This dip came to life the day after I made my Sunday Chicken Roast. I had half a chicken breast left and instead of just reheating it, I shredded it down and turned it into this. It is fresh, crunchy, creamy, and packed with texture from the apple, jalapenos, and pepperoncini. The Caesar dressing ties everything together and gives it that familiar tangy, garlicky flavor that I am clearly obsessed with at this point.
If you have been following the blog for a while you already know about my Caesar obsession. It started with a classic Caesar salad, then came the Caesar pasta salad, the Caesar club sandwich, the Caesar burger, and now this. The Caesar dressing is one of those things that just keeps finding new homes and this dip might be its best one yet. Every recipe in the series uses the same base dressing and I have included it below so you can make it fresh, but if you already have a batch in the fridge from another recipe it works perfectly here too.
Eat it as a dip, spoon it into lettuce cups as a light snack, or use it as a sandwich filling. I ended up using mine to make a sandwich the next day and that recipe is coming right after this one.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Another addition to the Caesar series and one of the most creative yet
- A great way to use up leftover roast chicken
- Fresh, crunchy, and creamy all in one bowl
- The apple adds a sweetness that works beautifully with the Caesar dressing
- Ready in under 10 minutes with no cooking required
- Works as a dip, a lettuce cup filling, or a sandwich base
About the Chicken
This recipe was born from leftover chicken from my Sunday Chicken Roast. If you have made that recipe and have some chicken left over, this is the perfect way to use it. You need around 300 to 400g of cooked shredded chicken, which is roughly half a large chicken breast.
If you do not have leftover roast chicken, here are a few easy alternatives:
Pan fried chicken: Season a chicken breast with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Cook in a pan over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Let it cool before shredding.
Boiled chicken: Place the chicken breast in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through. Remove and let it cool before shredding. This gives you the most neutral flavor which lets the Caesar dressing and other ingredients do the talking.
Rotisserie chicken: Store bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly here and saves all the effort. Just pull the meat off, shred it, and you are ready to go.
However you cook it, shred the chicken using two forks or pop it in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low for a minute for the quickest, most even shred.
Ingredients
For the Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 4 to 5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Dip
- 300 to 400g cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 apples, finely chopped
- 8 to 10 jalapenos, chopped
- 1 to 2 pepperoncini, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup Caesar dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Make the Caesar Dressing
In a bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You will use 1/4 cup of this for the dip and can store the rest in the fridge for up to 5 days to use in salads, sandwiches, or any other recipe from the Caesar series.
2. Shred the Chicken
Shred the cooked chicken using two forks, by hand, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed for about a minute. You want fine, even shreds rather than large chunks so the dip holds together well.
3. Mix Everything Together
Add the shredded chicken to a large bowl along with the chopped red onion, green bell pepper, apple, jalapenos, and pepperoncini. Add the chopped parsley and pour the Caesar dressing over everything.
Mix well until fully combined and every ingredient is coated in the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Start with a small amount of salt as the Caesar dressing already carries a good amount of seasoning.
4. Taste and Adjust
Taste the dip and adjust to your preference. More Caesar dressing for creaminess, more jalapenos for heat, or a squeeze of lemon if you want more brightness.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.
The Apple in a Savory Dip
I know apple in a savory dip sounds unusual but please trust me on this. The apple adds a gentle sweetness and a crunch that balances the heat from the jalapenos and the tanginess of the Caesar dressing beautifully. It lifts the whole thing and stops it from feeling too heavy. Use a crisp variety like Granny Smith for more tartness or a sweeter apple if you prefer.
The Heat Level
8 to 10 jalapenos sounds like a lot but they are chopped small and distributed throughout the whole dip so the heat is present but not overwhelming. The pepperoncini adds a milder, tangy heat alongside the jalapenos. If you prefer less heat, start with 4 to 5 jalapenos and adjust from there.
How to Serve It
This dip is incredibly versatile. Serve it with crackers or toasted bread as a proper dip. Spoon it into little gem or iceberg lettuce cups for a light fresh snack. Pile it into a sandwich with toasted bread for a full meal. I used mine for a sandwich the next day and that recipe is up next on the blog.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The apple may soften slightly as it sits but the flavor is still great. Give it a quick stir and add a little more Caesar dressing if it needs loosening up before serving.
The Caesar dressing on its own keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and works across the whole Caesar series.
Chicken Caesar Dip
Ingredients
For the Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 4 to 5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Dip
- 300 to 400 g cooked chicken shredded (see notes)
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 apples finely chopped
- 8 to 10 jalapenos chopped
- 1 to 2 pepperoncini chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup Caesar dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together all Caesar dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside 1/4 cup for the dip and store the rest in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Shred the cooked chicken using two forks, by hand, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low for about a minute until finely and evenly shredded. See the note above for how to cook the chicken if you are not using leftovers.
- Add the shredded chicken to a large bowl with the red onion, green bell pepper, apple, jalapenos, pepperoncini, and parsley. Pour 1/4 cup of the Caesar dressing over the top and mix well until fully combined.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust with more dressing, more jalapenos, or a squeeze of lemon as needed. Serve immediately as a dip with crackers or bread, spoon into lettuce cups, or use as a sandwich filling.
