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When you’re craving Chili Dogs, make this easy Hot Dog Chili Recipe. Make it on the stovetop, in your slow cooker, even in an instant pot, then spoon it on top of hot dogs for the ultimate tailgate or game day recipe.
In my humble opinion, no tailgate party feels complete without chili dogs. Whether you whip up this ground beef chili on your stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker, you can’t lose. During the last few minutes of Hot Dog Chili prep, grill up some hot dogs, and prepare to be declared tailgate party MVP.
Not ready to brave the cold? Homemade Hot Dog Chili in general, and Chili Dogs in particular, are still delicious as party of any Football Party menu. You don’t have to freeze to enjoy a tasty dog!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Chipotle chili powder: Chipotle chili powder is spicy! If you’re unsure, start with 1 teaspoon (or less) until the chili is fully cooked. Then, taste and add more at the end. You can also substitute ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or omit it entirely.
- Canned tomatoes: I love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, but you can substitute regular canned tomatoes and add 1 (4-ounce) can of diced green chilies. Ro*tel tomatoes work, too.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil in over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle chili powder, thyme, coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until vegetables have softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add lean ground beef and cook, breaking up the clumps with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and crumbles into a fine texture, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer until the chili has thickened, about 1 hour longer (if chili sticks to the bottom of the pot, stir in ½ cup water and continue to simmer).
- Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. To make Chili Dogs, serve over hot dogs in buns and top with shredded cheese and minced red onion or your favorite toppings.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 cups of chili, enough to top 8 hot dogs with ½ cup chili each (or enough for 16 hot dogs if everybody uses ¼ cup).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Cool within 2 hours, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days in advance. Reheat the full recipe on the stove over low heat to 165 degrees. Reheat small batches in the microwave.
- Freezer: Cool cooked chili to below 40 degrees on an instant-read thermometer within 2 hours and place into airtight containers. Frozen chili will last 4 to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Beans: Add 1 (15-ounce) can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed, in step 3 with the tomatoes if desired. 1 ½ cups cooked beans can be substituted for the 1 can (that’s about ½ cup dried beans before cooking). You can use any type of canned or cooked bean instead of kidney.
- Slow cooker: At the end of step 2, transfer the cooked beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients as directed in step 3, cover and cook the chili on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- Instant Pot: Sauté the onions, peppers, spices, garlic, and beef in an Instant Pot until the beef is browned, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, and bay leaf and mix well. Cook on manual or high pressure for 10 minutes. Fast release the pressure when done.
- More toppings: Shredded cheese and red onions are classics. You can also try crispy cooked bacon, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, corn chips (Fritos), or oyster crackers. And who’s to stop you from adding some classic ketchup and yellow mustard?
- Favorite sides for Chili Dogs: French fries, potato salad, potato chips, and baked beans are all fun sides for Chili Dogs.
- Chili Cheese Burrito: Put leftover chili to work in this easy Chili Cheese Burrito. Just fold up leftover chili with cooked rice and shredded cheese, then toast in a dry skillet.
- Classic Beef Chili: This easy Beef Chili recipe tastes just like the one mom used to make! It’s also easy to customize with your own special additions if you want to.
- Venison Chili: If you’re lucky enough to have some ground venison in your freezer, this Venison Chili recipe is the one you’ll want to make all winter long.
- Chili con Carne: Made with boneless beef chuck roast instead of ground beef, this delicious Chili con Carne recipe has layers of flavor from bacon, fire-roasted tomatoes, lots of garlic, and all the classic chili spices. And it’s made right in your slow cooker!
- Turkey Chili: This delicious Turkey Chili recipe is made with ground turkey, so it’s a little bit lighter than the standard beef version. It’s full of vegetables and classic spices and it’s ready for all your favorite healthful toppings like diced avocado, green onions, and fresh cilantro.
- Sweet Potato Chili: This hearty vegan Sweet Potato Chili is loaded with black beans, vegetables, and all the classic spices. Like all chilis, it freezes well and makes a great meal prep option.
- Cincinnati Chili: Made famous by Skyline Chili in Ohio, this Cincinnati Chili recipe is full of secret ingredients and served on spaghetti with lots of toppings like shredded cheese, raw onions, and kidney beans. Which “way” do you want yours?
- White Chicken Chili: When the temperature drops, slow cooker White Chicken Chili is the ultimate comfort food. Tender chunks of chicken simmering in a creamy broth studded with white beans, green chiles, and corn make for a most satisfying meal.
- White Turkey Chili: This is my favorite soup to make after Thanksgiving when leftovers are abundant. It’s hearty, creamy, and a refreshing way to enjoy leftover turkey all over again. To keep things easy, make White Turkey Chili right in your slow cooker.
- Chili Mac: Made in just one pot in 25 minutes or less, this easy Chili Mac recipe is like a great bowl of chili in casserole form. It’s perfect for the busiest, hungriest weeknights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chili powder made of?
The Americanized chili powder blend you use in this recipe is made of a variety of spices including ground cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. If you shop at an international food market and buy “chili powder,” sometimes this is just straight-up ground dried red chiles (cayenne pepper).You should be able to tell by the color of the powder.
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Hot Dog Chili Recipe
When you're craving Chili Dogs, make this easy Hot Dog Chili recipe. Make it on the stovetop, in your slow cooker, even in an instant pot, then spoon it on top of hot dogs for the ultimate tailgate or game day recipe.
Ingredients
For the chili seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or less (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the chili:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 small red bell pepper finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained (see note 2)
- 1 (15 -ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 bay leaf
To serve:
- 8 hot dogs
- 8 hot dog buns split
- shredded cheddar cheese
- red onion minced
Instructions
- To make the homemade chili seasoning, in a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle chili powder (if using), thyme, coriander, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.
- In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil in over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, bell pepper, and chili seasoning. Cook until vegetables have softened, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, breaking up the clumps with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer until the chili has thickened, about 1 hour longer (if chili sticks to the bottom of the pot, stir in ½ cup water and continue to simmer).
- Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. To make Chili Dogs, serve over hot dogs in buns and top with shredded cheese and minced red onion or your favorite toppings.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Chipotle chili powder: Chipotle chili powder is spicy! If you’re unsure, start with ½ teaspoon (or less) until the chili is fully cooked. Then, taste and add more at the end. You can also substitute ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or omit it entirely.
- Canned tomatoes: I love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, but you can substitute regular canned tomatoes and add 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies. Ro*tel tomatoes work, too.
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 cups of chili, enough to top 8 hot dogs with ½ cup chili each (or enough for 16 hot dogs if everybody uses ¼ cup).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 11gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 979IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
This chili was perfect for my cookout. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kerni! – Meggan