Spinach Artichoke Dip with Chicken

• 50 g raw Baby spinach (1⅔ cups raw)
• 50 g Artichoke hearts, thawed (1.8 oz)
• 50 g Cooked chicken breast, shredded (1.8 oz)
• 3 g raw (1 clove) Garlic
• 30 g Light cream cheese (2 tbsp)
• 40 g Nonfat Greek yogurt (2¾ tbsp)
• 20 g Part-skim mozzarella, grated (0.7 oz)
• 8 g Parmesan, grated (1⅔ tbsp)
• 0.3 g Black pepper (⅛ tsp)
• 30 g (½ pita) Pita bread
• 40 g raw Carrot sticks (1.4 oz raw)
• 40 g raw Cucumber sticks (1.4 oz raw)

You'll need: Small oven-safe dish, Microwave-safe bowl, Bowl, Baking sheet, Cutting board and knife.

Method

1. Wilt the spinach

   Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Put the spinach in a bowl, cover and microwave on full power for 1 minute, until wilted. Let it cool for a minute, squeeze out all the liquid with your hands and chop it.

   Squeeze it harder than you think. Leftover water makes the dip runny.

2. Mix the dip

   Chop the artichoke hearts and pat them dry. Mince the garlic. Stir the spinach, artichoke, chicken, garlic, cream cheese, yogurt, black pepper, the Parmesan and half the mozzarella together until combined. Spoon into the dish and top with the rest of the mozzarella.

   Soften the cream cheese for 10 seconds in the microwave and it mixes in without lumps.

3. Bake the dip and warm the pita

   Bake the dip for 12–15 minutes, until it is bubbling at the edges and the mozzarella is golden in spots. Cut the pita into wedges, lay them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for the last 5 minutes, until crisp.

   Put the pita in only for the last 5 minutes. Longer and it turns rock hard.

4. Serve with dippers

   Let the dip rest for 2 minutes so it thickens. Serve it hot with the pita wedges and the carrot and cucumber sticks.

   Stand sticks in the dip. A cooler dip is easier to scoop than a bubbling one.

Swaps

• Cooked chicken breast, shredded → Canned chicken breast, drainedFaster, and it flakes into the dip easily.
• Pita bread → Tortilla chips, 25 gCrunchier, about 20 kcal more.