Chili, cheese, and fries, oh my! Smothered in chili and cheddar cheese sauce, these Chili Cheese Fries are a meal in themselves! This is a perfect game day appetizer to satisfy your hungriest guests, or to keep them occupied if their favorite team is losing! Want more cheesy fries?
Skip the fast-food drive-through and make your own chili cheese fries. These fries will be a hit at your next party, big game, or even as a new favorite meal. They will also be the perfect late-night snack you will crave time and time again, whether you have been out on the town or not! These roasted potato wedges are perfect for smothering with chili and cheese.
Roasted Potato Wedge Recipe
The base for these chili cheese fries is my Roasted Potato Wedge recipe. They are perfect alone, let alone topped with chili and cheese! Most of the ingredients you probably have on hand, so grab some potatoes and get started. This recipe can be done in four simple steps; cut, soak, season, and roast.
Cutting a Potato Wedge
Cut the potato in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into quarters, making 8 wedges per potato. If you have an extremely large potato you can cut the wedges smaller, but make sure that the cut size is relatively consistent so you don’t affect the cooking time. If your wedges are uneven, it is highly probable that they will cook unevenly as well.
Soaking
Once cut, the potatoes are plunged into a water bath to soak for about 15 minutes. This removes some of the starch from the potato and will create a fluffier roasted potato wedge. Drain all of the water from the bowl and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Seasoning
In the same bowl, add in the olive oil, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Toss the potatoes in the mixture to evenly coat all sides of the wedges. Place the seasoned wedges, skin side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Try not to overcrowd the pan.
Roasting
Pop the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, take them out of the oven and flip them around a bit and then pop them back or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside (another 10-15 minutes).
PRO TIP: Russett potatoes are probably what comes to mind when you think of potatoes. They are also the best to use when making the roasted wedges since they are a starchy potato and the most absorbent. Russett potatoes have a thick skin, which allows them to bake crispy on the outside with a fluffy inside. Plus, the flavor is subtle enough that it will not get in the way of the piles of cheese and chili you are adding to the wedges for the Chili Cheese Fries.
How to Make Homemade Chili
This homemade chili is a lot like my Grandma’s Homemade Chili recipe, with just a few more spices. Try them both for my Chili Cheese Fries!
Cook and stir the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat until crumbly and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. After draining the beef, stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder together in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly tender and chili is heated through. This should take about 10-15 minutes.
How to Make Cheese Sauce
Say CHEESE! This cheese sauce will be the layering piece to your Chili Cheese Fries. It is easy to make, and so delicious! Heat up the heavy cream until the sides start to bubble. Next, reduce the heat and add the cheeses and seasonings until the cheese is completely melted.
Pour the melted cheese onto the bottom of a plate to start your tower of Chili Cheese Fries. Add your Roasted Potato Wedges, top them with another layer of cheese, add your chili, and put your final layer of cheese on top of the chili. Garnish with green onions and jalapenos if you wish, and devour!
INGREDIENTS
FRIES
- 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into wedges
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
CHILI
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 onion, chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 can (15 ounce)kidney beans, drained
- 1 can (15 ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (2 ounce) green chilies
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
CHEESE SAUCE
- 1 ½ cups (180g) heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups (339g) shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 cups (226g) shredded pepper jack
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Green onion
- Jalapeno
INSTRUCTIONS
FRIES
Preheat the oven 425°F
Place the potato wedges in a large bowl and cover with water. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
Add the potato wedges onto a greased baking sheet in a single even layer. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown and fork-tender.
CHILI
Cook and stir ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat until crumbly and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain.
Stir drained ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chili, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder together in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly tender and chili is heated through. (15 to 20 minutes)
Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
CHEESE SAUCE
In a medium sauce pan, heat up heavy cream until bubbles start to form around the sides. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheeses and seasonings until the cheese is completely melted.
ASSEMBLY
To assemble the dish, spread some cheese on the bottom of the plate, then pile the fries on top of the cheese, add a little more cheese, top with chili, more cheese sauce, and garnish with green onion and jalapeños.
