I know what you are thinking…..that this combo sounds crazy, and you doubt that it would be good. I thought the same thing when I ran across it in Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings Book and didn’t even attempt to try it for a couple of years. You can feel however you want about her, but she cooks like I like to eat… a hungover college student with more money than they should have and metabolism to match. In my mind, I LOVE spinach and artichoke dip but just sitting and eating a block of cream cheese, topped with mayo, covered in cheese, served out of a bread bowl by way of tortilla/pita chip vehicle straight into my mouth brings on some SERIOUS food guilt that always stops me from even ordering it at a restaurant let alone making it at home. I’m not an eat-in-moderation kind of a lady…I was raised clean plate club, and I will eat till there IS NO MORE sooooo this recipe takes away all of the guilt and none of the taste. In fact, I’d say that it is more delicious because I do eat it so guilt-free, knowing exactly what is in it, and I have cut out all the unnecessary calories so that I can have it any time I want and not as a “cheat” meal. So here are the changes that I have made that I think actually make this already delicious dip BETTER, a little healthier, and A LOT easier:
- Use rotisserie chicken instead of making your own. I shred up one chicken leg quarter and one breast, so I have both light and dark meat, I even leave the skin, and it makes it SO MUCH BETTER and a lot easier. Just pick up one in the cold section and use the rest of the chicken to make White Bean Chicken Chili for the best football food day in history
- Use Chili Garlic hot sauce….there is no other option it adds this yummy garlic hot sauce flavor that once you have it, nothing tastes the same without it
- Use FRESH spinach only. We alllllll know you got a bag of it with your groceries you have zero intentions of eating and will throw it away at the end of the week when it finally gets slimy. CT calls for frozen spinach that is rung out, and I made it this way, and I HATE ringing out spinach. I never do it enough, so everything stays watery, frozen spinach gets stuck to EVERYTHING, and I find it in the sink, on every dish, in the washer…you name it, and it takes me forever to figure out how it got there and how to get rid of it. ALSO the fresh IMO just tastes so much better and saves so much time
- I use spray butter! I KNOWWW it’s terrible don’t come for me. I have spent the last 3 years really cleaning up my diet, and the only things I just can’t quit are Reddi Wip, pop ice, and spray butter. So I only use 1/8 cup just for a little butter taste
- I only use enough LITE Mayo to bring the dish together and no more. I think the recipe calls for 1/2 a cup, and I measure that out….but then I just add it by the TBSP till it becomes the consistency I like to hold it together…but the CHEESE will do most of the hard work
- I use reduced-fat mozzarella
- PRO TIP- DO NOT OMIT THE BLUE CHEESE. Unless you are ALLERGIC or just hate it so much you just threw up in your mouth reading this…..try it how it was made to be eaten first. Just put blue cheese on half of it if you must. I wasn’t going to put it on there, but I make myself try recipes exactly as they were written the first time before I put my spin on them, and I never won’t have it with blue cheese. It gives it that added something that takes it from really good to DAMN THAT’s GOOD!
Protein Packed Buffalo Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken Shred up one breast and one leg quarter
- 1 Bag Fresh Spinach
- 1 Can Artichokes Drained, rinsed, and chopped
- 1/2 Cup Hot Sauce of Choice I use a chili garlic one
- 1/8 cup Spray Butter
- 1 Cup Reduced Fat Mozzarella
- 3/4 Cup Shredded Parmasan
- 1/2 Cup Lite Mayo
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
- Blue Cheese Crumbles
- 1 TBSP Oregano
Instructions
- Shred up one breast and one leg quarter of rotisserie chicken in a bowl
- Add 1/2 cup hot sauce and 1/8 cup spray butter to chicken and mix well. Let marinate for 2 hours
- While chicken is marinating prep other ingredients
- After chicken is done marinating preheat stove to 350 degrees
- Add all remaining ingredients to shredded chicken bowl OTHER THAN the spinach and the blue cheese. Mix well till all combined
- Add spinach to this mix and mix well again
- Transfer mix to greased baking pan. I use an 8×8 square glass pan
- Strategically and HEAVY HANDEDLY add blue cheese crumbles to the top of the dip
- Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes till bubbling and a golden brown. Don't wait for blue cheese to melt because it doesn't
- Serve almost immediately with tortilla or pita chips
