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Chili Cheese Frito Pie

This Chili Cheese Frito Pie is one of those easy to make family pleasing kind of meals that appeals to all ages. A dollop of sour cream on top just before serving is all it needs before devouring.

easy-chili-frito-pie

Easy Chili Cheese Frito Pie Recipe

What is frito pie? It’s basically a casserole that incorporates a spicy ground beef filling with fritos corn chips. It’s all smothered with plenty of cheese and baked until bubbly. It’s a classic supper dish that’s family friendly and not terribly expensive to make. I know what you’re thinking…fritos?  Really?  Yes, they make this homespun dish really tasty! Perhaps it’s the corn flavor and crunch that’s akin to eating a big bowl of chili. How to make Chili Cheese Frito Pie: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Prepare Dish – Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2 1/2 quart baking dish or an 12 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Vegetables – Saute diced onion and pepper in a couple of drizzles of olive oil until the vegetables begin to soften and brown. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.
  • Ground Beef – Add ground beef cooking until no pink remains. Season with 1/4 tsp each seasoned salt and black pepper. Drain excess fat from skillet.
  • Sauce – Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and Rotel tomatoes.
  • Beans and Seasonings – Add kidney beans and taco seasoning. Mix well, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in chopped cilantro.
  • Assemble – Fritos – Pour 1/2 of the fritos over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Pour chili evenly over the fritos in the baking dish. Finish the top with a sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese on top, then remaining fritos and shredded cheese.
  • Bake – Bake per the recipe until bubbly around the edge.
  • Serve – Garnish with chopped green onion and serve topped with a dollop of sour cream.
Chili Cheese Frito Pie

How to Make the BEST Chili Cheese Frito Pie Recipe

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make Chili Cheese Frito Pie: Ground beef, taco seasoning, chili cheese fritos, shredded Colby-Jack Cheese, onion, poblano or jalapeno pepper, olive oil, seasoned salt and black pepper, garlic cloves, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, Rotel Chili Fixins Tomatoes may use classic Rotel with green chiles, light red kidney beans and cilantro. Plus sour cream and green onions for serving.
  • Kitchen tools you’ll need: To make this casserole recipe you’ll need a large skillet, a chopping board and knife to prep the onion, peppers and cilantro, plus a 2 quart baking dish for baking. A cheese grater for shredding the cheese fresh at home as well as measuring cups and spoons.
  • If you’re a cook who likes to create your own spice blends, I’ve included a how-to for you to use in the Recipe Notes section of the printable recipe card.  You can make your own taco seasoning blend for the recipe as well as checkout the calories and nutritional information.
  • Can I use plain fritos for frito pie? Of course, yes you can with no other adjustments needed.
  • What are Rotel Chili Fixin’s Tomatoes? This flavor of canned Rotel tomatoes include cumin and other chili seasonings in the mix. If you can’t fine them, regular rotel tomatoes with green chiles will work.
  • For those busy cooks who prefer a simpler approach, the recipe is written with you in mind. I’ve included in the recipe the amount of packaged taco seasoning for a shortcut. Homemade, as seen in the cook’s notes or packaged taco seasoning will work perfectly, the choice is completely yours to make.
  • You can make this Chili Cheese Frito Pie recipe using ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken with outstanding results each time.
  • Looking for more easy dinner recipes to make? Dishes like my Chili Spaghetti, Oven Chili Cheese Dogs and Chili Cheese Corn Dog Muffins are always a lifesaver when I’m in a conundrum about what to make for dinner.
  • Store baked Chili Cheese Frito Pie chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat in single servings in the microwave.
easy-frito-pie-recipe

More Easy Ground Beef Recipes to Make

Most chili recipes can be adapted using either ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey or even ground pork if you’re so inclined. Add these other chili inspired recipes to the supper rotation, soon.

Southern-style-frito-pie-with-ground-beef

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Chili Cheese Frito Pie

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: chili-cheese-frito-pie, easy-frito-pie-recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 484kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 3 cup shredded Colby-Jack Cheese divided
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 small poblano or jalapeno pepper diced seeds removed
  • olive oil
  • 2 lb lean ground beef turkey or chicken
  • 1/4 tsp each seasoned salt and black pepper
  • 4 medium garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1.25 oz package taco seasoning [Omit if using DIY spices]
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 10 oz can Rotel Chili Fixins Tomatoes may use classic Rotel with green chiles
  • 1 15 oz can light red kidney beans
  • 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1 10 1/4 oz bag chili cheese fritos (may use plain fritos)
  • chopped green onions and sour cream for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2 1/2 quart baking dish or an 12 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • On the stove top in a large skillet, saute diced onion and pepper in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables begin to soften and brown. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.
  • Add ground beef cooking until no pink remains. Season with 1/4 tsp each seasoned salt and black pepper OR to your taste. Drain excess fat from skillet.
  • To the beef add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, kidney beans and taco seasoning. [See Cook's note for DIY spices] Mix well, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in chopped cilantro.
  • Pour 1/2 of the fritos over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
  • Pour chili mixture evenly over the fritos in the baking dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese on top.
  • Top with the remaining fritos and final 1/3 shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly around the edge.
  • Garnish with chopped green onion and serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Notes

DIY Spices:  [Use in place of taco seasoning]
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground chipotle pepper

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 687mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 697IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 480mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

 

25 Comments

  1. This sounds amazing! Have you served it as a chili (if some people perhaps did not want the Fritos ?). I am bringing chili to a potluck but was going to also bring Fritos and cheese so people could have Frito pie as an option.

  2. I just made this for dinner, YUM. 20 minutes was plenty of cooking time and yes, it did stay crunchy. Served with avocado and sour cream, will make again. Thank you 🙂

  3. You can usually find Mexican oregano at places like Fresh Market, Trader Joes and Whole Foods. Italian oregano can be used, but you won’t need as much since Mexican oregano has a milder flavor.

    1. You can heat up the filling in a saucepan on the stove top before putting it on the bottom layer of Frito’s which should keep the chips crunchy still. Works for me!

  4. YUMMO! I remember eating this as a kid – sometimes we added tamales. Thanks for jogging my memory – it was delicious comfort food!!!

  5. WOW!!!!
    With recipes like this you could find a billionaire husband…
    Can’t wait to try this…Thanks…

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