How to turn a plain dip into a patriotic appetizer for the 4th of July

Turn a hot chicken dip into a festive Patriotic Appetizer for your 4th of July party using red and blue colored crackers. Watch the video tutorial to see how easy it is to make this fun Red, White, and Blue Dip.

Last week I discovered just how easy it is to add color to crumbs. After I created a blue cookie crust for my Red, White and Blue Cheesecakes, I decided to try coloring other crumbs and creating festive ways to use them. My first experiment included Town House Crackers which are very pale in color and were easy to color.

With the 4th of July coming up next week, I decided to create something patriotic, so I colored my crumbs red and blue and sprinkled them into star-shaped cookie cutters over a cream-colored dip.

I made my favorite chicken dip to use as the background for my stars but thought these colorful stars would look great on top of homemade macaroni and cheese or even potato salad if you want to decorate some picnic food.

This project took me about 15 minutes of prep time so it’s perfect if you are short on time but want something that will really wow your party guests.  It tastes great served cold too so it’s a great dish to take along to a party.

Watch the video tutorial to see how you can make this hot chicken Patriotic Dip as an Appetizer for your 4th of July party.

4th of July Decorated Dip with Red and Blue Cracker Crumb Stars

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Patriotic Dip - 4th of July Appetizer

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Hot chicken dip topped with red and blue colored cracker stars makes a fun appetizer for the 4th of July.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 4th of July appetizer, chicken dip

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Beth

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can (12 ounces) chunk chicken breast
• 6 crackers (Town House or something pale in color), plus more for serving
• red and blue food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

3. Beat in Miracle Whip, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and chicken until well combined. 

4. Spread into a shallow 8 or 9 inch round baking dish.

5. Crush crackers into crumbs.

6. Divide into two small zip top bags.

7. Add 5 drops of red coloring into one bag and shake the bake and knead the color into the crumbs, adding more color until you get a nice vibrant red. 

8. Repeat with the blue.

9. Arrange a variety of star shaped cookies cutters on top of the chicken dip.

10. Sprinkle the colored cookie crumbs inside the walls of each cookie cutter, making some blue and some red.
    

11. Bake for about 15 minutes, just until the dip is hot. 

12. Remove and serve immediately with crackers.

Recipe Notes

• If you want to make the dip ahead of time, refrigerate the decorated dip for up to several hours.
• Heat in the oven just before serving.
• You can alternatively heat the chicken dip in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until hot. 

Instructions for Making this Patriotic Dip

How to Color Crackers Red and Blue

• Use about 6 pale-colored crackers like Town House or Club Crackers.
• Crush them either using a small food processor or by placing them in a zip-top bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin.
• Equally divide the crackers into two small zip-top bags.
• Add some red liquid food coloring into one bag and blue into the other.
• Shake the bag a few times then use your fingers on the outside of the bag to knead the color into the crackers.

How to make red and blue cracker crumb stars to decorate a Patriotic Dip

• Set assorted star-shaped cookie cutters over the dip.
• Snip a small opening at the end of the zip-top bag that is filled with the red crumbs.
• Shake crumbs into the center of the star cutter.
• Use something like the handle of a spoon to spread the crumbs in a very thin and even layer in the star.
  • If you overfill your cutter, once you remove it your stars will lose their shape.
• Fill some stars with red and others with blue colored crumbs.
• Refrigerate until needed.
  • You can decorate this dip up to a few hours before your party then bake it once your party guests arrive.
• Bake just to heat the dip through.
  • You can microwave the dip, but you won’t be able to stir it, so it may heat a bit unevenly.
  • You can also serve this dip cold if you prefer. It’s great that way too.

I hope you and your 4th of July party guests enjoy this festive Red, White, and Blue appetizer. If you like this recipe you might also enjoy making other fun foods for your July fourth celebration.

Click this link to see more 4th of July Recipes.

This post was originally published on June 25, 2012

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