Chili Cheese Baked Potatoes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A crisp-skinned russet split open and buried under thick beef chili, a landslide of sharp cheddar, and cold diced onion. Built for the night after chili night — the potatoes bake while the pot reheats, and dinner lands on the table with almost no new dishes. If you don't have leftover chili, a fast 25-minute skillet version is folded into the recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes (10–12 oz each)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil or bacon fat
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the skins

• 4 cups leftover beef chili (skip the rest of this group if using)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 lb ground beef, 80/20
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup beef broth or water
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 8 oz sharp cheddar, grated from a block
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup white or red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp sliced pickled jalapeños (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or scallion (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle. Scrub the potatoes hard under cold water and dry them completely with a towel — wet skin steams instead of crisping.
2. Pierce each potato 6–8 times with a fork. Rub all over with the oil, then roll in the kosher salt so the skins are visibly gritty. Set directly on the oven rack with a sheet pan on the rack below to catch drips.
3. Bake 55–70 minutes, until a paring knife slides into the center with zero resistance and the skins are dry and papery. An instant-read thermometer should hit 205–210°F.
4. While the potatoes bake, handle the chili. If using leftovers: put 4 cups in a saucepan over medium-low with a splash of water or broth, cover, and warm 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it barely bubbles. Taste and re-season — chili that has been refrigerated almost always wants more salt and a fresh pinch of chili powder.
5. To make chili from scratch instead: heat 1 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the ground beef in a flat layer, leave it undisturbed 4 minutes to brown, then break it up and cook 3 more minutes. Push the beef to one side, add the diced onion, and cook 4 minutes until softened.
6. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook 60–90 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices smell toasted and the paste darkens.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes, beans, broth, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to low and cook uncovered 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a trail. Taste and adjust salt.
8. In the last 10 minutes of baking, grate the cheddar and dice the onion. Grate from a block — pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and melts into a grainy layer instead of a molten one.
9. Pull the potatoes out. Slice a deep lengthwise slit almost but not quite through each one, then squeeze the ends toward each other so the potato gapes open. Drop in a scant tablespoon of butter per potato, season the flesh with salt, and mash it lightly with a fork to work the butter in.
10. Sprinkle a small handful of cheddar directly into each hot potato so it melts against the flesh, then ladle 1 cup of hot chili over the top, letting it spill down the sides.
11. Blanket each with the remaining cheddar. Return the potatoes to the sheet pan and bake 3–4 minutes, or run them under the broiler for 90 seconds, just until the cheese is fully melted and blistering at the edges.
12. Finish with the raw diced onion, a spoonful of sour cream, and jalapeños or cilantro if using. Serve immediately, while the skin is still crisp under all that weight.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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