Name: Chicken Enchilada Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 6 oz cream cheese; 8 oz taco sauce; 15 oz black beans; 10 oz chicken (finely chopped or shredded); 6 oz Colby Jack cheese; 1 green pepper; 1 jalapeno; 1/4 cup red onion; 1 tsp minced garlic; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1/8 cup cilantro

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A delicious and creamy chicken enchilada dip made with peppers, black beans, and lots of cheese. Try it for your next party or on game day.

Enchiladas are so delicious! But they can be time-consuming to prepare, especially if you’re expecting company. Instead of preparing a bunch of enchiladas, try making this cheesy chicken enchilada dip. They have all of the flavors of fresh enchiladas but require half the work.

So, what makes enchilada dip different from say a taco dip? It’s the sauce. An enchilada sauce is typically made with chilis. Enchilada actually means “season with chili.” So while I don’t use a bottled enchilada sauce for my dip, I do use plenty of chili powder. The chili powder gives the enchilada sauce its rich, savory flavor. Add the decadence of all the cheese and it’s an amazing dip full of hearty flavor.

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Enchilada Dip Ingredients

Cream cheese
Chicken
Black Beans
Green pepper
Jalapeno
Red onion
Taco Sauce
Garlic
Chili powder
Cumin
Shredded Colby Jack cheese
Cilantro

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Dip

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, chop the pepper, onion, and jalapeno. The peppers and onions add great crunch and flavor to the dip!

Once the oven is warm, add a bit of olive oil and the 8 oz of cream cheese to an 8×8 baking dish. Heat the cream cheese in the oven for about 5 minutes. This softens the cream cheese, which makes it easier to mix in the other ingredients.

Making the Enchilada Sauce

I don’t love the flavor of jarred enchilada sauce. But I also don’t want to make my own. Instead, I use jarred taco sauce and add a few additional spices to give it a more “enchilada” style flavor. Pour 8 oz of taco sauce into a bowl, then add fresh garlic, cumin, and chili powder to the sauce. Mix it together to evenly distribute the spices.

After the cream cheese melts, add the chicken, black beans, peppers, onion, shredded cheese, and sauce to the pan. Stir the ingredients are well mixed and evenly coated in cream cheese and sauce. Then, place the dip back in the oven for another 25 minutes.

Adding the Chicken

This dip recipe calls for about 10 oz of cooked chicken. I fully believe in making dips, and life, as easy as possible. That means using pre-cooked chicken. Canned chicken is certainly an option. But I prefer rotisserie chicken. Simply peel as much meat from the chicken as possible and then dice it into bite-sized pieces. There’s less prep work and less stress!

If you don’t want to use pre-cooked chicken, then cook your own at home. Once the chicken is cooked, shred or chop it into tiny pieces. The idea is to have a bit of chicken in every bite of the enchilada dip. So small pieces are best.

After 25 minutes, pull the dip out of the oven. Top with another layer of shredded cheese and freshly topped cilantro. Then bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Another option is to add the cilantro at the end, instead of cooking it. Other possible toppings include sour cream for a little added tanginess. Or chopped avocado!

Serve this cheesy chicken enchilada dip with tortilla chips.

Turn This Dip Recipe Into Dinner!

The best part about making a dip out of a dinner recipe? It can be turned back into dinner! Since this dip is full of flavor and protein, it makes for an excellent meal. Serve it inside flour tortillas to make enchilada-style burritos. Add a little shredded lettuce or avocado on top and it’s an excellent, low-maintenance dinner option!

Looking for more dip ideas? Check out my recipes for Texas Caviar Dip, Cheeseburger Dip, or Pizza Dip!