Chili Cheese Fries

Ingredients

For the Chili –

• 1 pound ground beef
• 7 ounces Mexican chorizo
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 cup water
• Salt and pepper

For the Chili Cheese Fries –

• 28 ounce bag frozen French fries or homemade fries!
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup chopped scallions
• ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapenos

Instructions

• Set a large 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef, chorizo, onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces and cook the meat and onions for 5-8 minutes, until the meat is well browned.
• Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and juices, ancho chili powder, ground cumin, and an additional cup of water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer the chili for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavor is well developed. Taste, then salt and pepper if needed. Do not add salt earlier as many of the ingredients are already salty.
• Once the chili is simmering, make the french fries. Either follow this recipe for homemade fries, or bake frozen french fries on a large baking sheet, according to the package instructions.
• Once the fries are golden and crispy, pile them on a large serving platter. Ladle hot chili over the top of the fries, then follow with a heavy sprinkling of cheddar cheese, several dollops of sour cream, a sprinkling of scallions, and pickled jalapeños. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the chili a day or so in advance. But I do not recommend assembling the chili fries until you’re ready to eat.

The quick homemade chili will keep well for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. Prepare the fries right when ready to load with toppings and serve.