Dairy Free Green Chile Chicken Dip

This creamy chicken dip is a crowd favorite that’s perfect for game days, holidays, book club meetings, and your next party. You’ll love this obsession-worthy and totally delicious appetizer!

Update: This recipe was originally published in 2018 and has been republished with all new photos and recipe instructions.

I think a lot of you will agree that oftentimes the appetizers are better than the meal. In my opinion savory dips are the best part of any spread. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for those yummy appetizers to be loaded with unhealthy ingredients that can leave you feeling sluggish. If you’re familiar with my website then you know how much I love creating versions of classic recipes that taste indulgent and flavorful without compromising on quality simple ingredients.

One of my early and most popular dips is my Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip. It’s my son’s favorite dip for good reason and that reason is taste. It’s so yummy! I personally enjoy whipping it up because it’s such an easy recipe. Plus it looks and tastes like it has cheese but, like the dip I’m sharing today, it’s actually dairy free.

Now let’s get into my latest! This Green Chile Chicken Dip is thick with a creamy texture. Perfect for scooping! It will give you hearty cheese dip vibes even without any actual cheese. Plus its quite fast to make.

For this easy appetizer you’ll need shredded chicken. I like to purchase a store-bought fully cooked rotisserie chicken as a shortcut. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself when you want to keep things super simple! You can also use any leftover chicken you have on hand or prepare your own.

The rest of the dip comes together quickly with basic ingredients like mayo, canned tomatoes, canned green chiles, onion, garlic, hot sauce, and cilantro. Just wait until you pull it out of the oven all bubbling and smelling of spices. You and any guests you deem worthy of sharing this with will be oh so happy.

Craving more dairy free dips? Try my 5-Minute Easy Blender Salsa, Pico de Gallo, or Easy Homemade Guacamole. If a ranch dip sounds like a winner to you I suggest my Dairy Free Ranch Dressing and Dip. My Dairy Free Cashew Queso is a vegan queso that gets its cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast. It’s so satisfying I promise you won’t miss the real thing. Big fan of black beans? My 5-Minute Black Bean Dip is the answer.

Ingredients for Green Chile Chicken Dip

• Olive or avocado oil: We’re sautéing onion and garlic in a little oil for bigger flavor. Extra virgin olive oil or a high quality avocado oil both work well.
• Onion: You can use white onion or yellow onion in this easy appetizer.
• Minced garlic: Minced garlic is delightful and pungent. You can mince your own fresh garlic or use a jarred variety.
• Cooked chicken: Any fully cooked chicken works. I like to use store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken to save time.
• Mayo: We use mayo in this dip to do great things for a finished texture. It
• Canned diced tomatoes or rotel tomatoes: Canned rotel includes both tomatoes and green chilies so it’s a delicious way to get big flavor quickly. You can also just use canned diced tomatoes.
• Canned diced green chiles: The diced green chiles add some flavor to this dish but this dip remains fairly mild overall. You can usually find them in the grocery store on the aisle where you find items associated with Mexican cuisine.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds an earthy flavor.
• Hot sauce: We don’t use enough hot sauce in this dip to make it spicy. You can use extra if you like more heat.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, and salt are the seasonings we use to flavor this dip.

How to Make Green Chile Chicken Dip

Add oil to a small skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced onion. Sauté until tender. Then add minced garlic and sauté until golden.

Add finished onion and garlic to a large bowl with all other dip ingredients. Stir until well combined. Taste and add more hot sauce if you prefer more heat.

Pour mixture into an 8×8 baking dish or pie dish. Bake. Top with chopped cilantro or green onion if you want make the presentation a little extra and serve with your favorite chip. Great options include tortilla chips, plantain chips, pita chips, or potato chips. To keep this light you can serve with fresh veggies like carrots, broccoli, cucumber, or celery sticks.

Is This Dip Whole30 Compliant and Dairy Free?

Yes! You can enjoy this delicious dip while eating Whole30 but be sure to check the ingredients on your mayo and canned diced green chiles. For the green chiles, you’ll likely see salt, citric acid, and calcium chloride listed on the can. Those are allowed and I’ll link to this topic in the forum so you can check it out.

This dip contains mayo which people often assume contains dairy thanks to its white color. Most mayos are in fact actually dairy-free! They’re usually a blend of egg yolk, lemon juice, spices, and vinegar. (And if you think eggs are dairy that’s actually a common misconception too. They’re not!)

Is This Dip Spicy?

It’s not spicy. The green chiles and a small amount of hot sauce give it a little bit of heat but it’s mild.

Want it spicier? Give it a taste before baking and increase your hot sauce to amp up the heat!

How to Prepare the Chicken for This Dip

In this recipe we’re using shredded or chopped chicken. You’re welcome to use grilled, baked, boiled, sautéed, or store-bought cooked rotisserie chicken. All work well so long as you shred or chop it before stirring it in with the other ingredients.

Can You Make Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! This is a great recipe to prep in advance. Complete steps 2 through 4 in the recipe instructions. Cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to enjoy, pop this dip in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees to warm it all up!

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover dip in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or serve as a cold dip if you like.

How to Serve Green Chile Chicken Dip

All you need is something to scoop! We love tortilla chips, plantain chips, raw veggies, or baked potato rounds.

This fun appetizer can also be served as an entree with a little creativity. Just add a few scoops of this creamy dip to a potato skin or a halved baked potato (gold or sweet both work great). Or spread this dip in between two slices of toast with lettuce, tomato, and red onion slices for a pretty spectacular sandwich! Now you’ve got yourself a hearty dish worthy of being the center of any meal.

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