jalapeño. popper. dip.

I’ve been making this dip for almost three years now, and I figured that it was high time to share it.  I was inspired to find a popper dip recipe after seeing someone serve a similar, but very unfortunate version (broken and greasy, yuck) at a work food day.  This dip is miles away from that first one – it is creamy and spicy, with a nice topping that gets crunchy under the broiler at the end.  It is a really easy and delicious way to enjoy jalapeño popper flavor without the hassle of stuffing peppers.  Feel free to reduce the amount of jalapeño if you are sensitive to heat.  Alternately, if you think you can handle even more heat, leave some of the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Yields about 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream (light)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (light)
1/2 can chopped green chiles, drained
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
3. Scoop mixture into a small oven-safe dish.
4. Combine the Romano cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle over dish.
5. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes.
6. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.
7. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, bread, or pita chips.