Delicious BBQ Chicken Dip Recipe

Who doesn’t love BBQ chicken? This dip brings all the amazing flavors of your favorite food together in a fun and simple recipe…because the only thing better than BBQ chicken is BBQ chicken dip! Topped with melty cheese and pieces of dill pickle are the perfect way to top it off.

Now let’s get right to the good stuff…

how to make bbq chicken dip

INGREDIENTS:

Gather your ingredients and get ready to make this amazing dip, good enough to eat as a meal. This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 8oz package cream cheese-softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 packet ranch seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (divided)
• 1 cup BBQ sauce of your choice
• Dill pickles
• salt & pepper to taste

ingredient information:

• Shredded chicken: Start with 2 cups of shredded chicken or bulk it up a bit more to 3 cups without changing the other ingredients. You can use a rotisserie chicken or keep reading to learn the method that we used.
• Cream cheese: We prefer using Philadelphia brand cream cheese for this dip, though any brand will work. If you haven’t had a chance to leave it out to soften, just pop it in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds.
• Sour cream: Our favorite brand of sour cream is Daisy for both the flavor and texture. You should use your favorite. This can also be swapped out for Greek yogurt.
• Cheddar cheese: You can buy pre-shredded cheese, but the flavor and meltiness are better when you shred it yourself from a block. This cheese has a slightly sharp flavor that melts easily, making it perfect for this dip.
• Dill pickles: It might seem easy to skip this ingredient, but I urge you not to because it really does make all the difference in both flavor and texture. Just grab your favorite brand and give a spear or two a dice.

instructions:

Stick around to the end, and I’ll tell you the best way to prep your chicken for this recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grate your cheddar cheese (for best results).
3. In a bowl, place the shredded chicken, softened cream cheese cut into cubes, sour cream, garlic powder, ½ c shredded cheddar cheese, Ranch mix and salt & pepper to taste. Mix together well.
4. Then add in the BBQ sauce and mix thoroughly. Add more or less according to your taste.
5. Grease or spray the inside of a 2 qt. baking dish and then spread the chicken mixture in the bottom.
6. Spread on top the remaining cheddar cheese.
7. Place in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Remove from oven and garnish with diced dill pickles.

my recipe tips

• Choose your weapon: There are so many types of BBQ sauce out there, including homemade. Feel free to use your favorite one and adjust the level in this recipe according to your personal taste.
• Cheese options: We chose to use cheddar in this recipe for it’s flavor and meltiness (is that a word?). Other cheeses that would also work include Provolone, Monterey Jack, Fontina, Havarti, Mozzarella or Gouda.

recipe video

🍽️ serving ideas

There are lots of things that you can dip into this delicious BBQ chicken dip, but our favorite is some toasted crusty garlic bread. I have the perfect recipe that you can check out HERE. You can also just use chunks of rustic bread, crackers, store made toasties, bagel chips or even tortilla chips. If you want a healthier version, use celery sticks or baby carrots.

If you’re having a get together with lots of appetizers, this dip recipe is great alongside this sushi dip or this charcuterie dip. Then there will be a little something for everyone.

how to make it a crockpot dip

This is easily made into a crockpot dip. Simply place all of the ingredients into a standard crockpot, except the cheese and pickle toppings. Cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Once the dip is heated through, top with the cheese and leave in the crockpot for about another 30 minutes, until all the cheese is melted. Finish it off by garnishing with dill pickle bits just before serving.

If you don’t already have one at home, this is the perfect time to grab yourself a crockpot. Believe me, they’re a lifesaver. Ours is on a constant rotation for family meals and party favs. For this recipe, we used a 3 quart size like THIS ONE. In all honesty, if you’re making this for a party I would double the recipe and use a 6 to 8 quart crockpot instead, like THIS ONE or THIS ONE.

the best and easiest shredded chicken

We use a lot of shredded chicken in our house for various recipes throughout the week. So, I cook it all in one batch in the crockpot. Just trim the fat and cartilage off boneless and skinless chicken breasts and toss them in the crockpot. Add a pinch of salt and cook on high for approximately 6 hours. The chicken practically falls apart. Just use a couple of forks to shred it. Place in a covered container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

P.S. I’m told by friends that this also works well with an Instapot. Of course, the cook time would be less.

P.P.S. If you’re a person who loves their gadgets, check out this gizmo that shreds the chicken for you. It makes the process even faster.

recipe notes

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best results for this super yummy dip.
• Storage: Keep leftovers (if you even have any) covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dip, as it may affect the texture.
• Dip prep: You can prepare this BBQ dip ahead of time, but I’d wait until the time of serving to add the cheese and pop it in the oven.
• Reheat: You can use the microwave, air fryer or oven to reheat this dip. My preference is to place it back in the oven until warmed through and the cheese is melty. Whatever method you decide to use, keep a close eye so that the dip does not become burnt.