AKA: "Chickle Dip", "The Megan Dip", or as Josie calls it: "Dip Dip.”
I created this recipe with one thing in mind: MEGAN.
Who’s Megan, you ask? Well, it’s actually “Meghan” (I went with the most common spelling), and she was my muse for my “What to feed your friend named Megan” video.
I haven’t officially named this series, but I unofficially call it “Hungry Hungry Millennials,” which I thought up after looking at my current Instagram demographics. 96% women, 67% millennials. Just a bunch of wine and snack-obsessed Sarahs, Megans, Ashleys, Jessicas, Jennifers, Amandas, and Stephanies. (To name a few.)
I did some research on common personality traits associated with popular millennial women's names. Obviously, that “research” isn’t rooted in much, but it CRACKED me up how accurate they are!!
For example, common personality traits for Megans: Kind, loyal, practical, methodical, competitive, athletic, strong-willed.
This fit one of my closest friends (Meghan) to a T. She’s that always-there-when-you-need-her, will-do-anything-for-her-girls kinda friend. She’s strong-willed, she’ll never miss a WOD, she’s competitive as shit, and she’s ALWAYS down for a glass (or three) of rosé.
She’s also told me several times that she loves my classic dill pickle dip, so I made a new one in her honour. And in honour of all Megans.
PS!! I also recently made a Sarah plate (my Boursin-Stuffed Pepperoncini Burrata Plate & Frozen Tomatini), and the common personality traits were spot on for my best friend Sarah! So fun. Here’s the video if you missed it:
More pickle dip recipes:
For all Dill Pickle Recipes: Go to Recipe Index → By Popular Ingredient (Pickles)
More quick & easy dips paired with rosé:
For all rosé pairings: Go to Wine Index → Find Recipes by Wine Style (Rosé)
My goal for this pairing was to keep it simple, accessible, bright, and delicious. And rosé checked all the boxes.
My Pick: Casa Santos Lima ‘Joya’ Rosé
I’m a sucker for Provence rosé from Southern France, but my goal this Spring/Summer is to branch out and share some different styles from other wine regions around the world. This Portuguese rosé caught my attention for three reasons:
The price (less than $20 CAD) — AKA accessible.
The lower alcohol percentage (around 10% ABV) — AKA likely off-dry, but probably not super sweet.
It’s rating on Vivino (3.9), and the general positive vibe of the reviews — AKA people are into it.
Side note: I love Vivino ratings since they’re basically crowd-sourced reviews. I don’t look at them to determine if a wine is “good” or not, but rather to see what the average person thinks of it.
I loved the idea of a deliciously fresh, crisp, fruit-forward rosé with a hint of sweetness to pair with this savoury, cheesy, pickle-forward dip. And it was awesome!! The kind of wine that can only be described as crushable, with an equally crushable dip.
If you can’t find this one, here are some other rosés that would be great:
OR here are my top 3 alternatives for this dip:
Sauvignon Blanc (or other zesty & herbaceous whites)
Bubbles! Prosecco, Cava, or Pet Nat; Rosé or not — they’d all be great!
Orange wine could be fun!
Cheesy Chicken Pickle Dip
Makes: 4 cups
Active time: 10 minutes (with optional 1+ hour in the fridge)
An easy, protein-packed, pickle-forward dip that you will keep coming back to. This one can be left as a cold chip dip, or heated up for an absolutely delicious hot cheesy dip!
Knife
Cutting board
Mixing bowl
Dip dish
NOTE: You can also make this a hot dip using the oven or microwave. If using the oven, make sure you choose an oven-safe dip dish. If using the microwave, make sure you choose a microwave-safe mixing bowl and an oven-safe dip dish (for broiling)
For the dip:
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (see notes)
2 cups dill pickles, finely chopped
2 cups aged cheddar, finely shredded (reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
1 cup (8oz block) room-temperature or softened cream cheese (see notes)
1 cup high-fat sour cream (I recommend 14% or 18% MF if you can find it)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 lemon, juiced (around 2 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice)
3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (reserve around 1 tbsp for topping)
3 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped (reserve around 1 tbsp for topping)
2 tbsp pickle brine
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Optional toppings:
Reserved finely shredded cheddar
1/4 cup cheesy cracker crumbs (like Cheez-its or Goldfish) *add 1/4 cup crackers to a ziplock bag, seal, and crush with a rolling pin (or wine bottle 😉)
Reserved chopped herbs (dill and chives)
Optional Garnish:
3 pickle slices
Dill sprigs
Dippers:
Salt & Vinegar kettle chips (alternatives: Honey Dijon, Spicy Dill Pickle, Jalapeno Cheddar)
Cheez-its, RITZ crackers, mini naans
Prepare all ingredients: Shred the rotisserie chicken (see notes), chop pickles and herbs, shred the cheese, and soften the cream cheese if needed (see notes).
