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Chili Cheese Fries Recipe

Indulge in a flavor-packed delight with this mouthwatering Chili Cheese Fries recipe made with crispy golden fries smothered in zesty homemade chili and topped with a generous blanket of melted cheese. This easy-to-make comfort food is perfect for game nights, parties, or a cozy night in. Customize with your favorite toppings for a tasty twist on a classic favorite!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword chili cheese fries, chili fries
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
soak the potatoes 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 400kcal
Author Brandi Crawford

Equipment

Ingredients

Beef Chili

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup chopped red pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped green peppers
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 16 oz cans kidney beans rinsed Rinsed
  • 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes Drained
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce

Chili Seasoning and Spices

Fries

  • 2 pounds russet potatoes
  • cooking oil spray I use olive oil.
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

French Fries

  • Slice the potatoes into fries about 1/4th to 1/2 of an inch thick. The size is important because smaller thinner fries will break when you try lift them from under the chili. Or you can eat the dish using a fork and it doesn't matter.
  • Rinse the sliced potatoes and place them in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes. An hour or longer is optimal. This will remove excess starch from the potatoes and will help them crisp up while they cook.
  • Rinse the potatoes and pat dry. Drizzle or spritz the potatoes with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

Air Fryer Fries

  • Add the fries to the air fryer basket. Air fry on 380 degrees for 10 minutes.
  • Open the basket and flip the fries. Air fry for an additional 5-10 minutes or until crisp.

Baked Fries

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add the fries. Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Increase the temperature on the oven to 425 degrees. Cook for an additional 20-25 minutes or until crisp.

Chili

  • Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium-high heat and add the olive oil, onions, green peppers, and red peppers. Saute for 3-4 minutes until soft and fragrant.
  • Add in the garlic and ground beef. Break down the ground beef. I like to use this meat chopper. Add in half of the homemade chili seasoning. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the ground beef is cooked through. (If your beef needs to be drained of fat, do so here)
  • Add in the beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and the remaining homemade chili seasoning. Stir.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Chili Fries

  • Preheat the oven to Low Broil. If you don't have the option to Low Broil you can use 450 degrees.
  • Spread the fries out on your serving dish.
  • Load the fries with chili. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.
  • Bake for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Goeey cheese will take about 2-3 minutes. Fully melted cheese will take 4-5 minutes.

Video

Notes

  • This recipe makes 6-8 servings and cups of chili. My favorite way to enjoy this dish is to make a batch of chili and use the leftover chili for these fries.
  • Another way to enjoy this is to make more fries that will go with the leftover chili that isn't used.
  • You can use frozen fries if you wish. Follow the instructions on the package to cook them.
  • If you load the chili onto your fries that fries underneath will become soggy. The best way to avoid soggy fries is to keep the chili separate from the fries. You can warm the chili and cheese separately and eat the chili cheese fries with fork and dip it into the chili.
  • If you don't want to make homemade chili seasoning, you can use a store-bought chili packet.
  • If you are making your own fries ensure you have even potato slices. If you slice the potatoes unevenly, the fries won’t cook at a consistent temperature. The smaller, thinner fries will cook first which may result in some burnt fries.
  • If you are slicing by hand you will likely end up with some uneven slices. It happens to me every time! Try to separate the smaller slices into a separate batch. Cook them separate from the others. This will help ensure consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g