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American

Chili Dogs

A quick ground-beef chili is spooned over hot dogs that have been heated through, all tucked into soft buns with onion and cheddar. The dogs taste smoky and savory, with a mild chili heat.

Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Hot dogs in buns topped with beef chili, chopped onion, and shredded cheddar

Why you’ll love it

  • The chili is cooked to 160°F before it ever touches the buns.
  • A thick chili stays on the dog instead of soaking the bun immediately.
  • Simmering the hot dogs heats them without splitting the skins if the water stays gentle.
  • Onion and cheddar are the classic finish, added at the end.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing. Cook the chopped onion for 3 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.

  2. 2

    Add the ground beef, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F, about 7 minutes.

  3. 3

    Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Simmer until thick, about 8 minutes.

  4. 4

    Meanwhile, simmer the hot dogs in a saucepan of water over medium heat until they are hot all the way through, about 5 minutes. Do not boil them hard.

  5. 5

    Set the hot dogs in the buns.

  6. 6

    Spoon the chili over the dogs and top with the diced onion and cheddar cheese.

Pro tips

  • Keep the chili thick; a watery chili makes the bun collapse.
  • Split the hot dogs lengthwise if you want more chili on each one.
  • Warm the buns so they are soft, not cold from the bag.

Easy substitutions

cheddar cheese
shredded Monterey Jack
tomato sauce
ketchup
beef hot dogs
turkey dogs heated until hot in the center

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate the chili and hot dogs separately for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat the chili in a saucepan until bubbling and warm the hot dogs in hot water until heated through.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
474
Protein
28 g
Carbs
32 g
Fat
26 g
Fiber
3 g

Budget friendly · Stovetop

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients