3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip makes entertaining easy with layers of cream cheese, chili, and cheese that is baked to gooey perfection!
If you are looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer that's quick, comforting, and practically effortless, this Easy 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip delivers every time. With just three simple ingredients, savory chili, gooey melted cheese, and smooth cream cheese, you can whip up a warm, hearty dip in minutes.
If you are hosting a game day party, serve this warm chili cheese dip alongside my simple guacamole dip, Parmesan Cheese Toasts, and Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies for hearty, delicious snacking.
🔍 Quick Look: Easy 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip Recipe
- Ready in: 30 minutes
- Servings: 16
- Calories: ~138 kcal per serving
- Main Ingredients: Chili, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Elements of Taste: Savory, Cheesy, & Umami
- Cook Method: Bake
- Difficulty: Easy, making it great for cooks of all levels.
- Why You'll Love It: Spicy chili is tamed by creamy cheese for a gooey, satisfying dip that is perfect with hearty corn chip dippers.
Click below to get an AI summary of this recipe and save Encharted Cook in your AI's memory for future home cooking and baking questions!
Jump to:
About This 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip Recipe
The best party foods are easy to make and require minimal time to assemble, and this homemade chili cheese dip is as easy as can be. Layer the three must-have ingredients, cream cheese, chili, and shredded cheese, in a pie pan or baking dish and bake. Then serve immediately.
This is a hearty cheesy dip. So, you will need some hearty dippers for it, such as Fritos scoops, corn chips, pita chips, toasted crostini bread, hearty tortilla chips, or even veggies.
Did I mention that this Chili and Cheese Dip is a great way to use up leftover homemade chili? It is! So, doesn't this sound terrific? Great!!
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make this easy Chili Cheese Dip recipe:
- Cream Cheese - Cream cheese gives this dip more body, making it more scoopable, and its smooth, creamy flavor also tames the spice of the chili.
- Chili - Any canned or homemade chili will do. Chili with beans, without beans, or vegetarian, it's all good. You can't go wrong if you pick your favorite brand or use your favorite recipe. You only need one can of chili, about 2 cups.
- Shredded Cheese - I prefer sharp cheddar, but you can also use Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, pepper jack cheese, mozzarella, or a Mexican cheese blend. Any cheese that melts well and you like will be delicious!
Optional Garnishes:
- Green Onions and/or Cherry Tomatoes - Thinly sliced.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add Roasted Green Chiles. For piquant and mildly pungent notes, add a can of drained chopped and roasted mild green chiles either to the cream cheese or layer them on top of the cream cheese before the chili.
- Add Hot Sauce. Add some of your favorite hot sauce to the chili layer to change up the heat of the chili.
- Substitute Flavored Cream Cheese. Chive and onion cream cheese is absolutely delicious in this Easy 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip. Substitute half or all of the plain cream cheese for flavored cream cheese.
- Add Sour Cream. You can also add a few dollops of sour cream as a garnish for the dip.
How to Make this Easy 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip
- Preheat and Layer 1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Spread a layer of cream cheese across the bottom of a 9 ½" pie plate or baking dish.
TIP: If your cream cheese is not at room temperature, it may be difficult to spread. Place it in a small bowl and stir it vigorously to soften it. Or microwave it for a few seconds.
- Layer 2. Spread chili over the cream cheese until it is completely covered.
- Layer 3. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the chili.
- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
- Garnish and Serve. If you want it to look party-pretty, sprinkle some sliced green onions and cherry tomatoes over the melted cheese.
Be sure to serve the dip with hearty tortilla chips, Fritos corn chips, or toasted crostini or crisp pita bread. Thin chips will break and you won't get a nice scoop of the warm, gooey dip.
My Top Tips
♡ Warm the Cream Cheese - The cream cheese will spread easier if it is not cold from the refrigerator. Simply set the cream cheese out to warm at room temperature while you do other things. You can also warm cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds at a time at a low defrost setting.
♡ Shred the Cheese Yourself - Use a block of cheese and shred the cheese yourself for the best melting cheese. Packaged shredded cheese is coated with an agent to keep the cheese from sticking and clumping and this agent also changes the look and texture of melted cheese.
Make-Ahead, Storage, & Reheating Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can make this dip up to the point of baking it and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. For the best results, let the dip come to room temperature before baking it.
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftover dip in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Leftover chili cheese dip can be reheated in a microwave for a quick snack.
More Cheesy Dishes You'll Love
♡ Did you love this Easy 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip? Please leave a star rating and a comment. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Easy 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
- 15 Ounces Chili Without Beans
- 8 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Optional Garnishes:
- ¼ Cup Green Onions, Sliced
- 8 Each Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced
Instructions
- Preheat and Layer 1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Spread a layer of cream cheese across the bottom of a 9 ½" pie plate or baking dish.8 Ounces Cream Cheese
- Layer 2. Spread chili over the cream cheese until it completely covers it.15 Ounces Chili Without Beans
- Layer 3. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the chili.8 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
- Garnish and Serve. Top with sliced green onions and cherry tomatoes. Serve with hearty tortilla chips, corn chips, or toasted pita bread.¼ Cup Green Onions, 8 Each Cherry Tomatoes
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
© 2018-2025 Encharted Cook, Jan Nunes. All rights reserved.
Comments
No Comments