An oven baked Cheesy Chicken Dip that's hella spicy with fresh hot chili peppers, Pepper Jack cheese, spicy salsa, and chipotle peppers.
The start of college and NFL football games means one thing...it's time for some good game eats! I made this Hella Spicy Cheesy Chicken Dip to munch on while my beloved alma mater, University of Tennessee, played their first game this past Saturday (GO VOLS!!!).
This dip is everything and more in the freakin' hot-as-heck department. It ain't for the faint of tongue; however, if you can't stand the heat you can still partake in this dip by substituting mild peppers for the spicy ones.
I make a lot of oven baked cheese dips during the football season and they all are made with the same base. Cream cheese, shredded Monterey Jack, and a touch of garlic and onion powders. This recipe came about when I was getting ready to make my typical Buffalo chicken dip for the UT game.
All the ingredients were laid out on the table, ready for me to start mixing, when I suddenly became uninspired with my dip decision. The game day noshing season just started and I'm already in a major dip rut.
This was pretty serious, as the game was starting in an hour, so I dug around in the refrigerator to see what other stuff I could add to my base mixture.
Most of the time spicy cheese dips don't quite do it for me, so I decided to go full on hella spicy with this one. My inspiration for this recipe was the handful of organic Hungarian hot wax peppers I had just picked up from my CSA.
Gorgeous, greenish-yellow peppers that look deceptively similar to the extremely mild banana pepper but have the heat level of a badass jalapeño.
Yeah, these babies need to make it into my recipe. I quickly sautéed a couple of minced peppers and added them to my dip base, along with a few chipotle peppers, shredded pepper jack cheese, and a bit of the fresh super spicy salsa I had made earlier.
This new hella spicy dip is my new BFF and freakin' fantastic (if I may say so myself). Me and J ate the whole thing in one sitting and I'm actually surprised I even shared it with him.
There are two foods in this world that I never share with others: cheese dips and french fries. I will cut you if you try to take either one of these away from me without my permission or invitation. Consider yourself warned.
Tonight's NFL football game is the first regular season game of my favorite team, New England Patriots, (woooohoooo!) and I'm making this dip again to snack on.
I'm actually going to try two new things with the dip when I make it:
- I'm going to use habanero jack cheese
- I'm grilling the Hungarian hot wax peppers whole, then cutting them up.
I'll let you know how it goes and if I have any taste buds left after eating it.
Try this Hella Spicy Cheesy Chicken Dip recipe next time you need some good game day eats or you want to snack on a spicy cheesy dip!
Hella Spicy Cheesy Chicken Dip
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized fresh hot chili peppers, about ¼ cup of jalapeño, habanero, Hungarian hot wax peppers, etc., minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces regular cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¾ cup Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cup cooked chicken breast, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup spicy salsa
- 3 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Serve with: tortilla chips, crackers, toasted baguette slices, or assorted fresh vegetables
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/176C degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the minced hot peppers to the pan and sauté until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In an oven proof glass casserole dish, add the softened cream cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, cooked chicken, salsa, chipotle chilies, chili powder, garlic powder, and the cooled cooked hot peppers. Mix well with a spatula and evenly smooth top of dip mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until dip is bubbling and lightly browned on top and edges.
- Serve hot with tortilla chips, crackers, toasted baguette slices, or assorted fresh vegetables.
Whitney @ That Square Plate
Oh this looks SO delicious! We made the mistake of using the hot Hungarian peppers in a stuffed pepper recipe recently -- we had JUST made the same recipe with some peppers that looked identical but were super mild! It blew our mind! haha! But now we know the difference. I'm obsessed with buffalo dip too (especially on football game days), but this looks like a nice change - I love spice!!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Oh no!! They look so similar to the sweet banana pepper, so I wonder if that's the pepper you used the first time. Nothing like eating a blazing spicy pepper when you are anticipating it being a mild one
simonacallas
Looks wonderful and easy to make. Thank you for this recipe, Karrie
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you Simona! It is super easy to make and spicy
Rachel
"Hella Spicy"? Love the name!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Hahaha! Thanks Rachel
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu
Good golly! This looks SO cheesy and delicious! I just want to grab my bag of corn chips and dive right in - amazing!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks! Get yo bag of corn chips and do it Jessica!
Dani @ Dani California Cooks
This looks awesome!! I'm always looking for new fun dip recipes to change it up.
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Many thanks Dani and I love all dip recipes. Although I have zero self control when it comes to eating a big bowl of dip and that's not always a good thing
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness
I love anything spicy!! This sounds right up my alley!!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Me too Cathleen! Spicy makes everything better
annie@ciaochowbambina
We're big college football fans in our house, too - so I'm always on the lookout for the perfect tailgate food...this will definitely make the cut for our next gathering!!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Yay Annie to college football!! Fall football Saturdays are the best! We are big SEC fans so have to watch all of those games
Vineetha @ Mint and Mimosas
Perfect hot dip for the start of football season, and I love a good hot dip (plus, spicy cheesy chicken?! I mean nothing in that sounds wrong to me). Great to see some alma mater pride! My undergrad university didn't have a football team (I know, completely sad - but we did have an awesome basketball team), but like any true Virginian (imo), I gotta support Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!)
