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This chili cheese hot dog recipe takes your favorite dogs and buns and smothers them in zesty chili with loads of melty cheddar for a knock-it-out-of-the-park winner.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Cheesy, savory, and slightly zesty, with a classic chili dog flavor.
- Recommended Tools: A 9×13 baking dish and a non-stick skillet make this quick and easy to prepare.
- Time-Saving Tip: Short on time? Grab a can or two of store-bought chili and some pre-shredded cheese.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with a side of fries, corn on the cob, coleslaw, or a simple green salad.
Ingredient Tips for Chili Cheese Dogs
- Chili: Make the quick chili in the recipe notes, or use leftover or canned chili.
- Hot Dogs: Beef, pork, chicken, or even veggie-based hot dogs will work in this recipe.
- Buns: Look for sturdy buns that can hold all that chili cheesy goodness. Open the buns, brush with butter, and bake while the chili is heating up.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar melts well and adds a tangy balance to the chili for maximum flavor.
How to Make Chili Cheese Dogs
- Simmer chili, hot water, and hot dogs in a skillet until thickened.
- Fill baked buns with hot dogs and top with chili and cheese.
- Bake (full recipe below) until the buns are toasted and the cheese is melted.
Storing Leftovers
Cooked and cooled hot dogs and chili can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat hot dogs and chili on the stovetop or in the microwave and use a fresh bun. Or chop up the hot dogs, reheat with the chili, and scoop over chili cheese fries or baked potatoes.
Stellar Street Food at Home
Did you love these Chili Cheese Dogs? Leave a comment and rating below!
Chili Cheese Dogs
Ingredients
- 2 cups homemade chili see notes, or canned chili or leftover chili
- ¼ cup hot water
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns large bakery, unsliced
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- toppings as desired see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine chili, hot water and hotdogs in a skillet over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let cook 5-7 minutes or until chili has thickened. (see note for homemade chili below).
- While chili is thickening, cut the hotdogs buns from the top and brush with butter. Bake 5 minutes.
- Fill each bun with a hot dog and spoon chili on top. Top with shredded cheese and bake 15 minutes or until buns are toasted and cheese is melted.
Notes
1/2 pound lean ground beef 80/20
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup beef stock or broth
Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain fat.
Add remaining chili ingredients stir to combine. Add hotdogs to the chili and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. About 1/4 cup of chili for each hot dog. Optional Toppings: Onions, pickles, and jalapenos
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Party Food, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Holly.. I live in a senior community and these are a hit on game night!!
So happy to hear that!
Is there really just a half cup of ground beef in your chili or is that a typo? I make chili pretty frequently for hot dogs and 1 lb of ground beef is barely enough for two adults and a 4 year old.
Hi Lindsey, the recipe is to make about 2 cups of chili to use for the chili cheese dogs. We use about ¼ cup on each hot dog. For actual chili, as the main course, we use a lot more. You can find our favorite chili recipe here!
Thank you for this reminder that I always loved these hot dogs. Always a little messy. I always liked the diced onions, raw, on top. I’ll be making them for my husband and I soon.
Enjoy Shery! Thank you for the kind words!