This Bubbling Chicken Bacon Ranch Dip Has One Cheesy Secret

It's no secret that the chicken bacon ranch flavor profile is a beloved and crowd-pleasing one, with the trio cropping up in everything from casseroles to pizzas to rice bowls and, of course, classic dips. A good chicken bacon ranch dip strikes that perfect balance between savory, meaty flavors, along with plenty of melty cheesiness and a kick of tangy seasoning thanks to the herby ranch influence. Of course, not all variations on this fan-favorite dip are created equal, and if you want one that's truly going to wow party guests, then this pimento chicken bacon ranch dip recipe from developer Patterson Watkins is just the solution.

As the name gives away, there's a secret weapon in this dip that gives it a unique and undeniably delicious edge: pimento peppers. Pimentos, which are somewhat similar to red bell peppers, are very mild, sweet-leaning peppers that are common in Southern cuisine, perhaps most famously in pimento cheese. Watkins' take on pimento chicken bacon ranch dip leans into this pimento cheese influence, resulting in an ultra-savory dip with just the right sweet pepper kick to truly make things interesting. "It is not your average, ho-hum chicken bacon ranch dip," Watkins tells us, adding, "That fresh herb (parsley, dill, scallion) addition really pops and gives this dip depth." Watkins also highlights the visual (and flavor) appeal of the peppers. "The pimentos add a nice color contrast to the otherwise drab combo you would normally get with just the cheddar, bacon, and chicken," she notes, adding, "That red pepper sweetness is lovely as well."

The ingredients for this pimento chicken bacon ranch dip are pretty straightforward, starting with chopped bacon, softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, dried minced onion, dried minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rotisserie chicken adds a convenient meaty touch, while fresh herbs like parsley, scallions, and dill help brighten things up. Finally, you'll just need jarred pimento peppers and some grated cheddar cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Spritz a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Place the chopped bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet, and set it aside to drain on paper towels.

Place the softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, dried onion, dried garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Whisk until smooth and combined.

Add the chicken, pimentos, parsley, scallions, dill, 2 cups of cheddar, and half of the bacon to the bowl.

Using a rubber spatula, stir to combine the dip.

Transfer the dip to the prepared casserole dish and spread it out in an even layer.

Sprinkle the dip with the remaining cheese and place it in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the dip is bubbly and the cheese has melted and is lightly golden.

Remove the dip from the oven and sprinkle it with bacon. Garnish with a light sprinkle of parsley, scallions, and dill.

Serve your hot dip with an assortment of chips, crackers, and crudité veggies for dipping and dunking.

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As written, this recipe calls for you to serve the dip fresh from the oven, while it's nice and hot and bubbly. If you're someone who prefers a cold dip, though, then you could easily transform this recipe to be served chilled, more akin to a cheese ball than a casserole. (Or, you could simply consume the leftovers cold, as Watkins did, which would be equally delicious.)

If you do want to go the cold cheese ball route, start by skipping the oven preheating and casserole dish prepping steps entirely. Prepare the dip as written up through the mixing steps, then set aside those residual amounts of bacon, herbs, and cheddar cheese. Refrigerate the mixed dip for a few hours so that it's easier to work with. Once the mixture is nice and firm, remove it from the fridge and divvy it up into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, roll the balls in a mixture of the reserved bacon, cheddar, and herbs (ideally mixed together and spread out onto a shallow plate), then voila — you've got pimento chicken bacon ranch cheese balls. Wrap the balls in plastic and store them in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

Rotisserie chicken is one of those staple grocery store items that's reliable, versatile, inexpensive, and delicious — so, naturally, Watkins is a big fan of using it whenever possible. "If there was a bumper sticker promoting rotisserie chicken, I would proudly display it," she quips. Though rotisserie chicken is a key ingredient in this chicken bacon ranch dip recipe, Watkins notes that you'll only use about half a rotisserie chicken's worth of meat for this recipe, but fortunately, there are plenty of ways to put that remaining meat (and even the chicken's carcass) to good use.

Watkins' first order of business with her leftover rotisserie chicken meat was using it in chicken salad, and she also put leftover herbs from this recipe to use in the same dish. Another suggestion is to use leftover meat in a pasta recipe, like a creamy Tuscan one. Once all of the meat is gone, use the carcass to make homemade chicken broth (which can then be used in all sorts of recipes, from sauces to soups and beyond). But feel free to get creative and put your leftover rotisserie chicken meat to use as you deem fit — there are virtually endless options. "Since chicken is that universal protein, rotisserie chicken fits in with many/most cuisine types," Watkins adds. While she typically goes with the standard, plain rotisserie chicken (which offers the most versatility), she also notes that herby or seasoned ones are just as delicious, and they'd work well in this dip recipe, too.

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