Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
- Add the Kinder's Woodfired Chili Seasoning packet, crushed tomatoes, and water to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the softened cream cheese in an even layer across the bottom of a 9-inch oven-safe dish.
- Spoon the chili mixture on top of the cream cheese layer, spreading evenly.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese generously over the chili.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the dip is heated through and bubbling at the edges.
- Remove from the oven and top with dollops of sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, and jalapenos if using.
- Serve immediately with Fritos on the side for scooping, or scatter chips directly on top for a rustic presentation.
Nutrition
Notes
- Let the chili rest — Pull it off heat and give it 5 minutes before layering. Hot chili over cold cream cheese breaks the base and makes it run. Five minutes holds the layers clean.
- Spike the heat — Stir diced pickled jalapeños directly into the chili while it simmers. The brine sharpens the heat without softening the texture. The cream cheese cuts the edge on the back end.
- Go cast iron — Brown the beef in a cast iron skillet and keep it there. Layer the cream cheese, chili, and cheese right in the pan and move it straight to the oven. One less dish, better crust on the bottom edges.
- Make the chili ahead — The chili layer holds in the fridge for up to two days. Assemble and bake when you're ready — 25 minutes from cold dish to bubbling cheese. The move when you're feeding a large group.
- Split the cheese — Half Monterey Jack, half sharp cheddar. The Jack melts smooth; the cheddar brings the pull and the bite. Layer them together and you get both.
- Serve it warm, directly from the baking dish or cast iron. Fritos are the classic scoop — the corn chip flavor is built into this recipe, not added to it. Set a bag of Fritos Scoops on the side for a structural scoop, or use the flat originals for a more rustic dig.
- This dip fits naturally next to guacamole, salsa verde, and pico to build out a full spread. Cold beer or a margarita on the rocks both work without overthinking.
- For a full Frito pie bowl, spoon the hot dip over a base of Fritos in a bowl, top with sour cream, diced tomato, and sliced green onion, and eat it with a spoon. That's the version you make for yourself.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through and bubbling at the edges, or microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until hot. The oven method holds the texture better — the microwave can make the cream cheese layer grainy if you push it too fast.
- Store Fritos separately. Do not mix chips into the dip before storing — they'll be soft by the time you come back to it.
- This dip does not freeze well. The cream cheese and sour cream break on thawing and the texture doesn't recover. Make a fresh batch.