Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Casserole is everything comfort food should be!
This is one of those throw it together comfort meals that is great for game day or even a quick dinner. Fritos and chili are a match made in heaven. I didn’t know how the Fritos would do on the bottom of this, I was hoping for the best. I found that Fritos soaked up some of the chili and even browned some along the bottom edges.
My inspiration for this recipe came from an old cookbook I got from woman off a Facebook group, the woman I met had inherited all of her aunt’s things and her aunt had collected hundreds of cookbooks. I bought about 10 vintage cookbooks from her, she had some very unique books! The cookbook I found this recipe in is called Foreign Foods Recipes from Home Economic teachers. It took me a while to realize all the recipes weren’t authentic, they are more on the easy side, which is fine!
Below is my YouTube video about how to make this Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Casserole. You can follow me on YouTube, here.
When I reheated this recipe up the next day it was thicker, but still great. I like to add more Fritos on top of each serving. I hope you have a great week!
Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 9 1/4 oz. bag fritos
- 2 15-oz. can Nalley Original Chili
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
Slow Cooker Size:
- 4 quart or larger
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. Sprinkle 1.5 cups of fritos to the bottom of the slow cooker. Then spoon over the chili. Then sprinkle over half the onions. Sprinkle over half of the cheese. Spread over all the sour cream. Top with the rest of the cheese and onions.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
- Serve with the additional fritos on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
You may also like: Slow Cooker Peachy Barbecue Ribs
Sara says
May 11, 2018 at 9:39 pmLooks like great comfort food! I really love your recipes & I’m really relying on my crockpot during my first trimester (all day sickness) and your website is full of great recipes!
My question about this one, is do the Fritos on the bottom layer stay crunchy?
TIA
Sarah Olson says
May 12, 2018 at 9:47 amThey are more like a enchilada texture, so not crisp. Though some places they were crispy along the edges.
Cara Baines says
May 12, 2018 at 12:47 amWe call this Frito Pie. At sports concession stands (school sports, Little League, etc.) they turn a small bag of Fritos sideways and cut it open all the way across, put a spoonful of chili, handful of cheese, and stick a plastic spoon in it. I saw a lady on one blog say she’d never seen it until she moved to Texas. Not sure where she was from, but I was surprised. Because you’re right, it’s the ultimate comfort food! Yummy recipe.
Brent Harrell says
May 13, 2018 at 10:47 amWarning, the chili cheese casserole is EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE, prepare at your own risk
Jenifer says
May 13, 2018 at 6:47 amCan I substitue the fritos for doritos??
Jason says
June 6, 2018 at 4:47 amYes u can but u may want to add a few more chips due to the fact they are so thin
Sam says
June 11, 2018 at 3:43 amCan you tell me how you arrived at 489mg of sodium per serving? The Fritos, 2 cans of Nalley’s Chili & 3 cups of shredded cheese is over 8000 mg of sodium. The sour cream would add another couple hundred or so. I’d say the amount of servings in this recipe would be 4-6. Unless the portions are miniscule, there’s been a mistake.
Sarah Olson says
June 11, 2018 at 12:28 pmThank you for pointing that out, I went to look and prove you wrong, but the chili had and error and wasn’t in those calculations. I fixed it. The recipes serves about 8, and the sodium is 488 per serving. I use a program that calculates the nutrition.
Sam says
June 13, 2018 at 9:27 amSo when will that be reflected on the “Nutrition Facts?.” Even 8 servings will be over 1000 mg. per serving.
Lisa says
June 16, 2018 at 10:10 amYummy yummy making this today..tks for sharing..
Madison says
July 2, 2018 at 11:07 amCan you cook it in the oven if you don’t have a crockpot?
Sarah Olson says
July 2, 2018 at 3:20 pmYes, I’ve seen oven versions of this.
Anonymous says
August 25, 2018 at 9:38 amWhat would the temp be in the oven and how long
Kami says
July 9, 2018 at 2:16 pmSuper disappointed in this. The fritos at the bottom were mushy and the ones at top were stale after being cooked. Will just cook the chili next time and prepare when ready to eat.
Pat Cody says
July 11, 2018 at 11:32 amWell, per the recipe, you don’t add the fritos on top until after it’s cooked. But I kind of thought that the ones on the bottom would be mush. I’m thinking in the oven for about 30 minutes might be more successful but the flavor combination sounds delicious.
Anonymous says
March 2, 2019 at 1:25 pmDon’t put Fritos on it until it is done cooking. Put them in a bowl and add them after you dipr serving out. Won’t be stale then. Also, probably be good with chopped green onion added and chopped tomato after finished cooking. My bunch would also add ranch. Actually I have this recipe in crockpot now. Anxious to taste it.
Ernest L Sewell says
March 15, 2019 at 10:05 pmThe Fritos on the bottom are supposed to mimic cooked cornmeal like you’d find on a tamala, so yeah, they’re “mushy”.
Scott says
March 24, 2019 at 12:21 pmI think Pat meant the ones added to the top (in the video). Yeah, obviously, the ones on bottom would be “mushy”.
We’re preparing this right now, on top of a thin layer of Pinto Beans from last night.
Victoria says
August 3, 2018 at 6:43 pmI thought it was very good I actually just spooned it over fritos versus sprinkling on top which if you eat soon after chips stay crispy but definitely very good!
Sarah Olson says
August 4, 2018 at 9:59 amGlad you liked it!
Kristina says
August 10, 2018 at 4:14 pmThis looks so delicious, too bad the temp isn’t currently in the 100’s.
Tellia Augafa says
August 23, 2018 at 9:15 amLove the easy recipe for the chili cheese casserole…thanks for sharing. Question – can I use tater tots instead?
Sarah Olson says
August 23, 2018 at 10:44 amThat’s a great question! That would be a totally different recipe, but sounds so good. I think it would need a little more time if the tots are frozen. It think I do 5 hours on low for my tater tot casseroles.
John Wake says
August 29, 2018 at 12:29 amI agree with your opinion !!
Peter says
September 9, 2018 at 7:53 pmI gotta disagree with most folks here. This was not very good at all. Three out of three thumbs down in our household. The bowls weren’t finished, and the leftovers are in the trash.
The biggest problem is probably cooking everything together – particularly the sour cream. Plus that’s way too much sour cream.
I’d heat up the chili alone, then add the Fritos, diced onion, cheese and a little dollop of sour cream as toppings.
Karen Frizzell says
March 13, 2019 at 7:28 amCan you cok this in the Instant Pot? If so, how long would you cook it for?
Anonymous says
March 15, 2019 at 4:48 pmI just had this. My 8 year old stepson wasn’t a fan (which is disappointing because it had Fritos and chili so I totally thought he would be on board). I had my bowl plus his. I wouldn’t say it was great. I feel like the chili was overpowered by cheese and sour cream. The texture is very odd and I def. prefer the Fritos on top where they are crunchy. I thought it would be more of a chili and less of a sour cream/cheese mixture. I would give this a 7/10. Next time I would make it with less sour cream and maybe a homemade chili. I have been making a homemade chili so I have forgotten how chili in a can tastes. Super easy recipe though and perfect when it’s chilly outside.
Anonymous says
April 2, 2019 at 3:43 pmI cooked this for 2 hrs on high like instructed the fritoes on the bottom burnt and it ended up being mush! But my family ate it anyway! Next time I will add less sour cream and cook for less time.