Frito Chili Pie

This Frito Chili Pie is the perfect dish to serve for game day, at a party, or for busy weeknights! Top Fritos with this chili recipe, cheese, shredded cheese, green onions, and your favorite toppings!

 

If you’re looking for more chili-related recipes, then you’ll love these next! Simple chili recipe, chili mac, vegetarian chili, and white chicken chili! Or use chili to top these chili cheese corn dogs with.

If we’re having a low-key party, a taco bar or nacho bar is usually the plan. The best thing is that it’s almost like everyone can have their own little Frito pie casserole and top it with whatever toppings they prefer!

But if I’m being honest, I’ll probably make these AND the burgers in the oven since they’re both easy party foods that can be made in bulk!

Jump to:

• What is a Frito Chili Pie?
• Ingredients for Frito Pie
• Chili Recipe
• Frito Pie Ingredients
• How to Make a Frito Chili Pie
• Topping Ideas for Frito Chili Pies
• Storage
• Variations for a Chili Pie
• Top Tips
• FAQs and Expert Tips
• More Easy Dinner Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

What is a Frito Chili Pie?

It’s a layered dish consisting of Fritos Corn Chips, a thick chili recipe, and toppings such as shredded cheese, diced onions and more! Such an easy recipe too!

Are chili Frito pies like walking tacos?

Yes! But the difference is that a chili Frito pie would be served right in the small bag of Fritos instead of on a plate, in a bowl or in a food boat.

Ingredients for Frito Pie

What you’ll see below, are the ingredients for a basic Frito pie. However, it is so much fun to top the chili pie with your favorite ingredients and I’ll give you a great list of topping ideas below as well, so you’re prepared and ready for the ultimate Frito pie recipe!

Chili Recipe

You’ll want to start by making the chili. You can either follow the chili recipe I’ve provided below, use this family-favorite chili recipe or use your own favorite chili which can even be canned chili!

If using the chili recipe included in this post, here are some notes about the key ingredients.

Make sure to check the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients for the recipe.

• ground beef (or ground deer meat for venison chili – see more easy ground beef recipes)
• Rotel – or any brand of diced tomatoes and green chilies.
• sugar – sugar actually helps offset the acidity in chili!

Frito Pie Ingredients

To assemble the Frito pie (as pictured), you’ll need the following, remaining ingredients:

• Fritos – or your favorite brand of corn chips
• Shredded cheese – shredding your own always tastes better but pre-shredded is absolutely ok to use!
• Diced onion – red, white, or yellow onions work

How to Make a Frito Chili Pie

1. In a large skillet or pot, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic at medium heat. 
2. Drain excess fat and place back in pot.
3. Add kidney beans, tomato paste, Rotel, chili powder, salt, sugar, and cumin.  Stir together well. Turn the heat down to medium-low.  Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.  

4. Pour a bag of Fritos corn chips onto a serving dish, or pour a single serving of Fritos onto each person’s plate.

5. Serve a serving of chili over Frito chips.

6. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, and any additional toppings! (See list of ideas below!)

Hint: If your chili is still hot, it should melt the shredded cheese on top. However, if it’s not hot enough, you may want to nuke your Frito pie for a few seconds to get the cheese to melt, if desired!

Topping Ideas for Frito Chili Pies

I don’t know about you but the more the merrier when it comes to toppings for Frito pies! Here are some ideas that you can put out for your family or guests when hosting so they can make it just how they like it!

• shredded lettuce
• this delicious guacamole recipe
• black olives
• taco sauce
• sour cream
• diced onions
• sliced jalapeno peppers
• diced tomatoes
• chopped bell peppers
• hot sauce
• ranch dressing or jalapeno ranch dressing
• fresh cilantro
• rice

Storage

If you have leftovers, it’s best to store the chili, Fritos and toppings, separate so the crunchy corn chips do not get soggy.

How to Store Chili

The chili will keep for 3 days in the fridge, if kept in an airtight container. Or, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.  

How to Store Fritos

If you don’t have the original bag the Fritos corn chips came in, you can pour them in to a ziptop plastic bag or a bag that’s sealed, in the pantry.

How to Store Toppings

If you have chopped toppings left over, it will depend on the topping; however, it’s best to store the toppings separately.

Variations for a Chili Pie

Love mixing things up? I do too sometimes! Here are answers to some popular questions:

Can I use Chili Cheese Fritos instead?
Absolutely! That’s a great substitution! You can also use Nacho Cheese Doritos, Cool Ranch Doritos or your favorite chips!

Can I use my own chili recipe?
Of course! Your chili recipe should work just fine!

Do you love tater tots?

Then you’ll LOVE these loaded tater tots!

Top Tips

Make a big batch of chili and freeze it, and keep items like Fritos and shredded cheese on hand so you can make this on a weeknight when you need a fast dinner idea!

Want an even faster recipe?

Use canned chili or store-bought chili to make this in a flash!

Slow Cooker Chili

If you’re hosting a party, make the chili and place it in a slow cooker (or Instant Pot if you have one!) to keep on “warm” so guests can make their own chili pies as they please!

FAQs and Expert Tips

More Easy Dinner Recipes

If you’re a fan of quick and easy dinners, you’ll also love these popular dinner recipes: Doritos Chicken Casserole and BBQ Nachos (using leftover meats)!

Then if you really loved this chili pie, you’re really going to love this layered taco dip and pizza monkey bread because they’re family favorites!

Recipe