Dips are one of the best game day snacks. My Chicken Enchilada Dip gives you the best flavors of enchiladas without all the work! This dip is zesty, creamy, and comes together in less than an hour. Make this dip the main attraction, or serve it with any of my other dips for a spread to remember. Either way, you’re in for a treat.
Though this dip is Tex-Mex, it’s mild enough for anyone to enjoy. Serve it at your next football party, work potluck, or for a fun snack.
You can make this dip in the oven, but it takes on a whole new flavor when grilled on the Traeger Timberline 1300. This is game day food done BBQ style! My Chicken Enchilada Dip is sure to be a total crowd-pleaser. People won’t be able to get enough of it!
The Ingredients
There’s nothing better than recipes that come together in one trip to the store. You don’t need anything fancy to make great grub! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Whole chicken. You can cook a whole chicken from the freezer, or you can do like I did and purchase a rotisserie chicken. This easy shortcut saves you even more prep time. De-bone the chicken and get rid of any gristle you don’t want in your dip.
- Cream cheese and sour cream. Every dip needs a creamy base. Cream cheese is one of the best ingredients out there! It gives the dip richness and tones down some of the spices. Be sure to leave time for your cream cheese to soften. I also add a little sour cream to give the Chicken Enchilada Dip a hint of tanginess and thin it out.
- Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub. This tasty rub complements the natural flavors of chicken without overpowering it. It contains a secret blend of herbs that will knock your socks off! Use it on fried, grilled, or baked chicken.
- Enchilada sauce. You can’t have Chicken Enchilada Dip without a fantastic sauce! For this recipe, I used red sauce. It gave this appetizer a gorgeous color and well-rounded flavor.
- Green chilies. Chilies add a pop of color to the dip. Green chilies are mild, but they still make the dip taste like authentic enchiladas.
- Cheese. Two kinds of cheese give the dip that “goo” factor we all know and love. I used freshly shredded cheese because it melts evenly and tastes better. This step doesn’t take long but makes a huge difference!
The Smoker Setup
- Pellet grill/smoker. I used a Traeger Timberline 1300 for this cook. This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. The Traeger Timberline 1300 has many excellent features, like a pellet sensor, a super smoke button, and easy transportation.
- I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds. This combination burns hot and fast. I use these pellets often with great results! Royal Oak Charcoal is an excellent brand of clean charcoal without any fillers.
The Process for Making Enchilada Bean Dip
You can find a detailed demonstration of this recipe in the video and recipe card. Here’s a quick overview of how I pulled this delicious dip together.
- Fire up the grill. I stoked the Traeger Timberline 1300 with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds and fired it up to 350℉.
- Prep the chicken and cream cheese. To soften the cream cheese, I placed the block on the counter for an hour. I also shredded the chicken to keep the dip looking homogenous.
- Mix the dip. I placed the shredded chicken in a large mixing bowl and added the cream cheese, sour cream, Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub, enchilada sauce, green chilies, and about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and a cup of Monterey Jack cheese. I used my hands to mix the ingredients until smooth.
- Transfer and cook. I transferred the dip to a Lodge cast iron skillet. I topped it with a little more Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub and the rest of the shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. I set the skillet on the Traeger Timberline 1300 and cooked it for 40 minutes until the cheese was melted and gooey.
- Serve. This dip came off the pit piping hot, so I let it cool for a bit before digging in.
The Results
This dip was creamy, rich, and perfectly zesty. It’s a mild dip anyone can enjoy, but it still has authentic Tex-Mex flair. If you like chicken enchiladas, you’ll adore this Southwest-style dip!
Serving Suggestions for Enchilada Bean Dip
Serve this delicious dip with tortilla chips, carrots, pita chips, celery, or crackers.
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftovers, you can store them for up to 4 days in the fridge. Because this dip contains dairy, I don’t recommend freezing it as the texture would be different when thawed.
Equipment and Tools
Traeger Timberline 1300, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets, Royal Oak Tumbleweeds, Nechtik BBQ Gloves, mixing bowls, ThermoWorks Hotpad/Trivet, disposable cutting boards, Lodge cast iron skillet.
