This chicken caesar dip is filthy, crunchy and dangerously scoopable

All the best bits of a Caesar salad, but in dip form – with chicken, bacon, croutons and a whole lot of mayo. Sonali Shah’s recipe is messy, moreish and made for sharing (or not)

The crispy bits of bacon and croutons add an extra layer of crunch (Cara Cormack)

“I like to go fully loaded with this dip, but you can tailor it to suit your tastes,” says trained chef and food stylist Sonali Shah. “Don’t like anchovies? Leave them out. Fancy extra bacon? Go for it!”

Crunchy chicken Caesar dip

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For the dip:

8 tbsp mayonnaise

4 anchovies, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

200g shredded cooked chicken

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped

4 tbsp ready-made crispy fried onions

50g cooked crispy bacon rashers, roughly chopped

Handful of chives, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the croutons:

1 slice of sourdough bread, torn into small bite-sized chunks

2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Shah’s debut cookbook: 80 reasons to stop buying hummus (Hamlyn)

1. First make the croutons. Line a baking sheet with nonstick baking paper. Add the torn bread and drizzle over the olive oil, tossing to coat. Bake in a preheated oven, 200°C/180°C fan (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for eight to 10 minutes, or until crispy, stirring the croutons halfway through. Set aside to cool.

2. Combine the mayonnaise, anchovies and garlic in a bowl, then stir in half the lemon juice. Once combined, add the chicken, celery and capers. Stir and taste for seasoning, adding a good grind of black pepper and more lemon juice if needed.

3. Just before serving, stir through the croutons and top the dip with the crispy fried onions, crispy bacon and chives.

Dipping suggestion: Little gem lettuce cups

Recipe from ‘Dip In: 80 Delicious Dip Recipes For Entertaining, Snacking & Beyond’ by Sonali Shah (Hamlyn, £16.99).