A Squared: Game Day Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Dip with Baked Tortilla Chips

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Game Day Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Dip with Baked Tortilla Chips

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

 
At this time of year, Sunday = game day in my house. Chicago winters are notoriously frigid, so we love nothing more than hunkering down, turning on the big game (or a whole day full of football games), and enjoying some football-worthy snacks from the comfort of our own living room. When we're watching the big game at home-- whether we are entertaining friends or it is just our little family-- I like to serve the kind of fun food that you'd get at your favorite sports bar right in my own kitchen. A football watch party is the perfect excuse to make something that's cheesy and spicy... two requirements for football food in our house.


This past weekend was a particularly good one for brushing up on some new game day recipes: there were big playoff games on all day and it was only about 5 degrees outside, which meant we weren't going anywhere... except to make a quick stop at Tony's Finer Foods to stock up on essential ingredients for game day snacks. Tony's carries a vast selection of ethnic foods including La Morena products, which were exactly what I needed for my game day recipe. La Morena pepper products are some of the highest quality in this category. They've been made the traditional way for over 25 years, ensuring authenticity and-- most importantly-- the best taste in any of your favorite Mexican recipes. I love the spicy smoky flavor of chipotles, so I knew I wanted to incorporate La Morena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce into a game day dip that is decadent, delicious, and most of all-- easy! And this cheesy chipotle chicken dip really fits the bill.


This dip is essentially a Mexican twist on Buffalo chicken dip, a classic American tailgate dish. It starts with a rich base of cream cheese and sour cream, with kicked up Mexican flavor from chopped La Morena chipotles and the reserved adobo sauce. I added in some fresh onions and red bell pepper for a little sweetness and texture and then came the super easy part: I shredded up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocer's prepared foods department and folded that into the mixture, really bulking up the dip and adding some much needed 'meatiness' to it. It's all topped with a generous layer of shredded Chihuahua cheese, which has a wonderful mild flavor and is an excellent melting cheese for any Mexican dish. It bakes up beautifully-- all brown and bubbly-- and then I finished it off with a few La Morena Sliced Green Pickled Jalapeño Peppers. I love how that bright pickle flavor cuts through the richness of a super cheesy dish like this one. And my husband always appreciates an additional kick of heat, no matter what the dish!


I served this dip with homemade baked tortilla chips, which are also super easy to make. Soft corn tortillas crisp up really nicely in the oven with just a little oil, salt, and pepper and are baked, not fried... so you can enjoy even more of that cheesy dip and feel less guilty. So sit back, cheer on your favorite team, and enjoy!


This dip is the perfect marriage of bold Mexican flavors and the kind of creamy cheesy snacks we love to indulge in on game day. Serve it at your next big game watching party and wow your guests!

What's your go to game day recipe?


Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Dip with Baked Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Tbs. canola oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 6 oz. cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup low fat milk
  • From 1 (7-oz.) can La Morena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce:
    • 2 -3 chipotle peppers
    • 2 1/2 Tbs. adobo sauce
  • 1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken *Available in your grocer's deli or prepared foods department
  • 1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese
  • La Morena Sliced Green Pickled Jalapeño Peppers, for serving
  • Soft taco size corn tortillas
  • Olive oil or cooking spray
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dip:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in minced garlic and saute for another 2 minutes, until vegetables are soft and golden. Remove from heat.

Add cream cheese to a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low for about 60-90 seconds until cream cheese is melted. Remove from microwave and stir in sour cream and milk.

Remove the chipotles from the can and transfer to a cutting board. Carefully cut each pepper open, scrape out the seeds with a fork, and discard. Roughly chop the chipotles and add to the cream cheese mixture along with the reserved adobo sauce and the onion and red bell pepper mixture. Stir well to combine.

Transfer rotisserie chicken to a cutting board. Remove both the white and dark meat chicken from the bone. Use two forks to shred the chicken well. Fold into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.

Spread the chicken mixture evenly into a 9x9" baking dish or into a 9" pie plate. Sprinkle the Chihuahua cheese evenly over the top and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Top warm dip with La Morena Sliced Green Pickled Jalapeño Peppers, as desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping.


For the chips:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and then lightly coat with olive oil or cooking spray.

Slice each corn tortilla into 6 equally sized triangular wedges (like a pie). Spread the wedges out evenly on the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil or cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake the tortillas for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from oven and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool completely.

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