Homemade chili cheese fries? Say less. Crispy fries, a big scoop of hearty chili, and a blanket of melted cheddar – it doesn’t get more comforting than that! The chili’s loaded with ground beef, beans, and a good hit of spice, but nothing too crazy. Pile it all up, add some chopped onions and a little sour cream. You’re sure to be making this on repeat!
This recipe is incredibly simple and makes the most flavorful dish. All you have to do is pop the fries into the air fryer while you cook the chili with beef, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Then layer the chili over the fries, top with cheese, and melt it in the oven until it’s bubbling. Grab a fork, dig in, and enjoy!
How to Make Homemade Chili Cheese Fries
Here’s a video of exactly how to make Homemade Chili Cheese Fries! For another delicious recipe that pairs perfectly with this side dish, check out my Copycat In-N-Out Burger.
Ingredients – For the Chili
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado)
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 ¼ cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Ingredients – For the Fries
- 2 (15-ounce) bags frozen french fries
- 2 heaping cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- Finely chopped white onion, for garnish
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
- Sour cream, for serving
Step-By-Step Method
Make the Chili
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, using a flat bottomed wooden spoon or spatula to break up the ground beef until mostly browned, about 8 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt along with the pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir to combine until the ground beef is completely browned and well coated in the seasonings. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ground beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil along with the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the veggies have softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the chili powder, paprika, mustard powder, ground cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasted, 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and fire roasted tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until the tomatoes deepen in color and flavors meld, 5 minutes.
- Add the beef stock and brown sugar and bring to a strong simmer. Once simmering, return the beef to the pot along with the beans and and the remaining 1//2 teaspoon of salt, stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the chili thickens and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cover until ready to serve.
Make the Chili Cheese Fries
- Cook the fries in an air fryer or oven according to package directions.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the cooked fries into a cast iron skillet, sheet pan, or oven-safe serving platter. Generously top with the chili (leaving some fries peeking out from the sides), and cheese.
- Transfer to the oven until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with white onions, green onions, and any toppings of your choice. Serve immediately alongside sour cream.