip with Cream Cheese and Giardiniera Cream cheese, artichoke hearts and giardiniera are the stars of this famous appetizer recipe from Elway’s Restaurant in Denver.
- Hatch Green Chile Dip, Spicy with Chimayo chile powder and Hatch green chili peppers. Grab a blue corn chip and take a dip in this Southwestern appetizer recipe.
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.
Chicken Ranch Dip With Cream Cheese
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
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup Jarred Salsa I started with 1/4 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 Ranch 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
Ranch Chicken Dip Recipe …It’s What’s For An Appetizer
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Such a terrific looking dip! I’d like a bowl for dinner, please. 🙂
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.
Can you make a sandwich out of this, or is it mainly a dip?
It is most certainly substantial enough for a chicken sandwich. Great idea.
Recipe looks great. What is the measurement for the chicken? It says large can but not sure how many ounces that is. I will substitute with cooked fresh chicken.
Thanks for pointing that out. It would be the 9.75 ounce can. It’s been awhile since I’ve purchased it, don’t know if the exact ounce size is exactly the same.
Thank you for this! My husband even liked it and that is saying something.
You’re so welcome. And thanks so much for letting me know.
This looks TOO good! I hope to make it soon! 🙂
Thanks Ashleigh. Let me know what you think.
Oh Lea!!!! I love cream cheese. And chicken. And everything else in your dip – yum yum yum! Thank you so much for sharing this with me – it looks great! I can see why everyone loved it 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Kristy, and the comment.