Baked chicken Caesar dip
All the rich intensity of a Caesar salad dressing, but in a creamy dip. Perfect for sharing, this dish is made extra special with homemade crispy bacon bits.
Ingredients
- 8 rashers streaky bacon or 200g/7oz bacon lardons, finely diced
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú tin anchovies packed in oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced and whites and greens separated
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 1 tsp English or Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 400g/14oz cream cheese
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú mayonnaise
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú Parmesan, finely grated
- 15g/½oz fresh parsley, plus extra to serve
- 300g/10½oz cooked, shredded chicken
- 100g/3½oz grated mozzarella
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- toasted bread, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Add the bacon to a large, cold skillet and fry over a low heat, gradually increasing the heat. Once the fat has rendered out and the bacon bits are crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits and set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
Add the anchovies and their oil to the bacon fat, as well as the garlic and spring onion whites. Fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant then set aside.
Add the egg yolk, mustard and lemon juice to a large bowl and whisk together. Add the cream cheese and mayonnaise and mix to combine. Mix in the Parmesan, parsley, green parts of the spring onions, cooked anchovy mixture and 1½ teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper. Season with salt to taste. Fold through the chicken and most of the bacon, and mix until well coated.
Transfer half of the mixture back to the skillet, top with half the mozzarella and then repeat these layers. Bake in the oven for 7 minutes, then transfer to the grill and cook at 200C until the cheese has melted and the mixture is golden and bubbling. Garnish with more parsley, black pepper and the leftover bacon bits with toasted bread alongside for dipping.