Equipment
Ingredients
Dip Base
- 250 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 120 ml caesar dressing
- 100 g sour cream, full fat
- 2 garlic, minced
Fillings
- 300 g cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 150 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 50 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Topping and Garnish
- 50 g garlic croutons, roughly crushed
- 20 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 g fresh parsley, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 403 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 598 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 98 mg
- Potassium
- 200 mg
- Calcium
- 263 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 270 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 170 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 5.5 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 69 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease a 1-liter baking dish lightly with non-stick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Caesar dressing, sour cream, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well blended.
Fold the shredded chicken, shredded mozzarella, and the 50 grams of parmesan cheese into the cream cheese mixture until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Transfer the chicken and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
Sprinkle the crushed croutons and the remaining 20 grams of parmesan cheese evenly across the top of the dip.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the crouton topping is toasted and golden brown.
Remove the dip from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving warm with sturdy crackers, crostini, or celery sticks.
Chef's Notes
- Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken is an excellent shortcut here. The slight roasted flavor adds depth to the dip.
- Do not over-crush the croutons. Leaving some larger chunks provides a crucial textural contrast against the creamy dip.
- This dish is quite heavy, so provide acidic or fresh vessels alongside bread, such as endive leaves, celery sticks, or carrot batons.
- To prepare ahead of time, assemble the base dip in the baking dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Wait to add the crushed croutons until right before baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The crouton topping will lose its crunch.
Reheating: Reheat portions in the microwave or oven until warmed through. Add fresh crushed croutons after reheating.
Troubleshooting
The dip is excessively greasy or has pools of oil on top
Cause: The mayonnaise in the dressing or the cheese separated due to overheating
Fix: Gently dab the pools of oil off the surface with a paper towel before serving.
Prevention: Ensure you are using high-quality cheeses and do not bake at temperatures higher than recommended.
The cream cheese base is lumpy
Cause: The cream cheese was too cold when mixed with the other wet ingredients
Fix: Cannot be easily fixed once baked, but the heat will soften the lumps making it less noticeable.
Prevention: Leave cream cheese at room temperature for 1 hour before preparing the recipe.
Cultural Context
The Caesar salad was famously invented in Tijuana, Mexico by Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini in 1924, but it has since become an undisputed icon of American dining. Transforming popular, recognizable flavor profiles into warm, comforting baked dips is a hallmark of American party cuisine. This dish merges the tangy, umami-rich profile of the classic salad with the gooey comfort of a traditional cheese dip.
