Chili Cheese Fries Recipe

A baking dish loaded with hearty chili cheese fries, topped with sour cream

Crispy frozen fries piled high with a thick, meaty chili, then finished with melty cheese and your favorite toppings. This is the sheet-pan-style version that eats like restaurant chili cheese fries, not soggy.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili cheese fries, chili cheese fries recipe

Servings:

Calories: 439kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Equipment

1 Baking Sheet or other oven safe pan

Ingredients

For the Fries and Cheese

1 28-32 ounce bag frozen French fries (regular, crinkle, or steak fries)
2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar or cheddar-pepper jack (fresh-shredded melts best)

For the Quick Chili (Thick Chili Topping)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1-2 jalapenos diced (optional, or use bell pepper for mild)
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika optional, nice depth
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne optional, for extra heat
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce or 1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) or plain diced tomatoes
1/2 cup beef broth or water, plus more only if needed
1 15-ounce can kidney beans or pinto beans drained and rinsed (optional, but common if you like beans in your chili)

Optional Toppings

Sour cream, sliced green onions, pickled jalapeños, diced tomatoes, hot sauce

Instructions

Bake or Air Fry the Frozen Fries (extra crispy)

Bake or air fry frozen fries according to the package directions, but cook them 2-5 minutes longer so they’re deeply crispy (they’ll soften a bit once topped). Cook in a single layer and work in batches if needed.

Make the Thick Chili Topping

Heat olive oil in a pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño. Cook 3-4 minutes to soften.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add ground beef. Brown and crumble 5-6 minutes. Drain excess grease if needed.
Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Add tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes), Rotel (or diced tomatoes), and beef broth. Bring to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the chili is thick and scoopable (it should mound on a spoon, not run loosely).
If using beans, stir them in and simmer 3-5 minutes more.
Anti-sog tip: For thicker chili (better for cling-factor), lightly mash some of the beans with a spoon or potato masher right in the pot.

Assemble the Chili Cheese Fries

Pile hot, crispy fries onto a sheet pan (or oven-safe platter/cast iron skillet).
Sprinkle on about 1/3 of the cheese first (this creates a little “cheese shield”).
Spoon the thick chili over the fries.
Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the Cheese

Bake at 425°F (220C) for 5-8 minutes, just until melted and bubbly. (Optional: Broil for 30-60 seconds for browned spots - watch closely.)

Finish and Serve

Top with sour cream, green onions, jalapeños, and hot sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

Air Fryer Only Method (No Oven Needed):
Air fry frozen fries at 400°F for 12-18 minutes, shaking halfway through, until very crispy (work in batches). Simmer the chili uncovered until thick. To finish, place fries in an air fryer-safe pan/liner, sprinkle on a little cheese, spoon on chili, top with more cheese, then air fry at 350°F for 2-4 minutes until melted and bubbly. Add toppings and serve right away.

Tip: If your air fryer runs hot, melt the cheese at 325°F to prevent over-browning.

Nutrition