Crunchy Frito Chili Pie
This is a filling pantry dinner built around beef, canned chili, beans, and salsa. The small change that matters here is saving some of the corn chips until serving. The chips underneath soften into the filling, and the ones added at the end stay crisp. Olives are optional, so leave them out if they are not your thing.
HKT adaptation of Erica Walker’s Frito Chili Pie, now published as Chili Frito Casserole at Favorite Family Recipes. This version reserves some chips for serving and makes the olives optional: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/chili-casserole/
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chiles
1 can (4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained (optional)
1 can (16 ounces) prepared chili
1 can (16 ounces) chili beans, with their sauce
1 can (15 ounces) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup salsa
1 tablespoon taco seasoning, homemade or store-bought
1 bag (10½ ounces) Fritos or similar corn chips, divided into three equal portions
2 cups shredded cheddar or Cheddar Jack cheese
A little oil or cooking spray, for the baking dish
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a deep 9×13-inch baking dish. Divide the corn chips into three roughly equal portions and set one portion aside for serving.
2. Cook the ground beef and chopped onion in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, breaking the beef into crumbles. Cook the ground beef to 160°F, checking with a food thermometer, and let the onion soften. Carefully drain excess fat.
3. Stir in the green chiles, optional drained olives, prepared chili, chili beans with their sauce, drained corn, salsa, and taco seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Lightly crush one portion of chips and spread it across the baking dish. Spoon the hot filling over the chips. Scatter a second portion of lightly crushed chips over the filling. Keep the final portion out of the oven.
5. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake about 10 minutes longer, until melted and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Add time if needed to heat the middle fully.
6. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes. Add the reserved chips to individual servings just before eating so they keep their crunch.
7. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat portions to 165°F throughout. Keep any remaining chips separate and add them after reheating.