SUNNY'S BBQ CHICKEN AND PEPPERONI DIP

Sunny's BBQ Chicken and Pepperoni Dip image

Provided by Sunny Anderson

Time 1h15m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 ounce pepperoni (15 to 20 slices), coarsely chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup Sunny's Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce, recipe follows
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, white and dark meat finely chopped (not shredded)
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, white and dark meat finely chopped (not shredded)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
For serving: any combination of bread sticks, pretzel sticks, crackers, toasted baguette slices, corn tortilla chips, carrot sticks, celery sticks and Granny Smith/red apple wedges
12 ounces Coca-Cola
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, grated on a rasp or finely minced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pepperoni and cook, tossing, until the fat is rendered and the pepperoni are crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up the extra fat.
In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, Italian seasoning and scallions until well blended, then season with salt and pepper. Add Sunny's Cocoa-Cola BBQ Sauce and stir to incorporate. Fold in the chicken, pepperoni and both cheeses. Pour everything into a 7-by-11-inch casserole dish.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with the dippers of your choice.
In a medium saucepot on medium-high heat, add the Coca-Cola, ketchup, onion, Worcestershire, vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened to barbecue sauce consistency, 15 to 20 minutes.