This Chili Cheese Dogs recipe remind me of the chili dogs from Dairy Queen and A&W, and they were always one of my favorites! The hot dog chili combination is a treat and easy dinner idea.
These delicious chili cheese dogs are great for summertime picnics and game day treats. Keep the chili and hot dogs stay warm in separate slow cookers and friends and family can assemble their own chili dogs as desired.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
✔️ You can create 2 meals with 1 recipe! Make the homemade chili and enjoy that as a meal, then the next night, enjoy the chili over hot dogs
✔️ The homemade chili recipe is super easy to make and is enough to have leftovers for another meal.
🥘 Ingredients
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Ground beef, I like to go with a lean ground beef to reduce the fat as much as possible.
Onion, added for flavor
Red bell pepper, added for flavor and color
Canned kidney beans in chili sauce, adds fiber and a little extra spice.
Canned diced tomatoes with chili peppers
Spaghetti Sauce, an easy way to make an extra flavorful chili
Tomato paste, used to aid in thickening the sauce
Cumin, compliments the chili powder seasoning
Chili powder, adds spice to the chili
Hot dogs, I prefer to use all beef hot dogs.
Hot dog rolls, brioche hot dog rolls are sturdy and hold up well to the chili dog sauce.
Cheddar cheese, I like to buy brick cheese and shred it myself with a box shredder.
🔪 Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and red pepper. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the chili beans, diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes .
- Cook the hotdogs as desired, they can be cooked on the grill or on the stove top.
- Assemble the hot dogs as follows: Place the hot dogs in the hot dog buns, spoon some chili on top of the hot dog, top with shredded cheddar cheese and onions.
🥄 Equipment
🥫Storage
Store any leftover hot dogs and chili in the fridge up to 3 days.
📖 Variations
- Substitute ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef.
- Substitute ½ tablespoon of chipotle chili powder for the ground chili powder.
- Sweeten the sauce a little and add 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar.
- Use regular kidney beans instead of the kidney beans with chili sauce.
💭 Tips
- Serving a crowd and want them to be able to grab an assembled chili dog? Line up the hotdog buns on a baking sheet and assemble as desired, then place in the oven for an oven baked chili cheese dog recipe with hot stringy cheese!
📚 Related Recipes
Chili dogs without the buns, this Low Carb Chili Dog Casserole is great for a rainy day.
These Thai Style Hot Dogs pack a punch of flavor in just one bite!
🍽 Serve with…
Serve these Chili Cheese Dogs with a side of Classic Potato Salad or Parmesan Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Corn. For dessert, serve these Loaded Peanut Butter Brownies with a scoop of Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
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When you make this Chili Cheese Dogs recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Chili Cheese Dogs
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1¼ pound lean ground beef
- ½ onion diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 16 ounces kidney beans in chili sauce
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with chili peppers
- 2 cups Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog rolls
- 8 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 tablespoon diced onion
Instructions
- Brown the hamburger with some onion and red pepper. Drain any excess fat. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes . Use as topping for hot dogs or enjoy on its own! I took some to work today, topped with cheddar cheese, warmed up it was nice and gooey on top and delicious!
Assemble the dog as such:
- Bun, dog, chili, cheese, onions. Or mix it up your own way :o) Grumpy put so much topping on, he had to eat his with a fork. I ate mine with my hands - I like things dainty and neat - exactly what my chili dog was!
Jamie
That chili dog looks yummmmmy!
Marthe
Here I am eating some low-fat Strawberry Yoghurt for breakfast and you go tempt me with this Hot Dog: it looks soooo scrumptious!
Gera @ Sweets Foods Blog
Scrumptious hot dogs and with lot of onion - ideal for me :)) I can eat for dozen!
Cheers,
Gera
Diana's Cocina
My husband and son would love this. I have it bookmarked. LOL!
pegasuslegend
thats one hell of a dog!
Tanantha @ I Just Love My Apron
YUM! The hot dog looks so goodddd! You made a great choice making this for dinner and this dish is perfect for summmer!
Anna
This hot dog makes me very homesick, in Brazil that's how we make hotdogs all the time. Yours looks delicious.
Just Food Snobs
My husband loves hotdogs with chili, this is a great chili recipe! He loves everything on the spicy side so I will probably add more! Thanks.
Cheryl
One of my very favorite things in the world to eat, year round!
Kristen
My two younger boys discovered chili dogs last week when they went camping with their scout troop. I had been trying for years to get all of my kids to eat them, but to no avail. They go camping once and are hooked. Yours look great!
vanillasugar
you know i would love these. a couple at least. we eat a lot of those all natural, no nitrates hot dogs from whole foods and i LOVE using baked beans or chili on mine.
Jessie
just in time for the independence day cook out! Chili dogs are the ultimate cook out food. These look great 🙂
Tupper Cooks!
Chili Cheese Dogs = Summer Staple! I love Hoffman's dogs. At 3 lbs. for $10.99 they're a great value-
Another superb wiener is/are Zweigels ( out of Rochester). If Grumpy likes Hoff Dogs he'll love these. You can find them at the IGA in Cape Vincent and occasionally at the Big M in Clayton.
I'll be cooking up a bunch of Hoffdogs Friday night for the daughters pr-wedding BBQ
Great pics! You've got me drooling again!
Cristine
Your chili dogs look delicious!
Grumpy and HoneyB
LOL Rachelle. You can call me a goober because I love you! ha ha. Oh, not to mention I know WHY you called me a goober! :-p
Food Lover
Looks yummy 🙂
Rachelle @ "Mommy? I'm Hungry!"
LOL! You goober! Well I'm not blogging about our chili dogs, was nothing as fancy, just chili and cheese no onions. Mr. at about 3 of them! Yours look fab! Thanks for the mention too. =)
Mags
Great summer food. I've never met a chili dog I didn't love.