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Frito Pie with Chili con Carne

Prep Time20 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Kendra Bailey Morris

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon bacon grease or 
vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel brand) with its juice
  • 2 14-ounce cans kidney beans, 
rinsed and drained

For serving

  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese 
grated
  • ½ cup minced sweet onion
  • Sliced pickled jalapeños
  • Sour cream
  • Large 14-ounce bag Fritos brand 
corn chips, or 8 (1- or 2-ounce)
individual serving–size bags

Instructions

  • Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
  • Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and add the bacon grease. Crumble in the ground beef and cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Mix in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, sugar, black pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 more minute.
  • Pour the beef mixture into the slow cooker and add the tomato sauce, 
tomatoes and chiles, and kidney beans. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 
at least 8 hours and up to 9 hours.
  • To serve, spread the chips in a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish or divide among eight smaller bowls. Pour in the chili, then top with the cheddar, sweet 
onion, jalapeños, and sour cream and serve. Alternatively, cut open eight individual serving–size bags of chips, divide the chili and toppings evenly among the bags, and eat straight from the bags with a fork.

Notes

Reprinted with permission from The Southern Slow Cooker by Kendra Bailey Morris, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
Adapted from “Reprinted with permission from The Southern Slow Cooker by Kendra Bailey Morris, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.