BBQ Chicken Bacon Ranch Cheese Dip

This recipe is written for a crock pot/ slow cooker, but can easily be done in the oven as well. We love how well this bbq bacon chicken ranch dip pairs with so many things. Use it for crackers, veggies, toasted baguette slices, or pita chips. This is what you'll need to make about 6 servings:

Photo byTammi

Ingredients

• 12 ounces (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• 8 ounces bacon, cooked until crispy, drained, and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, DIVIDED
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, optional
• 1-2 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For Serving:

• Tortilla chips
• Extra barbecue sauce, bacon, onion, and/or cilantro, for garnish

SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small, 3 quart slow cooker, mix together cream cheese, chicken, bacon, 1 cup of shredded cheese, barbecue sauce, cilantro, red onion (if using), garlic salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until everything is heated through. Stir the mixture well and continue cooking for a little longer if needed. Once the dip is fully mixed and warmed, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and chopped green onions on top. Cover and cook for a few more minutes until the cheese melts. Switch the slow cooker to WARM, drizzle with extra barbecue sauce, add any garnishes you prefer, and serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

For Oven Instructions:

Follow procedure from slow cooker instructions, but place mixture in a small baking dish. Top with half of cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove and top with additional toppings of choice and serve.