Slow Cooker Barbecue Pepper Chicken Dip Recipe

Are your taste buds craving a delicious, flavorful alternative to queso, salsa or guacamole? Or, maybe you’re looking ahead to the holidays, and you want to wow the relatives with a new appetizer. Whatever the occasion, you’ll love this easy slow cooker barbecue pepper chicken dip recipe.

Tangy Barbecue Meets Rich Cheesy Flavor

Tangy barbecue sauce and spicy peppered chicken come together in this creamy, cheesy recipe that could almost be a meal in itself. Great with tortilla chips, pita bread or even baked potatoes, this versatile, hearty dip is a real crowd pleaser. Feed the family, your coworkers or your friends with this addictive, savory dish that can be used as a dip, sauce or even a hot sandwich filling.

Ingredients You Already Have On Hand

Whether you’re looking for a fun new dip for a party or feeding the family at home, you can easily whip it up this dip at very short notice. With only a few ingredients, and very easy preparation, this may very well become a family favorite and your go-to party dish.

In fact, you probably already have most of the ingredients for this tasty dip in your fridge, with the exception of the rotisserie chicken. Grab a chicken on your way home from work, and you’re well on your way to creating this delicious slow cooker dip.

Easy, No-Cook Recipe For Last Minute Plans

With the aid of the slow cooker, and a pre-cooked chicken, this recipe doesn’t require any actual cooking. Simply prep the ingredients and let your handy kitchen appliance do the work for you. Alternatively, you can blacken the chicken yourself with an electric grill, or for the more adventurous you can give it delicious flavor in a propane smoker.

A slow cooker dip like this can come to the rescue for last minutes plans. It’s easy to throw together an entire buffet with this tasty, protein-packed dip at the center. As a dip for chips and crackers or a sauce to pour over veggies and rice, it really does go with almost anything.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: One hour, 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 Cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
8 Oz cream cheese, softened
2 Cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 Cup sour cream
1/2 Cup barbecue sauce

Optional:

1/4 Cup green onions, chopped
1/4 Cup bacon bits or cooked, crumbled bacon

Before You Begin

Gather all of your ingredients and measuring cups before you begin.
If you can, start with a rotisserie chicken that’s still warm. Only remove the chicken from the packaging when you are ready to shred it. This will help the cheese melt faster and aid in the ingredients combining.
Set out the cream cheese to soften. This step isn’t entirely necessary, but the cream cheese will melt and combine with the other ingredients faster if it’s not added to the slow cooker straight out of the fridge.
Plug in the slow cooker and set the temperature to low.

Making The Dip

With two forks, shred two cups of rotisserie chicken. Use one fork to hold a piece of chicken steady while you use the other to tear the meat into strips. Put your two cups of shredded chicken straight into the bottom of the slow cooker and replace the cover while you prep the other ingredients.
If you are using another type of chicken, as long as it’s boneless, you can shred the chicken using an electric mixer. Place small pieces of meat, no more than three inches long and one inch thick, in a mixing bowl. Put the electric mixer on a low setting and use the beaters to tear the chicken into shredded strips.
Cut the cream cheese into one-inch cubes and grate two cups of cheddar cheese. Add both of the cheeses to the slow cooker. Allow the cheeses to melt for a few minutes while you prep the remaining ingredients.
Measure the sour cream and barbecue sauce and add them to the chicken, cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir the ingredients lightly once to combine and replace the cover of the slow cooker.
Add any optional ingredients, such as bacon bits and green onions (I like to cook them slightly with oil in a skillet), to the dip mixture and stir one more time. Replace the lid of the slow cooker and allow the dip to cook on low heat for about an hour, or until everything has melted and combined. Stir the dip every ten minutes or so.
Before serving, turn the slow cooker up to a medium heat and allow the dip to get hot. Serve the dip straight from the slow cooker with a ladle. Keeping the dip in the slow cooker will allow it to stay hot for much longer. If you prefer, transfer it to a serving bowl. You can keep the bowl warm by resting it on a hot plate.

Variations

Try different rotisserie chickens to achieve different flavors and spiciness levels. Barbecue, smoked and lemon pepper are all excellent choices. You can also try pulled pork in place of the chicken. Add extra meat tidbits, like bacon bits or small pieces of sausage, for even more flavor.
Throw in some veggies for extra flavor, vitamins and fiber. Some vegetables to try: green peppers, banana peppers green onions, sweet onions, garlic, artichokes or jalapenos. Another veggie alternative is to add around one cup of pre-roasted summer vegetables, like zucchini, eggplant and bell peppers. Roast the veggies under a broiler for about ten minutes with garlic and olive oil.
If you’re a fan of pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably love this dip with added pineapple chunks. Leave out the cheddar cheese in this fruity version of the dip and substitute monetary jack, mozzarella or another mild cheese.
Not a fan of cheddar cheese? Try pepper jack, Swiss or any other hard cheese in place of the grated cheddar. Swiss cheese naturally compliments barbecue flavor, and would add a somewhat nutty flavor factor to the recipe.
For a healthier version of the dip, substitute low-fat or fat-free versions of the dairy products. You can use a sugar-free barbecue sauce, make your own barbecue sauce or substitute seasoned salt or other herbs and spices in place of the sauce.
Make this dip vegetarian by substituting the chicken with a meat substitute product. Brands like Quorn, Morning Star Farms and Gardein offer chicken substitutes that would work very well. You could even use a can of baked beans in place of the chicken in this recipe.