FRITO PIE: Easy and Delicious Recipe with Homemade Chili

If you've never had Frito Pie before, you're in for a treat. Frito Pie isn't an actual pie, it's a bowl full, or a bag full, of yumminess: a bed of crispy corn chips, followed by a ladle full of hot chili (beans optional), and then it's sprinkled with a generous helping of cheese. Mix it all together and the corn chips soak up the chili, the cheese melts, and you're left with a delicious combination of flavors that were just meant for each other. Growing up in southern New Mexico, Frito Pie was something that was made for school fundraisers and you always hoped your parents would give you enough money to buy one. And it's a taste you never outgrow. If you're pressed for time, you can buy chili in a can and throw this all together in just a few minutes. But if you're up for making some homemade chile, read on for the recipe I used in this video.

Frito Pie

For the Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
approx. 1/4 cup red chile powder (amount will depend on how spicy your chile is and how much heat you can handle. Always start with less. You can always add more as you go.)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano (preferably crushed)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 cups beef broth
OPTIONAL:
2-3 cups cooked pinto beans, drained
flour or corn starch for thickening (add in a 1/2 tsp. at a time)

Place enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of a large saucepan and place on stove burner over medium high heat. Fry ground beef and onion in it, until meat is well done and onion becomes translucent. Add in minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cinnamon and mix well. Let cook for 1-2 minutes and then add beef broth. Stir and let it come to a boil. If adding beans, drain and add them at this point. Reduce heat and let it continue to simmer approximately 20 minutes.

* If chili is not thick enough, you can add flour or corn starch until you achieve desired consistency. If chili is too thick, you can add more beef broth or water.

For Frito Pie:

Fritos corn chips
shredded cheddar cheese
diced onion
sour cream

Place bed of corn chips on bottom of bowl. Ladle hot chili on top, followed by a generous helping of shredded cheese. Garnish with diced onion and a dollop of sour cream and enjoy!

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*All music in this video used with rights from Storyblocks.