Easy Baked Chili Cheese Dog Recipe in a Casserole Dish

This Chili Cheese Dog recipe is a summertime favorite, and it’s so easy to make a big batch at once. Start with a base of homemade or canned chili, some red onions, and plenty of cheese, then load them up with your favorite toppings. Take chili cheese dogs from oven to table in under an hour!

The whole family will say that this is the best way to make good chili dogs!

As you will be able to tell from the ingredients below, you can whip up this recipe using any type of chili – it takes the flavor to next level good. 

I also think that toppings are a must for this easy recipe. Each person can make their own how they like, but cheddar cheese (or shredded cheese), diced white onions, chili powder for some spice, and a dab of yellow mustard are all great options to have. 

I pile high the cheese because you literally can’t have enough gooey cheese in this recipe. You can use hearty chili, vegan chili, or cans of chili that have been sitting in your pantry.

This recipe makes my favorite hot dogs – ever! 

Chili Cheese Dog

I love that these baked chili cheese dogs are ready to go straight out of the oven, and they’re a great way to use up any leftover chili.

Plus, it’s a great way to feed a hungry crowd (like teenagers!) with very minimal effort. 

This chili cheese dog bake is a winner for parties, picnics, game day, or a busy weeknight!

Want more quick and easy game day meal ideas? You can’t go wrong with air fryer hot dogs, pigs in a blanket, or sloppy joes — and my stuffed bomb recipes make enough to feed a crowd.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Hot Dogs – The Ballpark beef variety are the perfect size, in my opinion, and have a fantastic flavor. 
  
  Feel free to use whichever you prefer, just be sure they match the size of your buns so everything is balanced.
  
• Chili – I have so many homemade chili recipes to choose from — make one fresh or use up leftovers from last night’s dinner!
  
• Buns – Use high-quality, thick buns to prevent baked chili dogs from falling apart. 
  
  I prefer these ones from Pepperidge Farms since they won’t tip over and are sturdy enough to support all of the toppings.
  
• Cheese – While bagged shreds are fine in a pinch, they tend to have a waxy texture from the anti-caking agents. 
  
  I highly recommend shredding a fresh block of cheddar, and you can freeze extra for future recipes.

What to Serve with Chili Cheese Dogs

Pair this chili cheese dog bake with any of your favorite cookout sides like potato or pasta salads, french fries, or coleslaw.

Want more toppings? You can’t go wrong with the classics like ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, and more red onion. 

Or, pile them extra high with green onion, sour cream, and crumbled bacon.

Even some of my homemade cheese sauce or honey mustard would taste great on your chili cheese dog, and a drizzle of this copycat Big Mac sauce will add a little extra zip!

Prep Ahead

• Make chili (if needed)
• Shred cheese
• Chop red onions
• Prep toppings

Tips and Tricks for Making a Chili Cheese Dog Bake

• Add cheese before placing hot dogs in buns.

It’s easy to go on auto-pilot and miss this step! Adding cheese first helps to hold everything together so your chili cheese dog doesn’t slide right out of the bun.

• Prevent soggy buns.

While I haven’t had any issues, it’s the number one concern I hear! Feel free to lightly toast the buns before loading them up — either in the oven or the air fryer.

Don’t let them get too much color, though, or they’ll end up tough or crunchy. Brown just enough that the texture feels slightly dried out but not like a piece of toast.

• Monitor by sight and touch, rather than time.

Since the hot dogs and chili are already cooked, you’re really just warming everything up and getting that cheese nice and melted.

I’ve found that 30-35 minutes is the sweet spot, but yours might be ready sooner. 

And if everything is piping hot but the cheese isn’t gooey yet, remove the foil and turn on the broiler for a minute or two!

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

• 9×13 Baking Dish – This set is one of my favorites! It comes with a lid for easy storage and is great for casseroles too.
• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil – This is thicker and sturdier than regular foil, meaning it won’t tear as easily.
• Box Grater – As much as I love buying bagged shreds because it’s easier, freshly grated cheese melts down so much smoother and tastes better too.
• A Spatula makes it easier to get each chili cheese dog out of the dish without burning your fingers.

Storing and Reheating Baked Chili Dogs

First, I don’t recommend saving leftovers — baked chili dogs are best eaten right away.

You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for about a day, but they will start to get soggy from the toppings. 

If you have extras of all the components, store them separately and assemble fresh instead.

Reheat baked chili cheese dogs in the oven the same way you cooked them to begin with!

Baked Chili Cheese Dogs FAQ

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Originally published June 2021,updated and republished March 2025

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