I crave chili and fries during the fall and winter, so these tasty chili fries are exactly what I want when the weather turns cooler. Kid-friendly, gluten-free, paleo and ready in just one hour, there are so many reasons to make this for dinner – tonight! Also, loaded chili fries are the perfect thing to serve for game day or parties!
This might be my favorite recipe to date, these loaded chili fries are so so sooo good!! I have a special place in my heart for chili fries! Years ago I used to order them from a nearby restaurant, knowing they were most likely farrrr from healthy, but they were so worth it at the time. These loaded chili fries that I’ve created knock those shady fries way out of the park! Seriously, MAKE THESE! Everyone will love you for them!
Ingredients For Chili Fries
You may take a glance at the ingredient list and wonder WTF was she thinking?! Cocoa powder and red wine?! YES! Just trust me on this one, this chili is by far the best chili I’ve ever had, and it won’t taste like either chocolate or red wine! You won’t even miss the beans in this chili, and if needed, I give an easy substitute for the red wine. I think that this chili tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make it in advance! Making a double batch is always a good idea too 😉
Yam fries are my favorite to use in this recipe, but you could also use regular French fries, sweet potato fries or even parsnip and carrot fries! The dairy-free sour “cream” I’ve used in this recipe isn’t to be missed, it’s really what takes these loaded chili fries to the next level! I could really eat these for every meal, and I just know that you’ll love them!
How To Make Chili Fries
Start by making the chili recipe. You can be preparing the fries while the chili simmers.
The chili recipe is a really easy one. First, heat coconut oil/ghee in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Now, add the ground beef to the pan and sauté until cooked through. Drain any extra fat/liquid from the pan and add the garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, stir in the chili powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, cumin, dried oregano, dried basil, cayenne pepper, sea salt and black pepper to the pan. To this mixture, add the diced tomatoes and red wine to the pan, stirring once more and smashing some of the tomatoes with the back of your spoon. Bring the chili to a gentle boil then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
While the chili is simmering, let’s bake those fries! Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Slice the yam into fries, making them no more than ¼” thick. If they’re any thicker, they’ll steam from the inside, and your fries won’t crisp up.
Toss the fries and melted coconut oil/ghee directly on a baking sheet. Place the fries in a single layer, making sure the fries aren’t too close to one another. Sprinkle with salt. Place on the middle rack in your oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, carefully flip the fries and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until both sides are browned.
Now for the best part – top the fries with the chili, diced onion, chives, avocado or guacamole and dairy-free sour cream. EAT UP!!
How To Reheat Chili Fries
I can’t imagine having leftovers of this dish! Ha! But if you do, it actually reheats really well. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and pop your leftovers on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes and then voilá! You can enjoy more chili fries!
Variations
Take these loaded chili fries to the next level by adding crispy, crumpled bacon on top. And don’t forget the toppings! My favorites are diced onion, chives, avocado or guacamole and dairy-free sour cream. The options are endless. Even though I absolutely LOVE these chili fries as they are, if you don’t want to hassle with the fries, the chili is great on its own.
If You Love This Recipe, You’re Sure To Enjoy These Favorites:
Crispy Sweet Potato Fries With Garlic Rosemary Aioli
I hope your family loves this recipe as much as mine does! Happy cooking! If you give this recipe a try, be sure to comment below and let me know how it turned out for you. Also, I would love to see your creations on Instagram. Be sure to tag me @livinglovingpaleo!
Loaded Chili Fries
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Chili:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup red wine (you can also substitute beef broth)
For the Yam Fries:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee, melted
- 2 medium Japanese yams (or sweet potatoes)
- Sea salt
For the Toppings:
- 1/2 small white onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
- avocado or guacamole
- 1/2 cup dairy-free sour "cream"
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil/ghee in a medium sized pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef to the pan and sauté until cooked through. Drain any extra fat/liquid from the pan. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chili powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, cumin, dried oregano, dried basil, cayenne pepper, sea salt and black pepper to the pan. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Add the diced tomatoes and red wine to the pan, stirring once more and smashing some of the tomatoes with the back of your spoon.
- Bring the chili to a gentle boil then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- While the chili is simmering, let's bake those fries! Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Slice the yam into fries, making them no more than ¼" thick. If they're any thicker, they'll steam from the inside, and your fries won't crisp up.
- Toss the fries and melted coconut oil/ghee directly on a baking sheet. Place the fries in a single layer, making sure the fries aren't too close to one another. Sprinkle with salt. Place on the middle rack in your oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, carefully flip the fries and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until both sides are browned.
- Top the fries with the chili, diced onion, chives, avocado or guacamole and dairy-free sour cream. EAT UP!!
PIN IT FOR LATER
This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage, at no additional cost to you. I will only ever recommend products that I truly believe in, and that I use myself or find to be very valuable. Thanks for helping me to keep my blog up and running!
Made this for lunch and it was amazing!!! You did it again!
So glad you loved it, Clarissa!