These Grilled Chili Cheese Dog Sandwiches are outrageously delicious. Perfect for feeding a group on game day!
Chili dog purists look away, this sandwich is offensive in the most delicious way possible. Is a chili cheese dog sandwich a thing?! It is now 😛. Follow me…
Homemade Chili
One of the stars of the show here is the chili. Usually if i’m making a chili I’ll simmer it for a good hour and a half. But here because it’s a smaller portion you can get away with half the time. One thing to note here though is you want to simmer the chili until it’s nice and thick. If the chili is too saucy it’ll spill out of the sandwich and make the bread go soggy.
Can I use leftover Chili for this recipe?
Absolutely! This sandwich is the PERFECT way to use up that leftover chili you’ve got lurking in the fridge/freezer. Just make sure you bring it to room temp before you use it or it won’t heat through properly in the sandwich (more on this in the recipe card).
Can I make the Chili ahead of time?
Yep, just allow to cool and store in the fridge/freezer until needed.
Process shots: fry onion/red pepper (photo 1), fry garlic (photo 2), fry beef (photo 3), stir in tomato paste (photo 4), add beef stock, tomatoes, kidney beans, Worcestershire sauce, spices and seasoning (photo 5), stir and simmer until thickened (photo 6).
Chili Cheese Dog Grilled Cheese
Now here’s where things get tasty. For the sandwich itself, alongside the chili all you need is hot dogs, cheese, bread and butter.
What Bread to use?
You want large, thick sturdy slices of bread, just so it contains the filling. I’ve use a White Bloomer here.
What Cheese to use?
Here I use a combo of Monterey Jack and Mexican Cheese Blend. Cheddar also works nicely!
Process shots: add bread butter-side-down to pan (photo 1), add Monterey Jack (photo 2), and hot dogs (photo 3), add chili (photo 4), add Mexican Cheese Blend (photo 5), add bread butter-side-up and fry both sides (photo 6).
And there we have it! Just go carefully when you flip the sandwich to ensure the filling stays in.
- Crisp/Chip Recommendation: Something sturdy like a Tortilla Chip to scoop up any filling that spills out.
- Side Recommendation: Speaking of tortilla chips, some Individual Nachos would go perfectly with this sandwich. Or go wild with some Sweet Potato Fries!
For another crazy grilled cheese sandwich check out my Leftover Bolognese Grilled Cheese!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this Chili Cheese Dog Sandwich shall we?!
How to make a Chili Dog Sandwich (Full Recipe & Video)
Chili Cheese Dog Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- Large Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Spatula/Turner
- Jug (for stock)
- Sieve/Colander (for draining beans)
- Side Bowl (to cool chili)
Ingredients
Chili
- 1lb / 500g Ground Beef (preferably 10-12% fat)
- 1x 14oz/400g can of Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed
- 1x 14oz/400g can of Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 cup / 240ml Beef Stock
- 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
- 1 medium Red Pepper, finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
- 1 tbsp EACH: Paprika, Cumin, Chili Powder (or to spice preference)
- 1 tsp Sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Ground Coriander, Oregano, Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Olive Oil, as needed
Grilled Cheese
- 12 large thick slices of Bread (something nice and sturdy to keep chili secured)
- 12 Hot Dogs, sliced in half lengthways (preferably same length as bread)
- 12 square slices of Monterey Jack (can sub Cheddar)
- 1 1/2 cup / 150g Mexican Cheese Blend (or second cheese of choice)
- Butter, as needed
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil then add onion and red pepper. Fry until they begin to soft/brown then add garlic and fry for another 1-2mins. Add in beef and break up with your wooden spoon. Continue frying until the beef has completely browned (drain excess fat if needed).
- Add 1 heaped tbsp tomato paste and fry with the beef for a couple of mins. Pour in beef stock, chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and kidney beans, then add paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, ground coriander, salt, sugar and pepper. Give it a good stir then turn down heat slightly and simmer until it has completely thickened, stirring occasionally (around 30-45mins). Important to really thicken the chili or it'll spill out the sandwich. Once all the liquid has reduced place chili in a bowl to cool, then clean out pan and place back on the stove with the heat OFF.
- Butter one side of each of your slices of bread. Place two slices butter-side-down in the pan and top with Monterey Jack. Add 2 hot dogs per sandwich (sliced in half lengthways) then top with chili. Follow with a sprinkle of Mexican Cheese Blend then finish with bread butter-side-up. Turn heat to medium and fry both sides until golden with the cheese nice and gooey. Remove then repeat with the other sandwiches.
- Sliced in half, serve up and enjoy!
Quick Demo
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
If you loved this Grilled Chili Cheese Dog Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
I love this cheesy sandwich! It sounds easy to make and delicious to eat! I am sharing your recipe with my son. 🙂
I immediately thought of my sister in laws family, they love these type of recipes so cannot wait to surprise them with this.
Why have I never thought of this before?? This is such a great idea, as these are two of my favorite sandwiches combined into one!
Oh wow my mouth is watering just looking at these! I think my family are going to like these sandwiches A LOT!