Whipped Feta Hot Honey Creamy Dip with Lime Chives
WTBBQ
Whipped feta, cream cheese and Greek style yogurt make this dip smooth and spoonable, while hot honey, lime and chives keep it lively. Serve it with grilled vegetables, chicken skewers, flatbreads or charred sweet potatoes for a fresh but rich barbecue side.
Take the cream cheese out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before starting so it softens. Crumble the feta, zest the lime, squeeze the juice and chop the chives.
Blend the creamy base
Add the feta, softened cream cheese, Greek style yogurt, 2 tablespoons of hot honey, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, black pepper and crushed Maldon sea salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Check the texture
Spoon a little up and see how it falls. It should be thick and creamy, not stiff like icing and not loose like dressing. If it feels too tight, add 1 extra tablespoon of yogurt. If it feels too loose, blend in a little more cream cheese.
Fold through the chives
Transfer the dip to a bowl and stir in the chopped chives. This keeps their flavour fresh and the colour clean.
Chill briefly
Refrigerate for 20 minutes if you want a firmer, cooler dip. You can also serve it straight away if the rest of the food is ready.
Finish the surface
Spoon the dip into a serving bowl and make a few swirls with the back of a spoon. Drizzle over the final teaspoon of hot honey, then scatter with extra chives and lime zest if using.
Notes
Feta varies a lot, and that changes the whole feel of the dip. A firm Greek feta gives a slightly grainier, saltier finish, which I really like with barbecue food because it tastes assertive next to char and smoke. A softer feta makes the dip smoother and a bit milder. I usually go for the kind packed in brine, then pat it dry before blending.Cream cheese is there to turn the feta into something plush rather than crumbly. Greek style yogurt adds tang and keeps the mixture from becoming too dense. I wouldn’t skip the lime zest, because it gives a fragrant lift that juice alone doesn’t manage. Chives bring a gentle onion freshness which suits the creamy base without stealing attention from the honey and feta.