I “borrowed” this recipe from my dear friend Julia. It’s quick and easy and oh – soooo good. Like many of my recipes, the ingredients are adjustable. Start with less, you can always add more! A big thanks to Julia for sharing!

This recipe goes well with wine and beer. It can be served as a snack, a light meal, or with brunch!

Ingredients:
8 oz. Cream Cheese (200 g. Labne) – use more or less to balance the heat of the jalapeño and the creaminess of the dip
1 Red Pepper (fresh is good – but you can try roasted too)
2 Tablespoons of jalapeño* (I used jalapeño from a jar. Fresh can also be used. Start with less and add more to adjust spiciness.)
1-2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil the chicken breasts in water. When cooked through, remove from water and let cool. Cut into smaller pieces and put into a food processor. Add all other ingredients and blend. That’t it! Adjust amounts of ingredients for flavor and spiciness. The red pepper gives a nice salmon color and great flavor.

Serve with crusty bread, French baguette, or crackers. Sesame seed on the bread is a bonus!

*Note – In Turkey, jalapeño can be found in most markets in either the gourmet section or with other jarred peppers (about 3.5TL). If you can’t find it, try to substitute Turkish hot peppers and let me know how it tastes.

Unfortunately, I ate half of the dip before I thought of taking a photo. I will add one soon. For now, it should look something like this artichoke dip . . .