Chili Cheese Dogs Recipe
Level up this fun game day food with quick and easy homemade chili, a pile of shredded cheese, and grilled hot dogs on brioche buns.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 513kcal
Ingredients
Beanless Beef Chili:
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 1/4 cups chopped white onion about 1/2 of a large onion
- 1 1/4 cups chopped green bell pepper about 1 medium bell pepper
- 1 minced jalapeño adjust as desired (optional)
- 5 large cloves garlic crushed
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar lightly packed
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Other:
- 8 hot dogs I used jumbo all-beef hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns I used brioche buns
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar finely shredded
- 1/2 cup diced white onion (optional)
- 2 thinly sliced jalapeños (optional)
Instructions
For the Beanless Beef Chili:
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to a large skillet over high heat, spreading it out in an even layer. Let the meat sear and brown on the bottom for a couple minutes before stirring. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon (or potato masher) to break up the meat into small crumbles.
- Sauté the vegetables. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, and garlic, and cook until the veggies are starting to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cook it down. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, and give it a stir. Bring it up to a boil, then cover, turn the heat down slightly to simmer, and cook until the mixture is thickened a bit, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If needed to help it thicken, remove the lid and cook uncovered for the last minute, but stay with it and stir frequently so it doesn’t burn.
For the Hot Dogs:
- Meanwhile, grill the hot dogs, or cook them any way you like. (You can also grill or toast the buns if you want.)
To Serve:
- Split each bun open, add a hot dog, a generous scoop of chili (about 1/2 cup), and 1 ounce of shredded cheese (about 1/4 cup). If desired, top with 1 tablespoon of diced white onion and a couple jalapeño slices.
Video
Notes
- Chili Yield: This makes about 4 cups of chili.
- Serving Size and Nutrition Information: For the nutritional information, each serving is 1 bun, 1 hot dog, 1/2 cup chili, and 1 ounce shredded cheese (about 1/4 cup shredded). The optional onion and jalapeño toppings are not included in the nutritional information estimation.
- Storage: Once cooled, store the chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. You can reheat leftover chili in the microwave or on the stovetop. I typically don't make the hot dogs ahead of time, but if you want to use this recipe for meal prep, by all means, go ahead and make the dogs in advance! You can store cooked hot dogs in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 1201mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1001IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 325mg | Iron: 5mg