Hot Chicken and Gruyere Cheese Dip
By Amanda Paa – Updated April 23, 2021
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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
There’s dip, and then there’s hot, cheesy dip served in a cast iron skillet. The perfect appetizer that people flock to!
Since you loved this Skillet White Chicken Chili Dip, I’ve been working on other combinations that are a cracker’s best friend. This bubbling hot Gruyere Cheese Dip sealed the deal, made from real ingredients like organic chicken thighs, sweet onions, and white wine.
What is Gruyere Cheese?
Gruyere is made from cow’s milk, and is incredibly smooth and creamy. It melts beautifully, making it the star of this skillet dip. Gruyere tastes nutty, a bit sweet, and salty.
It pairs particularly well with white wine, which is why you’ll see wine as an ingredient in this dip!
How to Make Hot Gruyere Cheese Dip:
This recipe is simple to make, all in one pan!
- Start by sautéing diced chicken thighs in a 10 inch cast iron skillet, until no longer pink. You’ll use a spoon to remove the chicken and set aside, so that the onions can go into the pan next.
- Saute the diced onion in the cast iron skillet with a big pinch of salt.
- Then you’ll deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons white wine, and add the fresh thyme.
- Add chicken back to skillet, then stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of white wine, chicken stock, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, and black pepper.
- Top evenly with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Serve hot.
What is a Substitute for Gruyere Cheese?
If you are able to get gruyere cheese for this recipe, you could substitute:
- Comté: slightly milder in flavor but incredibly similar to Gruyere in terms of texture. It has delicious undertones of salt and butter.
- Emmentaler is a Swiss cheese, that has a firm but softer consistency than Gruyere. It’s often used for fondue.
More Cheese Dip Recipes:
If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with hashtag #heartbeetkitchen, or @heartbeetkitchen!
Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound diced Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (or breasts) (equals 1 1/3 cups diced)*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + additional to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/4 cups diced onion
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme divided
- 4 tablespoons dry white wine, divided (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio would be great choices)
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock
- 3/4 cup organic sour cream
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, add oil and sauté the diced chicken with salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic until chicken is no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove from skillet and put in a bowl. There should be some fat and juices leftover in the pan from the chicken; add diced onion to the skillet with a big pinch of salt. (If you are using pre-cooked chicken, add 1 tablespoon oil). Cook over medium heat, letting sit for 5 minutes without stirring so you get some browning.
- Then add 2 tablespoons white wine, 2 sprigs of thyme and stir, deglazing the pan and continuing to cook for 8-10 minutes, until onions are very soft. Remove from heat, discard the thyme sprigs.
- Add chicken back to skillet, then stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of white wine, chicken stock, sour cream, cream cheese, 1 cup cheese, black pepper and minced thyme from the remaining sprig. Spread to make smooth, then top evenly with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with extra thyme and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
- You can use pre-cooked chicken if you prefer too, or if you have leftovers. I prefer making the chicken by browning at the time of making the dip for extra flavor, but you can definitely use the pre-cooked shortcut.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which I make a small commission on to pay for my giant grocery bill if you happen to purchase something.
Did you make this?
tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen
December 1, 2015
moozi
August 24, 2021
WOOW its amazing to read this recipe ,, am so glad to read this
Now its my snack time and am going to try this right now
Anamika @ Supplement Crunch
September 24, 2019
This looks fabulous! My sis is coming home for a visit and will be a hit, I’m sure!
Derek
March 2, 2019
Hi, Where is the Recipe?
amandapaa
March 2, 2019
sorry about that – it had temporarily disappeared. updated now!
Michelle
November 18, 2017
This looks sooo delicious, but I don’t eat chicken…yeh, I’m one of those…What do you think about replacing it with crab?
amandapaa
November 19, 2017
Yes, I think crab would be delicious too! Just make sure to use real lump crab, not imitation crab.
Sandra Bylsma
August 7, 2017
Thank you for making this recipe easy to print. It is my turn to host, “An evening on the porch”. I have a group of friends and we rotate hosting on our front porches. We share ideas, fears, joys, concerns, a glass of wine and food!! (the only rule of the porch – what is said and happens on the porch – stays on the porch) Best therapy ever!!! We always are trying new recipes and I can’t wait to try this one! I will always be a farm kid at heart and I cook from scratch in cast iron all the time. Thank you for allowing this recipe to be printed. We always agree that we all visit the websites from whence the recipe came….so I am sure you will have some new visitors this week! Thank you again! Sincerely, Sandra
amandapaa
August 7, 2017
oh, have a wonderful time with your girlfriends Sandra! there is no better therapy than that. :) xo
Ann Reego
December 13, 2016
Question—could you use a pound of fresh shrimp instead of the chicken?
amandapaa
December 14, 2016
hmmm… i definitely think you could. the only thing i would do is saute they were briefly, like one minute, since they will continue to cook when baked in the mixture and they cook faster than chicken.
Kate
December 9, 2016
This looks delicious and I have a holiday pot luck next week that it will be perfect for! Question, do you think I could easily double it in the skillet?
amandapaa
December 9, 2016
Hi Kate! If you are going to double it, I would instead put it into a casserole dish (versus the skillet) and bake it. You’ll have a little more grease and juices to dab off, but just use a paper towel and all will be good. xo!
Michelle
December 1, 2016
Tons of comments to try to read through, so please forgive me if this has already been asked. I was wondering if you could offer a suggestion for either baking this for taking to someone’s house. The frying on a stove top doesn’t really work too well for a cocktail party at someone else’s house.
amandapaa
December 1, 2016
Hi! Yes, you can make it in advance all the way up to putting it in the oven, and take it in the skillet or pan to the friend’s house. Then bake it when you are there. Enjoy!
Wolfsbane
February 11, 2016
Can you really call it a party dip when you eat all by yourself?
Serves six? Who are you trying to kid? Serves one.
val
January 28, 2016
Hey,
How wld it taste without cheese cos my mum doesn’t take cheese!
Thanks !:)
amandapaa
January 28, 2016
No, this will not work without cheese.
Annette
January 24, 2016
I could even see this become a fully vegetarian dip, using veggies that brown well and develop great flavors like carrots, celeriac root or turnips. Even using those to scoop up this yummy concoction would be worth trying out. Maybe as veggie chips?
I will definitely also give the version with a Gorgonzola or a very ripe brie a try.
amandapaa
January 24, 2016
those are amazing ideas Annette!
Mary Ellen Wolf
January 11, 2016
Birthday(s) the end of January!! Perfect! Football playoffs? Perfect!!
Super Bowl? Perfect!!
This is just for January!! Sounds wonderful — may try it as soon as I can get
out to get the ingredients!! Thanks!+
AmberLynn Pappas
January 8, 2016
I linked over here from IGE’s Friday Favorites and I can’t tell you how much I love your take on “real food” vs. “good food”…plus, this looks AMAZING!
Katelyn
December 31, 2015
Would this work in a crock pot? I know some hard working nurses who would love a hot dip on New Year’s Day and I’d like to bring it in.
amandapaa
December 31, 2015
Hi Katelyn! Yes, this should work in a crockpot. I would saute the chicken & onions in a skillet, then add all ingredients. Stir it together, with all cheese instead of topping it with the cheese. Then put on low in the crockpot. Stir occasionally, and you should be good! The recipe could easily be doubled this way too.
Katelyn
December 31, 2015
Thanks! I’m going to give it a try.
Wendy
December 28, 2015
Do you think this would work as a cob loaf dip?
amandapaa
December 28, 2015
Hi! I’m not familiar with a cob loaf dip. Could you explain and maybe I could answer?
susan / the wimpy vegetarian
December 23, 2015
This looks just phenomenal!!!
amandapaa
December 23, 2015
Thanks Susan! Hope you have a great holiday, and all things dip-tastic. :)
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
December 23, 2015
Hot, cheesy dips are my favorite kind of dips! This looks amazing!
Toni | BoulderLocavore
December 23, 2015
This is incredible. Really there is no other description. The flavors are so perfect, the texture too. Your beautiful photos really could not be more alluring.
Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish
December 23, 2015
Oh my goodness! There is so much I love about this dip. Pinning to try!
Lori
December 23, 2015
I am wondering how this might work with crab meat instead of chicken? What do you think? Just adding the crab at the end.
amandapaa
December 23, 2015
Hi Lori! I definitely think cooked crab would also be great. Saute the onions as directed, then when you add the sour cream, etc. also add the crab. Bake as recipe instructs. I love this idea and want to try it myself!
AW
December 21, 2015
For the vegetarians – what could I sub for chicken? Mushrooms maybe?
amandapaa
December 22, 2015
Sautéing mushrooms instead of the chicken would be perfect! They’re hearty and have a great texture.
DelicateFlowah
December 20, 2015
My oh my. This looks fantastic. I may even guild the lily and use creme fraiche instead of sour cream because I have so much in my fridge at the moment.
amandapaa
December 20, 2015
oh yum – creme fraiche would be fantastic too!
Leslie
December 20, 2015
Actually, for those of us who are low-carb, this is a perfectly healthy, high-fat low-carb recipe – no guilt here! I just need to figure out how to stretch it out to make more volume, and serve it over cauli-rice or zucchini noodles for a main course.
LINDALU
December 30, 2015
WHAT A GREAT IDEA TO SERVE IT OVER CAULI-RICE!!
Virginia Corbett
December 19, 2015
I’m a cheesemonger and made this heavenly dip for a cheese class I taught last week about holiday entertaining. It was so easy and delicious, and went over so well at the class, that I made it again two days later for a party at my house. Rave reviews both times!
Angela
December 18, 2015
Is there a way to print your recipe? ……without printing everything. Like on “Smitten Kitchen” Deb has a “print” button on the bottom of the recipe…..but then…..maybe I’m blind?!!!
amandapaa
December 18, 2015
Hi Angela! this feature will actually be coming to the blog in two weeks. a way around it for now is to copy the recipe, then paste into word and print.
Stacy
December 18, 2015
This looks really good–can’t wait to try it! One question, though: what white wine would you suggest using? Something more dry or a sweeter white? Thanks!
amandapaa
December 18, 2015
dry would be perfect! like a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
Trish
December 18, 2015
I’ll have what she’s having!
