Published on 09/20/24

This easy Chili Baked Potato recipe combines two of our favorite comfort foods; warm chili and the classic baked potato, which adds a heartiness that we didn’t know that we were missing until we tried it. Top with all the essentials and enjoy!

A chili stuffed baked potato topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions all on a plate.

The Best Chili Baked Potato

Enjoy the best of both worlds with this fun take on two of our comfort food favorites! Make the chili in advance to make this an easy weeknight meal or enjoy it straight out of the oven on a lazy Sunday. The baked potatos soak up the savory flavors of our favorite chili recipe. And sour cream, bacon bits, and shredded cheese taste amazing on both, making this combo a no-brainer.

Looking for More Recipes Like This?

If you’re a fan of stuffing your potatoes with the best flavors, check out our twice baked potatoes! And if you want to get creative with your chili, try our easy pumpkin chili or our best ever short rib chili.

What You Will Need

extra virgin olive oil – Just a bit to soften up the veggies in the chili
garlic – Some mild heat combined with some earthy tones makes this ingredient a no-brainer.
yellow onion – A classic chili ingredient.
ground beef – To add heartiness and protein.
whole tomatoes – Provides some acid to give this recipe the right amount of balance.
tomato paste – For some more rich tomato flavors.
red kidney beans – A hearty legume that keeps its shape during the cooking process.
bay leaf – A simple ingredient that adds pine, mint, clove, and a whole slew of other subtle, but important flavors.
chili powder – To get that classic chili flavor.
cumin, garlic powder, & onion powder – A blend of flavors to make the quintessential chili seasoning.
kosher salt & ground black pepper – Just a bit to heighten.
russet potatoes – Our favorite potato variety when making baked potatoes.
colby jack cheese, sour cream, and green onions for toppings

How To Make Chili Baked Potatoes

The first step is to gather and prep all of your ingredients for the chili and the baked potatoes.

Individual bowls of bacon bits, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and 6 potatoes.

Start your chili by bringing a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and then add some olive oil and make sure it coats the bottom. Then add in your garlic and move it around the pan for about 10-20 seconds. Next, add the diced onions and let them cook for 2 minutes. Then add in your ground beef and be sure to season it with salt and pepper.

Move everything around the pan until the beef is no longer pink. Then drain the grease and add that whole meat mixture to your trusty crockpot or slow cooker along with the whole tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cut the whole tomatoes into quarters, put on the lid, and let the chili cook on low setting for for 6-8 hours.

Chili in a large pot with a wooden spoon.

In the final hour of cooking your chili, start on the potatoes by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse the potatoes under cold water, pat them dry, and then pierce each potato 3-4 times with a fork. Rub the outsides with olive oil and season with just a touch of kosher salt. Then place those bad boys directly on the wire rack of your preheated oven and bake for 60-75 minutes.

Pro Tip

To make your dinner prep even easier, meal prep the baked potatoes in your slow cooker earlier in the week and simply warm before serving. Slow cooker baked potatoes are a great way to make hands-off potatoes that are fluffy on the inside with a crispy skin.

Carefully remove them from the oven, let them cool slightly for 5-10 minutes, and then use a sharp knife to cut a slit down the middle, creating a “boat” of sorts for your hot chili to live in. Then scoop about a half cup of that yummy homemade chili into each potato and top with shredded cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese, sour cream, and green onions. For best results, enjoy immediately on a crisp fall day.

Meal Prep This Recipe!

Make a double batch of chili on the weekend and save half to make an easy weeknight meal! All you’ll have to do is throw the potatoes in the oven and grab the toppings and you’ll have an amazing family dinner on the table in no time.

A fully topped chili baked potato on a white plate.

Recipe FAQs and Tips

Storage: Store the chili and baked potatoes separately each in their own airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What to serve with chili baked potato? This feels like a complete meal to us, but a simple side salad would add fresh flavors to this cozy meal.
toppings: Let your taste buds guide you here! Bacon bits would be amazing along with a healthy pat of butter. And doesn’t ranch dressing taste good on everything?
Is a chili baked potato healthy? We’ll let you decide, as healthy is pretty subjective. Scroll down to the recipe card for the nutritional info.

Chili Baked Potato Pinterest image showing the chili baked potato with the title, Chili baked Potato, an easy + delicious dinner idea!

Made these delicious chili stuffed baked potatoes recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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