This Chili Frito Pie Will Become a Family Favorite Casserole!
Ground beef, beans, and pantry staples make a hearty chili Frito pie recipe.
If you’re a fan of Fritos corn chips, check out this delicious dinner idea!
This hearty casserole has a flavorful chili filling with ground beef, beans, and enchilada sauce with layers of Fritos chips for a satisfying cheesy meal.
It could be a great game day meal, or simply a family pleaser to make any day of the week. The chili portion itself is very similar to my favorite comforting Ranch chili recipe that’s also very easy to make using pantry staples such as canned Rotel tomatoes and Ranch-Style beans.
As a result, the combo of crunchy corn chips and melted Southwest-inspired cheesy chili is the best! The chips at the bottom become softer in the oven and incorporate a satisfying corn flavor. Garnish a plate with your favorite toppings like sour cream, cilantro, and jalapeno for a filling meal all will enjoy. 😋
Chili Frito Pie
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 20 MINUTES
cook time: 25 MINUTES
total time: 45 MINUTES
Hearty casserole featuring Frito chips at the bottom with ground beef chili and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 9.25 oz. bag Fritos corn chips, divided
- 15 oz. can ranch-style beans, undrained (such as Black Label brand)
- 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
- 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 3 green onions, sliced
- additional garnish ideas: jalapeños, cilantro, green onion, sour cream, guacamole
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2
Heat a large skillet on the stove to medium heat. Crumble and cook the ground beef with diced onions and garlic.
3
Add the can of beans, Rotel tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chili powder, and oregano. Stir well. Add in chopped cilantro.
4
Add a layer of Fritos to the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Reserve about a cup or so of Fritos for the top layer.
5
Pour the chili filling onto the casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese.
6
Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
7
Remove from the oven and top with remaining Fritos and sliced green onion. Serve warm with additional toppings as desired. Enjoy!
Tips for making the best chili Frito pie:
- I used ground beef, but of course, ground turkey would be delicious instead. Use whichever appeals to you or is least expensive! You could even consider skipping meat and opting for more beans and veggies for a meatless pie.
- This idea is very easy to customize to taste. Add jalapenos for more spice, or perhaps use the spicy Rotel tomatoes. Next time I may add in some corn for additional flavor.
- Leftovers will last for around 3-4 days stored in a covered container in the fridge.
All in all, chili Frito pie is comfort food to the max!
This is a great alternative to serving chili as a brothy soup. My family was totally on board with this delicious ground beef casserole and I know yours will be too!
Here’s what my sidekick Jenna had to say after making my chili Frito pie:
‘This was such an amazing dish! I could not get enough of this! So easy to make and the kids loved it as much as I do! I love getting to customize it with my favorite toppings and making dinner with Fritos? Yes please! I enjoyed every bite and my family asked me to make it again!”
Love chili? Make a big batch of Wendy’s copycat chili this fall.
Thank you, Lina! Can’t wait to try it. Your recipes are a favorite at our house. 💛
Oh yay! Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you enjoy this 😉😍 KB!
I have to get my girlfriend to try this and invite me over. My brothers won’t eat tomatoes so I can’t make it at home. LOL
Let us know how you like it, Patricia! 💕
Looks yummy. We do something similar without the use of the oven. Place the chips on your plate, layer with your favorite cooked chili (with a bag of taco seasoning added to it), cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions. Top it off with sour cream and taco sauce. I think this is called chili haystacks.
What a fun name, Debra! Thanks for sharing how you make a version of this recipe at your house! 🤗
We do the same, but with a base of rice at the bottom.
I was wondering if rice could be added. Did you add cooked rice or uncooked?
We don’t bake this. Just layer the ingredients over cooked rice.