These chili dogs are an American classic featuring toasted buns and grilled hot dogs that are smothered with bold, delicious chili. Grab some shredded cheese, and get ready to kick back and enjoy. You'll want to serve them at your next backyard cookout for a meal that everyone will be talking about!
Chili dogs are easily a staple dish in America, as they are commonly enjoyed at ball games, summertime cookouts, amusement parks, and even fast food restaurants! They are hearty, flavorful, and the perfect combination of comfort food and indulgence.
It may be messy to eat, but it is completely worth it (but maybe you should skip wearing white). I like to add a heaping amount of shredded cheese and some diced red onion, but you can easily customize your dog however you like!
If you are serving a crowd, go ahead and take a look at my post on hosting a hot dog bar so that everyone can customize their hot dogs!
🌎 Origin
Chili dogs (or coney dogs or a chile con carne dog) is an American classic comfort food that combines hot dogs and chili. However, the exact origin is pretty unclear.
One theory is that the chili dog was created in the early 1900s as a variation of the "Coney Island hot dogs" which featured a hot dog topped with meat sauce, onions, and mustard. Ironically, these Coney Island hot dogs were created in Michigan and were named after their style rather than the actual location.
Another theory believes that chili dogs could have been a spin-off of the "Texas hot dog" or "Texas Weiner" which is actually from Pennsylvania (not Texas) and originated in the early 20th century. This version included hot dogs that were topped with chili sauce.
🥘 Chili Dogs Ingredients
With a chili that is packed with veggies, beef, and spices, you know there is bounds to be tons of flavor! You should be able to grab everything you need in one trip to the store.
Hot Dog Chili
- Ground Beef - 2½ pounds of ground beef. I used 80/20. You could swap this for your preferred ground meat, but I enjoy the beefy flavor of this chili.
- Onion - 1 large white onion, diced. You could also use yellow onion.
- Bell Pepper - 1 large bell pepper with the seeds removed and diced.
- Anaheim Pepper - 1 large Anaheim pepper with seeds removed and diced.
- Jalapenos - 2 large jalapenos with seeds removed and diced.
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (3 cloves).
- Worcestershire Sauce - ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce (or a Worcestershire sauce substitute).
- Beef Bouillon - 2 cubes of beef bouillon.
- Beer - 12 ounces of light beer. Choose your favorite, or swap it for beef broth.
- Crushed Tomatoes - 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes.
- Diced Tomatoes - 14.5 ounces of fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Tomato Paste - 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
- White Wine - ½ cup of white wine. Use your favorite, or swap it out for some additional beef broth.
- Chili Seasoning - 4 tablespoons of chili seasoning. Check out my homemade chili seasoning blend, or use your own.
- Brown Sugar - 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or use a brown sugar substitute).
- Chipotle Pepper Sauce - 1 tablespoon of Chipotle pepper sauce.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper, adjusted to suit your tastes.
- Kidney Beans - Two 16-ounce cans (32 ounces total) of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
- Chili Beans - 16 ounces of canned chili beans, drained and rinsed.
Take a look at my post on the best beans for chili for some more tasty options!
Chili Dogs
- Hot Dogs - 12 all-beef hot dogs.
- Hot Dog Buns - 12 hot dog buns or hoagie rolls.
- Cheese (optional) - ¼ cup of shredded cheese for topping.
- Red Onion (optional) - ¼ cup of finely diced red onion for topping.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🫘 Best Chili For Chili Dogs
When it comes to loading up some chili on top of perfectly cooked hot dogs, many people have different opinions on what type of chili is the best. Some individuals (such as myself) enjoy going all-out on my chili, no matter how it is being served! This includes veggies, beans, and tons of flavor.
However, there are many firm believers who think that when chili is going to be used on hot dogs, there shouldn't be any beans or even vegetables. If this is more your style, try out my Cincinnati chili recipe for your chili dogs!
Either way, in the end, it all comes down to personal preference on how you want to load up your hot dogs.
For more information, tips, and tricks, take a look at my post, which is all about the best chili for chili dogs.
🔪 How To Make Chili Dogs
There are two stages for making chili dogs: preparing the chili and grilling your hot dogs! To get started, grab a Dutch oven (or large pot), your cutting board, some knives, your measuring utensils, and your grilling utensils.
This recipe is for 12 chili dogs that are topped with a generous portion of chili!
Prepare The Chili
- Brown the beef. Place your Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop and brown 2½ pounds (1.13 kilograms) of ground beef. Drain and discard any remaining grease.
*If you are going to cook the chili in the oven, go ahead and preheat it to 350°F (175°C). - Cook. Into the Dutch oven with the ground beef, add 1 large white onion (150 grams), 1 large red bell pepper (164 grams), 1 large Anaheim pepper (56 grams), 2 large jalapeno peppers (28 grams), and 1 tablespoon (8 grams) of garlic. Stir occasionally while cooking until the vegetables are nice and tender.
- Stir. Add ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef bouillon cubes (8 grams), and 12 ounces (340 milliliters) of light beer. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon while you stir to deglaze the pan.
- Mix. Stir in 28 ounces (794 grams) of crushed tomatoes, 14.5 ounces (411 grams) of diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon (170 grams) of tomato paste, ½ cup (118 milliliters) of white wine, 4 tablespoons (28 grams) of chili seasoning, 1 tablespoon (12 grams) of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of chipotle pepper sauce, and ½ teaspoon (3 grams) each of salt & pepper.
- Stovetop Method: Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow it to simmer for 1½ hours. Stir occasionally.
Oven Method: Cover the pot and place it into the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. - Add beans. Add 32 ounces (907 grams) of dark red kidney beans and 16 ounces (454 grams) of chili beans to the pot, replace the lid, and cook for another 30 minutes (either on the stovetop or in the oven).
