Chili Cheese Fries

Scrumptious chili cheese fries are made with a hearty, slightly spicy, thick beef chili topped with a lusciously creamy cheddar cheese sauce. They are the perfect appetizer for game days and movie night munchies. 

I love to serve these at our gameday shindigs with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Potato Skins. Family and friends love them, and with the ease of an air fryer, real crispy French fries are a breeze.

This chili cheese fry recipe features crispy frozen fries cooked in an air fryer topped with a tasty, thick homemade chili and creamy cheddar cheese sauce. Pickled jalapenos and crisp bacon make this the ultimate game-day food.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• French fries: For ease, I use frozen French fries, but this recipe is equally delicious, with sweet potato fries and homemade French fries.
• Ground beef: Use ground beef with a little fat in it. Fat gives the beef flavor.
• Seasonings and spices: garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, ground cayenne pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. This recipe has a lot of flavor, so you can adjust the spices and seasonings to taste.
• Diced tomatoes: I use fire-roasted diced tomatoes, but any diced tomatoes will work.
• Beef broth: Preferably low-sodium
• Kidney beans: You can substitute pinto or black beans
• Butter: Salted or unsalted
• Milk: Whole milk is best, but you can use 2% milk in a pinch.
• Cheese: For optimum flavor, purchase good quality sharp cheddar or white cheddar. The higher the quality of the cheese, the better the taste.

How to make Chili Cheese Fries

This is the nutshell version. See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and instructions.

Start with a good, robust, hearty, thick bean or no bean, ground beef, turkey, or vegetarian chili so the fries don’t get soggy. For this recipe, I included my homemade chili. Then, decide whether you want thin, crispy fast-food fries, tater tots, or homemade steak fries. For this recipe, I used frozen, thin, and crispy fast-food fries cooked perfectly in the air fryer. However, you could also bake them in the oven.

Now, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then, whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika. Whisk in the milk until it is creamy and smooth. Simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Reduce the heat and slowly whisk in the cheddar until smooth and melted. Finally, layer first the fries, then the chili, ending with the creamy cheddar sauce. For best results, serve promptly.

Preparation Tips and Storage

• For ease, make the chili ahead of time.
• Air fryers are great for cooking fries, especially frozen French fries. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for about 10 minutes. If your cheese sauce is not quite ready, keep the fries in the air fryer, where they will stay warm. You can always re-crisp the fries for 1 minute before assembling them. 
• If the cheese sauce thickens too much, add a couple of tablespoons of milk at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave. The fries will no longer be crispy, but the dish will still be delicious. 

Topping Ideas

• Pickled Jalapenos
• Sour Cream
• Crispy Cooked Chopped Bacon
• Chopped Green Onions
• Diced tomatoes
• Pepperoncinis

More Potato Recipes

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Grilled Potatoes

Fondant Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes

Chili Cheese Fries

Easy Chili Cheese Fries made with crispy fries, thick hearty chili, and an easy to make creamy sharp cheddar cheese sauce. They are the perfect main dish or party appetizer. 

5 from 43 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, main meal

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 425kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 (26 ounce) bag frozen french fries
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes NOT drained
• 1¼ cups low-sodium beef broth
• 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed

Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1¼ cups whole milk
• 1½ cups sharp cheddar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Brown the ground beef in a Dutch Oven or large pot over medium heat. When the ground beef is about halfway browned, add the onion and continue cooking over medium heat until the beef is browned and the onion is soft.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
• Stir in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire Sauce. Simmer for 30-40 minutes over low heat.
• Add the drained kidney beans and simmer for another 15 minutes. 
• Meanwhile, cook fries according to package instructions. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Whisk in the flour and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika.  Whisk in the milk until it is creamy and smooth.  Simmer for a few minutes until thickened.  Reduce the heat and slowly stir in the cheddar until smooth and melted.
• Assemble by layering first the fries, then the chili ending with the creamy cheddar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  For best results, serve promptly.

Notes

• For optimum results use a good thick hearty chili that will help the fries stay crispy longer.
• Air fryers work great for cooking fries, especially frozen French fries.  Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and cook about 10 minutes.  If your cheese sauce is not quite ready hold the fries in the air fryer where they will stay warm.  If needed crisp for 1 minute right before assembling.
• If the cheese sauce thickens too much add a couple tablespoons of milk at a time till desired consistency.
• For optimum flavor purchase good quality sharp or white cheddar.  The higher quality the cheese the better the flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1824IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 311mg | Iron: 3mg

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