Julia
December 17, 2015
Life isn’t about merely cutting calories or forsaking memories! I fully intend to make this dip on several occasions, surrounded by loved ones – and not just for the holidays. Love your way, sweet lady!
Wendy Traxler
December 17, 2015
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe! Made it tonight for my neighborhood holiday gathering and it was a big hit! What I love about this dip is that it’s basically guilt free. Served it with pita crackers. Thanks Amanda, you’re inspiring!
Maya
December 17, 2015
Just popped this dip in the oven!
Any suggestions on what to eat it with?
amandapaa
December 17, 2015
Crackers are my favorite! Crusty bread perfect too. Or you can even put it on rice or quinoa to make it a main dish. Enjoy!
Lisa Everitt
December 17, 2015
This looks so delicious! We are going to make at New Years party!
Brenda
December 17, 2015
This looks fantastic! And congrats on being featured by Kitchn. I can’t wait to try this dish.
One question…the directions tell me to sprinkle the remaining cheese on top at the end – but don’t tell me what to do with the other portion (how much and when to add). Can you clarify?
Thanks!
~B
amandapaa
December 17, 2015
Thanks for catching that – I updated the recipe :) It is added with the sour cream. Enjoy, appreciate you stopping by!
Tressagrace
December 17, 2015
I so want to make this. It looks absolutely delicious. However I don’t yet have a cast iron skillet. I’m hoping Santa will bring me one because I’ve been really good this year.? What other type of pan can I use?
amandapaa
December 17, 2015
Hi! I hope he brings you a cast iron skillet too. :) But for now, you can saute the chicken, etc. in a regular skillet, then stir in the other ingredients, transfer to a glass dish to bake. Even a pie plate would work. Happy holidays!
:D
December 17, 2015
Can this be prepped early in the day, refrigerate and baked in the evening?
Will this dip hold up for several hours?
amandapaa
December 17, 2015
Hello! You can prepare all ahead, then refrigerate as is, pop in the oven when you are ready to serve. Will hold up for about an hour after baking. Enjoy!
Emily | Gather & Dine
December 9, 2015
This is making me dream of days on the ski slopes and coming back at the end of the day to warm ourselves with THIS! Agree that food is meant to be enjoyed and sometimes it’s totally worth it to splurge. :)
Faith (An Edible Mosaic)
December 3, 2015
One of the many reasons I adore you and your blog is your approach to food! I agree 100%…food is about nourishment and love and there should never, ever be guilt affiliated with it. The minute we start to do that and put certain foods “off limits” is the minute those “off limit” foods are all we can think about. And you’re right, that line of thinking takes away the joy that should be inherent in eating. This looks absolutely incredible…Gruyere was totally the way to go! xoxo
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet
December 3, 2015
Girlllll I have no words for this recipe because my jaw is on the floor! This looks amazing! Pinning!
amandapaa
December 3, 2015
Thank you Lauren! Hope December is off to a great start for you. xo
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet
December 3, 2015
Thanks Amanda! I just started my new job on Monday, so it’s been an adventurous month already for sure! Have a lovely rest of your week!
julia
December 2, 2015
This looks perfect!! I love cheesy dips and this idea is right up my alley! Totally making this!
amandapaa
December 2, 2015
julia, my memories of meeting you in person include cheese, how fitting! :) xo
Hannah | The Swirling Spoon
December 1, 2015
Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes!
(and what’s more, people are going to remember how excellent your dairy-full, fatty, evil dip was compared to the next person’s watery greek yoghurt monstrosity!)
danielle is rooting the sun
December 1, 2015
amanda i’m all in for this holiday indulgence – your message surrounding the media slaughter is spot on, i was honestly just musing this today. no sooner are the holidays ushered away by attacks on our health habits. for the birds i say! deprivation does not equate to the warmth and love of this season. fantastic dip. ♥
jaime | the briny
December 1, 2015
i’m with you 100% on everything except the mariah carey christmas music. i just can’t. hahaha. sending you all the love and holiday cheer, you beautiful soul!
amandapaa
December 1, 2015
hah! i know… mariah isn’t for everyone :) xo!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
December 1, 2015
This looks so good. I am with you. While I am not planning to abandon my big salads for lunch or sensible egg and wheat toast for breakfast during the holidays, I am all for indulging in delicious food like this dip! Love the concept of “crackers best friends!” And that this is totally from scratch! Pinned :)
Tessa | Salted Plains
December 1, 2015
Yes, yes, and yes! In total agreement with you. Thank you for sharing this.
This chicken dip looks so excellent!! I cannot wait to make it (with a glass of wine in hand, of course!). xo.
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
December 1, 2015
I love your sentiments here, Amanda. And I couldn’t agree more. Nothing would please me more than to enjoy this dip with you while dancing around your kitchen, wine glasses in our hands. Let’s make it happen! XOXO!
amandapaa
December 1, 2015
oh my gosh – yes, that totally needs to happen. spring out east? i think sooooo…
Marye
December 1, 2015
Oh this looks amazing! I need to try it!