Cook The Hot Dogs
- Preheat. Meanwhile, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and clean and oil the grates.
- Grill. Once hot, place 12 hot dogs (540 grams) onto the grill over direct heat. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes per side.
- Toast. Remove the hot dogs to a plate or serving tray and turn off the grill. Then, place the 12 hot dog buns (510 grams) onto the still-warm grill to lightly toast them (about 2 minutes).
- Assemble. Place one of the cooked hot dogs onto a toasted bun and top it with a generous scoop of chili. Add a sprinkle of ¼ cup (28 grams) of cheddar cheese and ¼ cup (40 grams) of red onion if desired, and serve immediately.
🥗 Sides
These are perfect for pairing with any of your favorite potluck side dishes. Serve them with some German potato salad, Hawaiian macaroni salad, or Southern coleslaw. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If you want a chili that has no beans, check out my easy-to-make Cincinnati chili recipe.
- If you don't want to use alcohol (or don't have any on hand), just leave it out and add the same amount of additional beef broth.
- You can easily make this chili as quickly as you need to by reducing the amount of time spent simmering on the stove (or in the oven). However, letting the chili cook for the full amount of time will definitely yield the best flavor!
- Feel free to cook your hot dogs any way you like! I prepared mine on the grill, but you can boil them, bake them in the oven, use the microwave, or any other method you prefer.
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Keep your chili and hot dogs stored separately, without the bun. Place them into a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat any leftover chili on the stovetop or by using small increments in the microwave. Heat your hot dog on the grill, stovetop, or microwave, and freshly toast a bun before assembling and adding any toppings.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Of course, you can use canned chili if you are in a time crunch. However, homemade chili is packed with so much more flavor that it is definitely worth the extra effort!
This is completely a personal preference! I like to go with some classic all-beef hot dogs, but many people like to use pork hot dogs or even bratwurst!
Nope! If the weather isn't nice, you don't have a grill, or just want some more options; you can easily cook your hot dogs any way you like. Try preparing them like my air fryer hot dogs, or in the oven, boiling them, or even in the microwave if you are in a time crunch!
🌭 More Recipes For Backyard Cookouts
- Grilled Baby Back Ribs - Fall-off-the-bone ribs are perfect for any carnivore in the family.
- Potato Salad - Cool diced potatoes are tossed with mayo, mustard, eggs, and more.
- Burger Bar - Hosting a burger bar is the best way to let everyone customize their burgers.
- Sour Cream Chip Dip - The ideal dip for veggies, chips, pretzels, and more.
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad - A sweet and refreshing salad loaded up with all of your favorite fruits.
- Grilled Corn On The Cob - Sweet corn on the cob can be grilled right alongside your hot dogs.
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📖 Recipe Card
Chili Dogs
Ingredients
Chili
- 2½ lbs ground beef
- 1 large white onion (diced, or use yellow onion)
- 1 large red bell pepper (diced, seeds removed)
- 1 large Anaheim pepper (seeds removed, diced)
- 2 large jalapeno peppers (finely diced, seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 12 oz light beer (such as Coors, or use beef broth)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (San Marzano are recommended)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (fire-roasted)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine (or use more beef broth)
- 4 tablespoon chili seasoning (try my recipe or use your own)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 32 oz dark red kidney beans (2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
- 16 oz chili beans (1 16-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
Chili Dogs
- 12 hot dogs (all beef)
- 12 hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls)
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese (shredded, optional for topping)
- ¼ cup red onion (finely diced, optional for topping)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Prepare The Chili
- Place your Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop and brown 2½ lbs ground beef. Drain and discard any remaining grease.*If you are going to cook the chili in the oven, go ahead and preheat it to 350°F (175°C).
- Into the Dutch oven with the ground beef, add 1 large white onion, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large Anaheim pepper, 2 large jalapeno peppers, and 1 tablespoon garlic. Stir occasionally while cooking until the vegetables are nice and tender.
- Add ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef bouillon cubes, and 12 oz light beer. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon while you stir to deglaze the pan.
- Stir in 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ cup white wine, 4 tablespoon chili seasoning, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce, and ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper.
- Stovetop Method: Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow it to simmer for 1½ hours. Stir occasionally. Oven Method: Cover the pot and place it into the oven. Cook for 30 minutes.
- Add 32 oz dark red kidney beans and 16 oz chili beans to the pot, replace the lid, and cook for another 30 minutes (either on the stovetop or in the oven).
Cook The Hot Dogs
- Meanwhile, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and clean and oil the grates.
- Once hot, place 12 hot dogs onto the grill over direct heat. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the hot dogs to a plate or serving tray and turn off the grill. Then, place the 12 hot dog buns onto the still-warm grill to lightly toast them (about 2 minutes).
- Place one of the cooked hot dogs onto a toasted bun and top it with a generous scoop of chili. Add a sprinkle of ¼ cup cheddar cheese and ¼ cup red onion if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want a chili that has no beans, check out my easy-to-make Cincinnati chili recipe.
- If you don't want to use alcohol (or don't have any on hand), just leave it out and add the same amount of additional beef broth.
- You can easily make this chili as quickly as you need to by reducing the amount of time spent simmering on the stove (or in the oven). However, letting the chili cook for the full amount of time will definitely yield the best flavor!
- Feel free to cook your hot dogs any way you like! I prepared mine on the grill, but you can boil them, bake them in the oven, use the microwave, or any other method you prefer.
- To store: Keep your chili and hot dogs stored separately, without the bun. Place them into a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat any leftover chili on the stovetop or by using small increments in the microwave. Heat your hot dog on the grill, stovetop, or microwave, and freshly toast a bun before assembling and adding any toppings.
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