Get your party off to the right start with this all too tasty chicken, spinach and artichoke dip!
Holidays are coming! Holidays are coming!! Isn’t it true that sometimes all we need is a good appetizer? Spinach and artichoke dips come in all forms but I prefer mine with a nice addition of blackened chicken. It really ups the flavor factor. Not to mention it adds protein so just maybe we won’t feel like we need to eat the entire bowl of dip.
Appetizers are a funny thing ya know. I mean we don’t just eat them on any night of the week. There’s usually got to be something special going on like a party, holiday dinner, or we are at a restaurant in order to dip our hands into an appetizer. So then what do we do? Fill up on the appetizers! But somehow when supper comes I am always able to continue to eat my dinner. It just happens!
I love spinach and artichoke dips! They are one of my top favs. Gotta say the addition of blackened chicken makes it even better.
There are basically 4 easy steps to this dip:
1. The blackened chicken
2. Cooking the onion, garlic, and spinach
3. In a food processor, pulse the cream cheese, greek yogurt, and mayo
4. Combine everything together and bake
One thing I love about this dip is that I honestly can take a few bites of it and be satisfied! Is it delicious? Absolutely! But given the ingredients, I don’t feel I need a handful’s worth of crackers and a cup full of dip. This dip has a lot of substance and you won’t feel like you are stalking this dip before dinner and constantly “stealing” more bites like you are James Bond.
So, read on for the recipe and plan to amaze yoself with your mad appetizer skillz!!
Easy Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 4-5 chicken tenderloins
- 1/2 teaspoon Traeger Blackened Saskatchewan seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt divided
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 10 oz frozen spinach thawed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 oz cream cheese reduced fat or regular
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 10 oz frozen artichoke hearts thawed
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- In a shallow dish, combine Blackened Saskatchewan seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Spray chicken with olive oil spray or non-stick cooking spray. Coat chicken on both sides with seasoning blend.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high in a fry pan. Add seasoned chicken to pan and cook for four minutes, flip chicken and cook another four minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout. Let cool and then shred.
- With thawed spinach, squeeze out any excess water using a clean kitchen towel or a couple large paper towels, which is what I prefer to use. Try to remove as much water from the spinach as possible so your dip won't turn out runny.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium fry pan. Add chopped onion and cook about 8 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine cream cheese, greek yogurt, and mayo. Pulse several times until mixture looks smooth, scrape sides, and pulse 1-2 more times.
- In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, spinach mixture, cream cheese mixture, and grated Parmesan. Stir well until combined.
- Transfer mixture to a 1 quart baking dish, sprinkle bread crumbs on top, and bake for 20-22 minutes. or until top is golden brown.
More Delicious Appetizers
Skinny Onion Rings & Sweet Potato Fries
Mexican-Style Bruschetta
