November 21, 2019 Robin at Haphazard Homemaker
With only 4 ingredients, this Chili Cheese Dog Casserole could not be any easier! It’s one of those yummy, stick-to-your-ribs casseroles that the whole family will love. (It’s Hubby-approved, too! ) The best part is it tastes absolutely delicious, and just like a chili cheese dog without the mess.
I used canned chili in this casserole, but leftover homemade chili would work great, too!
Since I’ve already made a big pot of Autumn Chili and another full size casserole in the last few days, and have eaten enough leftovers this week, I wanted to make a casserole we haven’t had for quite a long time. I cut this recipe in half and used my 8″ x 8″ baking dish. It’s the perfect size for dinner one night and lunch the next day for the two of us!
Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
There are two ways to do the tater tots. Either way, it is going to take 40 minutes cooking time. I have included both directions below. I prefer to precook my tater tots to put on the bottom for a firmer sturdier bottom layer.
You’ll need a baking dish or pan that can handle the higher heat, but I’ve also included baking temperature and time for Pyrex baking dishes.
Prep 5 minutes Cook 45 minutes Serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 (15 ounce) cans chili with beans (Hubby prefers I use 3 cans for a full casserole dish)
- 8 hot dogs
- 1 (28 ounce) package frozen tater tots
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese salt pepper
Directions – Option 1 (if pre-cooking tater tots)
- Preheat your oven to 425°F/220°C
- Bake the tater tots as directed on the package, about 20 minutes.
- Lightly grease/oil a 9″ X 13″ pan. Layer the tater tots in the bottom.
- Top with sliced hot dogs.
- Spread the chili over the top of the hotdogs. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of the tots and bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Directions – Option 2 (if NOT pre-cooking tater tots)
- Preheat your oven to 425°F/220°C
- Lightly grease/oil a 9″ X 13″ pan.
- Stir the chili and the sliced hot dogs together in the bottom of the pan.
- Layer the tater tots on next.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of the tots and bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Directions if using Pyrex or Anchor Hocking: Use Option 2, bake at 350°F/177°C for 50 minutes. Add cheese and bake another 10 minutes.
I popped open a can of biscuits to bake and serve along with this casserole.
Enjoy!
Looks really good. I would use green chile, but either way it’s really appetizing.
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Thanks 🙂
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this is realy good ,i add hot sauce & jala
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I made it Sunday night and just FYI just because your husband approved it doesn’t mean it was actually good. It Actually was not that great. It was just a plateful mush . I recommend if you make this in the future that you use real chili and not canned chili that has no taste to it whatsoever.
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Sorry you didn’t like my recipe, but great that you had ideas to make it better to suit your tastes. If you have read many of my posts, you would see that a lot of my recipes are shortcut recipes geared more for people that don’t have the time, energy or enthusiasm to spend extended time in the kitchen. 🙂
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I’m sure with any recipe, you can tweak it the way you want it. There was no reason to be rude.
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Yes, I’m sure anyone with basic cooking skills knows how to tweak recipes. 🙂
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Yum! This will be something for me to try out on a wintery day. Plenty of those to come. 😦
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Yes there are plenty to cpme, sorry to say. I like that I can easily make a half recipe of this.
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Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
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I have never tried anything like this! It would be a hit at my house!
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Thanks! Glad you like the idea. 🙂
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Looks delicious! My daughter the picky eater might actually eat this!
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Maybe, it’s all simple foods. 🙂
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I’m gonna need to try this version!
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Cool! I hope you like it! 🙂
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Looks delicious!
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Thank you! 🙂
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I’m only cooking for my uncle and myself. Could I make this recipe and divide it in 2 8″ x 8″ pans and bake one and freeze the other for a later day? I love to make 2 meals out of one like this.
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Yes, you most definitely can! I suggest you put the cheese in a baggie and freeze wrapped up with the pan. Let the pan thaw for at least a couple of hours before baking. Bake as directed, adding the cheese about halfway through the baking time.
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I think it would be really good with corn bread!
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Yes it would be!🙂
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I’m confused – in the top “blurb” you say to put the tots in first then spread chili over them – then in the “directions” you say spread the chili in the baking pan and layer the tots on top. At first putting the tots on the chili seems to make a little more sense, since canned chili, if not heated, is pretty “stiff” and I would fear that any attempt to “spread the (cold) chili on the (soft) tots” couldn’t possibly work without making a big mess.
Also, you bake the tots, so that would sort of make spreading chili on top of the tots the only real way one could proceed without using two baking pans – one to bake the tots, one to warm the chili (425º would be way too “hot!”).
Keeping this in mind, would you like to amend one or the other set of directions for practical purposes – or is there one you particularly recommend?
Thanks – this also looks as though, cooking primarily for adult tastes, by substituting summer, or kielbasa, or andouille sausage it might be a little less “hot doggy”, somewhat lower fat, fewer pig ani, etc.
“Hot doggy” seems as though it would be better for picky kids, I think.LikeLike
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I love your thoughts on using summer sausage, etc for a more adult taste!
There are 2 sets of directions included: Option 1 and Option 2. One is for precooking the tots and the other is using frozen tots. Precooked tots go on the bottom. If NOT precooking, the tots turn out better when put on the top. In my opinion, the casserole is much better if the tots are precooked and put on the bottom of the casserole.
Would love to hear how it turns out substituting a sausage..🙂LikeLike
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I enjoy this because it’s so simple to put together especially on a weeknight. That said, I have doctored this a little and treat it more like the chili dogs we have in Ohio. I use Tony Packo’s hot dog sauce in place of the chili, and add some onions, a little ketchup and mustard. I also treat the tater tots like the regular tater tot casserole and put the cheese on top of the dogs/sauce mix, and then use mini tots or crispy crowns on top. This keeps the tots from getting soggy. The family loves it!
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That sounds good too. I usua
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