Chili Cheese Dogs

These Chili Dogs are loaded with double cheese, homemade chili and baked in the oven for extra deliciousness!

Homemade Chili Cheese Dogs

Unfortunately here in the UK getting your hands on a decent chili dog is depressingly difficult. At a BBQ you’ll get a hot dog, a bun, some ketchup/mustard and that’s your lot. After a few trips to the US, and a lot of chili cheese dogs down, I’ve taken it upon myself to create the ultimate homemade chili cheese dog.

Like all things on this blog, this recipe is utterly OTT, but mouthwatering never-the-less. Think classic chili dog, just bigger, bolder, more calories and (dare I say) more delicious 😋

At it’s absolute basic all you need is hot dogs, hot dog buns, chili and cheese. Here I offer a little something extra. Follow me…

Homemade Chili

I highly recommend whipping up a batch of homemade chili. Makes all the difference. PLUS it’s too easy not to.

This chili is very similar to my homemade chilli con carne, just slightly adapted for convenience, for example no red wine. I draw the line at making chili dogs so gourmet they need red wine 😂 Here’s a couple of tips for the chili:

• Stock – I recommend doubling up on the stock cubes, just for a deeper flavour. If you’re using ready made stock consider adding a Bouillon cube.
• Beef – Go for beef around 10-12% fat. That way you’ve got a bit of the fatty flavour, but not so much it makes the chili oily.
• Time – Allow the chili to simmer for at least 45mins to tenderise the beef and develop flavours. You can simmer even longer, which will make a difference, just pop the lid of so it doesn’t reduce too much.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yup! Perfect to make in advance. Just cool, cover and store in the fridge until needed or FREEZE and thaw in the fridge when needed.

How to make Chili for Cheese Dogs (quick summary)

1. Fry red pepper, onion & garlic.
2. Add in beef and brown.
3. Stir in tomato puree.
4. Add beef stock, chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and beans.
5. Add spices & seasoning.
6. Simmer until thickened.

Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

I mean realistically yes, you could just plonk the chili on top and be done with it, but who can resist the ooey gooey cheese once they’re baked in the oven?!

Toasted Buns

I highly recommend toasting the buns before you start stacking them up. This will help keep them from going too soggy and collapsing in the oven. You can do this either on a scorching hot (dry) griddle pan, under the grill or on the BBQ.

Double Cheese

Sure, cheese on top is great, but a pinch of cheese underneath the hot dog also works wonders 😏I usually go for cheddar but you can use any cheese your heart desires. Monterey Jack and Mexican Cheese Blend both work great.

Serving Chili Cheese Dogs

Look, chili cheese dogs aren’t the most glamorous things to eat at the best of times, but these are particularly intense 🤣

Chili Cheese Dog Toppings

My favourites, which absolutely take these chili dogs to the next level, are fresh jalapeño slices, crispy bacon and crispy fried onion. A lot of other recipes add things such as ketchup, mustard and/or relish, usually underneath the hot dog. But I find this distracting and unnecessary. Each to their own though!

What goes with chili cheese dogs?

Honestly? These are pretty hearty by themselves. But if you fancy a little something to go along side consider any of these:

• Tortilla Chips
• Onion Rings
• Potato Salad
• French Fries
• Potato Wedges

And there we have it! The most delicious chili dogs imaginable (I mean, if I do say so myself 😁)

If you’re looking for similar crazy comfort food/American style recipes then give these a ganders too!

• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Buttermilk Fried Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Nachos
• Popcorn Chicken
• Crispy Chicken Burgers
• BLT Hot Dogs
• Grilled Cheese Hot Dogs

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these chili cheese dogs shall we?!

How to make Chili Cheese Dogs (Full Recipe & Video)

5 from 5 votes

Chili Cheese Dogs

By: Chris Collins

These Chili Dogs are loaded with double cheese, homemade chili and baked in the oven for extra deliciousness!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 chili dogs

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Equipment

• Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
• 11" x 14" Deep Baking Tray (or similar size)
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Jug (for stock)
• Colander/Sieve (for draining beans)
• Cheese Grater
• Griddle Pan (for toasting buns - optional)

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Homemade Chili

• ▢ 1lb / 500g Ground Beef (preferably 10-12% fat)
• ▢ 1 cup / 250ml Beef Stock (see notes)
• ▢ 1x 14oz/400g can of Kidney Beans, drained
• ▢ 1x 14oz/400g can of Chopped Tomatoes
• ▢ 1 medium Red Pepper, finely diced
• ▢ 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
• ▢ 2 cloves of Garlic, minced/finely diced
• ▢ 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 1 heaped tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
• ▢ 1 tbsp EACH: Paprika, Cumin, Chili Powder (or to spice preference)
• ▢ 1 tsp Sugar, or to taste
• ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Oregano, Ground Coriander, Salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• ▢ Olive Oil, as needed

Cheese Dogs

• ▢ 6 Hot Dogs
• ▢ 6 Hot Dog Buns
• ▢ 2.5 - 3 cups / 250g - 300g Cheese, grated (here I use Cheddar, Monterey Jack & Mexican Cheese Blend also work great)

Toppings

• ▢ Fresh Jalapeño, finely sliced (deseeded if preferred)
• ▢ Crispy Bacon
• ▢ Crispy Fried Onion (can sub finely diced Red Onion)

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Instructions 

• In a large pan heat up a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat and add your red pepper and onion. Begin to fry until they begin to soft/brown, then add garlic and fry for 1-2mins longer.
• Add in beef, break up with a wooden spoon and fry until it's almost fully brown. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then continue frying until fully brown. Stir in 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree, then pour in 1cup/250ml beef stock, 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, chopped tomatoes and drained kidney beans.
• Add 1 tbsp paprika, cumin and chili powder (or to spice preference), 1 tsp sugar (or to taste), 1/2 tsp ground coriander, oregano & salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Give it all a good stir then simmer on low for 45mins, or until nicely thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, slice open your hot dog buns and toast either on a smoking hot (dry) griddle pan, under the grill or on the BBQ until lightly charred. Add in a pinch of cheese, then place the hot dog on top.
• Place into a large deep baking dish and divide chili among hot dogs. Sprinkle over the remainder of your cheese then place in the oven at 390F/200C for 15-20mins, or until the cheese crispy/gooey on top.
• Serve with jalapeños slices, crispy bacon and crispy onion (or diced red onion). Enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Chili - I recommend a minimum 40-45mins simmering to help marry the flavours together and thicken the sauce. This will also help tenderise the beef. You can, if you want to, pop the lid on top and keep it really low for 1+hours, which will work wonders. 

b) Stock - If you're using stock cubes/Jelly stock cubes I recommend doubling up, just to deepen the beefy flavour. If you're using ready made beef stock consider crumbling a Bouillon cube in.

c) Quantity - I like my chili dogs fairly chili heavy, but there might be excess depending on how much you load them up with. This recipe would stretch to 8 hot dogs if you can fit them in the pan!

d) Make Ahead - I don't recommend making the whole thing in advance, just because the buns will go soggy. But you can certainly make the chili ahead of time. Just cool, cover and pop in the fridge for up 2-3days (longer at your discretion) or FREEZE for up to a month.

e) What to serve with these? - Honestly, they're pretty hearty as they are. But I usually go for a side of Tortilla Chips. Onion Rings, French Fries and Wedges also work great. Some recipes also spread ketchup/mustard/relish underneath the hot dog, but I find this distracting. Up to you though!

f) Calories - per chili cheese dog using 2.5 cups cheddar, 1 tbsp olive for frying and no toppings.

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Nutrition

Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.9g | Protein: 38.21g | Fat: 40.35g | Saturated Fat: 17.032g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.201g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15.937g | Trans Fat: 0.901g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1383mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 4.28g | Vitamin A: 2152IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 6.32mg

Looking for more?

You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’

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