Set aside some shredded cheese and herbs for the topping, then add all ingredients (except for the salt) to a medium-to-large mixing bowl. Stir to combine, taste, then add salt to taste and adjust other ingredients as desired. If time allows, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour for the flavours to meld.
(2 cups shredded chicken, 2 cups chopped pickles, 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 1 cup softened cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, juice from 1 lemon, 2 tbsp chopped dill, 2 tbsp chopped chives, 2 tbsp pickle brine, 2 tsp dijon mustard, 2 tsp hot sauce, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper)
If you’re making this a hot dip, skip to the MAKE IT HOT section below. If serving cold, transfer dip to your dip dish, add optional toppings/garnish, and serve with dippers of choice and a big ol’ glass of rosé!!
(1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar, 1/4 cup cheesy cracker crumbs, 1 tbsp chopped dill, 1 tbsp chopped chives; Garnish: dill sprigs and 3 pickle slices)
Shredding the chicken:
The easiest way to shred a rotisserie chicken is to refrigerate it first! Once it’s cold, pull off the chicken breasts, remove the skin, and then pull the meat apart.
Softening the cream cheese:
I always recommend softening the cream cheese so you can easily mix it with the other ingredients without leaving big chunks behind. I find the best way to do this is to microwave the cream cheese (in a microwave-safe bowl) for around 30-60 seconds (30 seconds for half an 8oz block, 60 for a full block).
Alternatively, just leave it out of the fridge until it reaches room temperature, and it should be easy to mix in :)
Adjusting to taste:
As with most of my dip recipes, it’s important to taste and adjust the ingredients before committing. Different product brands will have different flavours, salt, acidity, etc. For example, cream cheese can vary in flavour depending on the brand (ps. if you’re in Canada, Superstore’s No Name cream cheese is not great!!), and some pickle brands will be more intensely salted and vinegar-forward than others, or have added flavours (like garlic). So, depending on the brands you use, you may need to adjust things like salt, acidity, spice, etc. Here’s a general guide to help you out:
Salt: I always recommend tasting the dip base before adding any salt, then adding some “to taste” from there.
For more salt, you can either add actual salt or salty things (in this case, pickles or pickle brine).
If it’s too salty, you can increase the acidity or fat. For this dip in particular, you would want to add more fresh lemon juice or sour cream (instead of pickle brine or mayonnaise, which are both salty).
Acid:
For more acidity, add more pickle brine or lemon juice.
If it’s too acidic, add more fat (mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar)
Spice/heat:
For more spice/heat, add more hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
If it’s too spicy, add more fat (mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar)
Flavour: For more flavour, you can add more
salt or acidity (pickle brine, lemon juice) *pickle brine is awesome because it’s both!!
flavour (herbs, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, or anything else you think would be delicious in this dip!!)
Texture:
If it’s too thick, add
more pickle brine or lemon juice (if it could also use more acidity)
more mayonnaise (start with around 1/4 cup, then add more from there if needed)
around 1/4 cup whole milk (1-2 tbsp at a time), mixing between each addition until you reach your desired consistency.
If it’s too thin, add more shredded chicken, cheese, or chopped pickles (the chicken will be the most effective, then the cheese, then the pickles).
MAKE IT HOT!!
This dip is fantastic cold, but it’s a TREAT heated up. You can do this in the oven (like a classic baked dip) or in the microwave (so easy, so delish).
Oven Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
After combining all the ingredients for the dip base, transfer to an oven-safe dip dish and top with the reserved cheddar.
Bake for around 20 minutes, or until the dip is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and add remaining toppings and garnish of choice.
Microwave Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients in a microwave-safe mixing bowl, then microwave in 1-minute intervals, mixing well between each minute until the dip is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Transfer the hot dip to an oven-safe dip dish, top with the reserved cheddar, and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and add remaining toppings and garnish of choice.
CLICK HERE for the full index of Wine & Dip recipes + pairings 🍷
I hope you love this one, and as always, thank you for being here 💛
Your support means the world to me!!
