Spicy Chicken Dip

I tried this stuff at a baby shower a few weeks ago, and I'm kind of obsessed with it. I got the recipe, tweaked it ever so slightly, and made some a few days ago. We have actually been eating it for meals, as kind of deconstructed nachos. Brandon was skeptical at first, but when he smelled it cooking he insisted on trying some...and then his face broke into a big grin!

Spicy Chicken Dip

What You'll Need: 

2 large cans (12.5 oz each) cooked, chopped chicken (or 3-4 cups leftover cooked, chopped chicken)

Scant 1/2 cup hot sauce

1 cup ranch dressing

2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded cheddar, divided

1 tsp onion powder

Tortilla chips and veggies for serving

How to Make It: 

Drain the chicken and place it, along with the hot sauce, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to combine it well. When the chicken is hot, add the cream cheese and ranch dressing. Continue stirring and mashing the mixture until the cream cheese is melted, the chicken is shredded, and everything is fully mixed together. Add the onion powder and half the shredded cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted. At this point you can either add the rest of the cheese and transfer the dip to a serving bowl, or move it to a small slow cooker and turn it on the "keep warm" setting. This stuff is not remotely healthy, but it is amazingly delicious, and I'm really sad that we finished off the rest of our leftovers for lunch today.