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks so much Vineetha! My hubby went to a business university so he didn't have a football team either. He is so psyched to have a college team to root for now
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
What a great idea! I don't make football watching food, but this would be perfect for our next family get-together....it looks delicious!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks Kathy. Hope you all enjoy it!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
Girl, you totally crack me up! This dip looks dangerously delicious, but I won't take it from you because I do not want to be cut!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Smart girl...haha! Thanks Rachelle
Jared Graves
Great recipe and just in time for football season! I am definitely making this Sunday for the games.
Thanks for posting!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks Jared and hope you like it!
Gaila Perez
Oh Karrie, I mean you don't even need to wait for a game to have this dip, I mean cheesy + spicy, you can never go wrong, thanks for sharing this recipe, I am welcoming my Friday night with this, pita chips and cold beer!
Cheers!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you Gaila and I am jealous of your Friday night! Pita chips would be so great with this dip. I can eat a whole family-sized bag of pita chips with a large bowl of dip all by myself
Dawn
You're speaking my language here, Karrie - cheesey & spicy! Love this and just in time for the weekend! Thanks for the great recipe. Have a great weekend
Karrie@tastyeverafter
You're welcome Dawn! hahahaha!! Seriously, thank you for your kind comments and cheesy & spicy is the language I answer to also Hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
Oh girl...if it's "hella" spicy, then all I can think of in my head is Bon Qui Qui saying "Suh-curity!!!" because that's what I'm gonna need to make sure no one comes near me and this dip when I make it. I LOVE spicy dips like this..LOVE! In fact, Bon Qui Qui specifically says "Girl, I will cut you!" which is totally what I would do too, Karrie. Mmm...in fact, you gave me an idea of making this dip with fries....YUM!! Who cares if we don't have taste buds after...we're just gonna wash it all down with beer anyways! Bring on football and amazingly delicious cheesy dips like this...'mericuh!!!
Seriously, Karrie....I just want to eat at your house everyday. Cuban dinners, spicy cheesy dips, wine slushies....do you have a guest room?
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Girl, you know you gots to say it in Bon Qui Qui's accent! hahahaha! Oh my, fries dipped in this dip would be good. I might have to do that next time, served with lots of beer. Yes, you can come over anytime to eat at my house, as long as I can eat at yours too (bring on the French desserts!)
Kathryn Doherty
YES to this hella spicy cheese dip! Seriously, bring on the heat! I used to be the semi-wimp in the family and now I catch my husband sniffling and tearing up at my seriously hot dishes. Ha! I'll go full on heat here and hope I don't have to share And p.s. we need to do lunch because I don't like fries (I know, what's wrong with me?) so no risk of you cutting me. Cheers and nom nom to football season!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
That's too funny Kathryn! Fingers crossed that you won't have to share. hahahaha You are so my WCLD (Woman Crush Lunch Date) because you don't eat fries. I will go to lunch with you any time, any place. #doublefriesforme
Michelle @ Unbound Wellness
Would you call me crazy if I said that I mainly look forward to football season for the snacks? Because I'm saying it. And this looks amazing! My mom is Hungarian and I am familiar with the spicy peppers... those suckers are hot!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Heck no Michelle! It's really all about the game day snacks anyways
Ben Maclain | Havocinthekitchen
Holy macaroni! Mmm I mean holy dip!:) What a delicious combo you've got here, Karrie! Even though I'm not a football fan at all, I'm always a fan of a good dip! And I've just found another one. Pinned for the times I became a football fan (or earlier) haha. Well done!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks so much Ben. You know, I can't trust a person who doesn't like a good dip. Hahahaha!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
We are food besties for a reason... or was I replaced by dip and fries without my knowledge? (dont answer that) YOU had me at Hella spicy. Throw in the word dip and I was literally telling Boy to stop talking because I needed to see what this deliciousness was all about. Hella delicious, spicy; creamy spectacular" is what I am naming this. For realz, Karrie.. this rocks the dang hizzzous. Almost as much as my Noles or Dawgs. (Vols what?!?) I am SO making this, with your little substitutions for the next round. Give me all the spice! Pinned! Cheers, my sweets. And remember.. all is fair in food and football!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
LOL! You weren't replaced by dip or fries until you mentioned Noles & Dawgs. I'm on the hunt for a new Foodie BFF now. BTW, I ate the new revamped spicier version and this girl is on fire!!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
This looks like my perfect dip, and the spicier the better I say. I can't get enough spicy food at the moment.
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you Dannii! I'm all about spicy food, all the time
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom
I'm not necessarily a football fan, but I love the food extravaganza that culminates around it! My proving ground is not on the field, but on the beer-soaked buffet table at tailgate parties And I know this dip would be devoured! I love a dip with a great spice to it and this is great for all of the holidays coming up!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Hahaha! Thanks Kathleen and I totally agree that good game day eats (and beer) are the best!