Super easy to bring together, this pesto chicken and cheese dip recipe is the perfect meal to serve up when you aren't in the mood for cooking. Simply add all the ingredients together in a casserole dish and give it a good stir, pop it in the oven until everything is melty and bubbly, and you are good to go. Serve with chips, crackers, or veggie sticks to make it a complete meal. Perfect for a movie night in, as a low-carb alternative to nachos, as a show-stopping potluck dish or a super cheesy comfort meal for the whole family.
How To Make Pesto Cheese Dip
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This cheese dip recipe is super easy.
It is as simple as mixing everything together, popping into a casserole and baking until everything is nice and warm and melty and the cheese is bubbling.
You are going to need:
- Leftover Rotisserie Chicken or poached chicken, shredded
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Cream Cheese
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Red Sweet Pepper
- Ricotta Cheese
- Pesto (why not make some homemade? see below for recipes)
- Italian Seasoning
That's it!
What Type Of Pesto Should I Use?
This is completely up to you.
You could go for a more traditional basil pesto, either homemade or in a jar.
Or you could change things up and make some of your own pesto, like one of these:
- Oregano Pesto
- Kale and Walnut Pesto
- Fennel Fronds Pesto
- Carrot Top Pesto
- Rocket Walnut Pesto from Another Food Blog
- Roasted Capsicum Pesto from It's Not Complicated Recipes
Just be mindful of the fact that whatever pesto you use in going to impart that flavor on the overall dish, so if you are using something full of flavors that will clash with the Italian seasoning, then you may want to leave out the Italian seasoning completely.
What To Serve With This Cheese Dip (this will depend on whether you want it to be keto or low carb or you don't mind)
If you want to keep this as a keto cheese dip or even just a low carb cheese dip then you can serve with:
- cauliflower florets (lightly steamed or raw)
- broccoli florets (lightly steamed or raw)
- zucchini spears
- asparagus spears
- green beans
- sliced bell peppers
- cucumber sticks
- wrapped in a big kale or spinach leaf
- with some almond crackers or other low-carb cracker
If you aren't following a particular diet, then this cheese dip recipe also goes perfectly with:
- fresh baguette
- corn chips
- water crackers
- apple or pear slices for something different (my kids love this!)
- on top of some roasted potatoes or hot chips for an indulgent cheese fries type scenario
- roasted brussels sprouts are great for dipping
- pickles
In case you can't tell, I am not a low-carb kinda girl, and really go all out if I am going to serve something as cheesy and indulgent as this cheese dip.
Can This Be Made Ahead/Stored For Later?
You can make this ahead up until the step of putting it in the oven, which makes it just perfect for bringing along to a potluck if you will have access to an oven once you get there.
Simply pop all the ingredients into the casserole dish and cover with a lid or some cling wrap and store in the fridge until ready to heat up.
It really needs to be served warm so that the cheese is melted. Once it cools the cheese may become congealed and impossible to dip.
So if you can eat it all straight from the oven, then do that.
If you can't, you probably don't want to be reheating the chicken, so it would be better popped into a wrap cold with some salad leaves and enjoyed that way.
Can It Be Made Vegetarian?
Whilst it has so much cheese it cannot be made vegan, you can definitely leave out the chicken if you want to make this a vegetarian cheese dip.
If you try out this easy cheese dip I would love to hear from you, so be sure to pop back and leave a comment. Let me know what you served it with!!
Need some more cheesy goodness in your life? Check these out:
- Coconut and Lemon Cheesecake Fat Bomb (keto)
- Dark Chocolate Blackberry Cheesecake Fat Bomb (keto)
- Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Fat Bombs (keto)
- Protein-Rich Carrot Cake Muffins Stuffed With Cream Cheese
- Marinated Goat Cheese Log With Garden Herbs
Happy Eating
xx
Recipe
Pesto Chicken and Cheese Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 ounces rotisserie chicken shredded
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup cherry tomaties halved
- ½ cup red sweet peper diced
- ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 2.5 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, except one cup of mozzarella and the tomatoes. Mix well.
- Gently fold in the tomatoes.
- Place the chicken mixture in the prepared casserole dish, spread it even, top with the leftover mozzarella cheese, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
- Top with extra peppers, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning if desired and enjoy!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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