BBQ Chili Cheese Fries
intro
Crispy baked fries smothered in smoky BBQ beef chili, melted cheddar, and zesty toppings—an indulgent, shareable cookout classic for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Bake crispy potato fries
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Toss the cut russet potato sticks with 45ml olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 0.5 tsp ground black pepper until evenly coated. Arrange fries in a single, unstacked layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes total, flipping each fry with a spatula at the 12-minute mark to ensure even crisping on all sides.
Cook beef and aromatics
While the fries bake, place a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat (pan surface ~175°C/350°F). Add 225g ground beef, break it into fine crumbles with a wooden spatula, and cook for 4 minutes until fully browned with no pink remaining. Add 100g finely diced yellow onion, cook for 3 minutes until translucent and soft, then stir in 6g minced garlic, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 0.5 tsp ground cumin, cooking for 30 seconds until the spices release a rich, fragrant aroma.
Simmer quick BBQ chili
Stir 200g undrained canned diced tomatoes and 130g rinsed, drained red kidney beans into the beef mixture. Bring to a gentle bubbling simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low (pan surface ~130°C/265°F) and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces to a thick, spoon-coating consistency. Stir in 60ml (1/4 cup) BBQ sauce and the remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt, then remove the skillet from heat.
Layer fries, chili, cheese
Once the fries finish their 25-minute bake and are crisp and golden, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Gently push the fries into a compact, even mound in the center of the sheet. Spoon all of the prepared BBQ chili evenly across the top of the fry mound, then sprinkle 170g shredded sharp cheddar cheese in a uniform layer over the chili, covering as much surface as possible.
Melt cheese and add toppings
Return the loaded baking sheet to the 220°C (425°F) oven for 3 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheddar is fully melted, bubbly, and just starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove the sheet from the oven, drizzle the remaining 60ml (1/4 cup) BBQ sauce in a zig-zag pattern across the melted cheese, then scatter 30g sliced green onions and 40g pickled jalapeño slices evenly over the top.
Serve hot with garnishes
Use a wide metal spatula to divide the hot loaded fries evenly between 4 warm plates. Top each serving with a 15g (1 tbsp) dollop of sour cream, and serve right away while the cheese is stretchy, fries are crisp, and chili is piping hot.
Tips
2.Shred cheddar cheese from a fresh block instead of using pre-shredded packaged cheese: pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch that prevents smooth, even melting.
3.Let the chili reduce to a thick consistency before topping fries: excess runny liquid will soak into crispy fries and make them soggy within minutes.
OMG these BBQ chili cheese fries were a total game changer for our Sunday football watch party! I was worried they’d be too messy for a crowd, but everyone went back for seconds, even my super picky 10 year old who usually turns his nose up at anything with beans. My kids loved it, cook time was totally spot on, 40 minutes flat from start to munch time, so easy even I didn’t mess it up. Used a little extra sharp cheddar because that’s what we had in the fridge, 10/10 will make again for next week’s potluck!
SO good! I prepped the chili ahead on Sunday so throwing these fries together for our quick family dinner on a busy weeknight took literally no time at all. Difficulty level is definitely easy, no fancy skills required. My only tiny note is that I wish the recipe mentioned how well these reheat — I packed leftovers for my husband’s lunch and he said they were even better the next day? Wild.
Added a handful of pickled jalapeños on top and a drizzle of hot honey to cut the richness, holy cow that hit different. Made these for my roommates after our hike last weekend and we demolished the whole tray in 10 minutes flat. Don’t sleep on adding a little extra BBQ rub to the fries before baking, trust me.
Wait is there a way to make this in the air fryer instead of the oven? My oven is on the fritz right now and I’ve been craving loaded fries something fierce. The recipe looks so easy I don’t want to wait until maintenance comes to fix it!