chili baked potato

these chili baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food combo! golden, crispy-skinned potatoes give way to a fluffy mashed potato middle that’s stuffed with a hearty bean chili. topped with melty cheese and all your favourite fixings, let these loaded potatoes turn your evenings into a cozy, relaxing feast.

these chili baked potatoes bring together two classic comfort foods in one hearty meal, featuring crispy-skinned potatoes and a fluffy potato center nestled between a rich, spicy bean chili. finish with a blanket of melty cheese and your favourite toppings for the perfect, cozy meal.

why you will love this chili baked potato recipe

• blends together two classic comfort foods – i love baked potatoes and chili, especially when the weather is colder and i just feel like having a rich, warm and cozy meal. combining these two together elevates your typical baked potato and is also incredibly filling and satisfying.

• cost effective – potatoes and beans are both very budget-friendly ingredients, so this is great for those who are looking for a cheap and easy meal to make. you can skip the meat in this recipe to make it even more budget-friendly.

• great for meal prep or leftovers – the chili can easily be made in advance and then reheated, so this is a great option for meal prep or for saving if you have any leftovers. and because of the microwave and air fryer method, the potatoes take a lot less time to cook than your typical baked potato in the oven – great for busy weeknights or when you don’t feel like cooking.

learn how to make chili baked potatoes

to make these chili topped baked potatoes, we’re going to start off by washing our potatoes and patting them dry. then, use a fork to pierce some holes all over the potatoes. coat the potatoes in olive oil, and sprinkle some salt all over them. we’re going to cook the potatoes in the microwave first, and then in the air fryer.

while the potatoes are cooking, make the chili. we’ll start by cooking onions and garlic in some oil. then, add a red chilli pepper and some tomato paste. add seasonings and beef mince, and cook that. then, add a can of tomatoes, some cooked kidney beans and some red pepper. once you let that cook for a while, add water and chicken stock and let the chili simmer over low-medium heat.

at this point, your baked potatoes should be done – slice them up in the middle, but not all the way down. scoop out some of the potato filling from the potato skins, and mash it slightly. add butter and mix it into the warm potato until the mashed potato on the inside is soft and fluffy. season the mashed potato with salt and pepper, add cheese on top of your baked potato, then top your baked potato with chili.

add any toppings that you like, such as jalapeños, green onions and/or sour cream, and we’re done!

chili loaded baked potato ingredients:

• potatoes – i used 2 large potatoes for this chili topped baked potato recipe – each one weighed around 350g. you can use any size of potato that you like, just bear in mind that smaller potatoes will take less time to cook.

• oil – i usually use olive oil to coat the potatoes before cooking them – the oil will help them crisp up nicely. i also use any neutral oil to cook the onions and garlic when making the chili.

• seasonings – for the baked potatoes, you’ll only really need salt and pepper. we’re going to coat the potato skins with salt, and then season the mashed potato on the inside with salt and pepper. for the chili, i like to use a mix of seasonings, like cumin seeds, red chilli powder, ground coriander, paprika, garlic powder and then salt and pepper as well.

• onion – to make the chili, we’ll cook onions in oil until they become a light golden colour. i’m just using a small onion in this recipe.

• garlic – we’re going to be using fresh garlic in this chili recipe, around 4-5 cloves.

• tomato paste – adding a small amount of tomato paste to the chili helps add some nice flavour and colour.

• red chilli – i’m just using one red chilli pepper here, but you can leave this out if you’re worried about spice.

• ground beef or beef mince – i like to use beef in this chili recipe, but you can also use something like turkey if you prefer. if you want to keep this vegetarian, you can just skip the meat altogether.

• tomatoes – to make things easy, i use a can of tomatoes for this chili recipe. i just used a can of chopped tomatoes – this also gives the chili a bit of texture. i used the ‘napolina chopped tomatoes with peppers and chilli’ for some extra flavour and spice, but you can use anything you like! if you’d prefer a smoother texture, you can blend the tomatoes before adding them to the pan.

• beans – you can use any beans that you like. in this chili recipe, i’m just using some cooked kidney beans. you can also use cans of beans if you like, to make things easier.

• red pepper – some red bell pepper adds a lovely flavour to this chili, but it is completely optional.

• chicken stock – i’m using chicken stock in this chili recipe since i don’t typically have beef stock on hand. if you do have beef stock, you can use that. if you don’t have any of these, you can use stock powder or a stock cube mixed with some water. a vegetable stock cube can be used to keep it vegetarian.

• butter – i like to use salted butter to mix into the middle of my baked potatoes once they’re cooked. you can also use unsalted butter, but you might want to add some extra salt too if you do this.

• cheese – i like to top my chili baked potato with cheese – you can use any cheese that you like, but i just used some mozzarella cheese here.

• sour cream – one of my favourite chili baked potato toppings – optional but highly recommended!

• jalapeños – again, this is optional but works great as a topping on these chili baked potatoes.

• green onions – optional, but also a great topping for these chili baked potatoes.

tools:

• pot or pan with lid – for the chili

• air fryer – i make the potatoes in the microwave and then in the air fryer. if you plan to bake the potatoes, you won’t need this.

• baking sheet – if you plan to bake the potatoes, you’ll need this.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: wash potatoes, then pat them dry. make sure they are completely dry before you move on to the next step.

step two: use a fork or knife to pierce holes or thin cuts all over the potatoes.

step three: rub each potato with a generous amount of olive oil until they are completely coated.

step four: sprinkle salt over each potato and rub it all over until the potatoes are coated.

step five: place the potatoes in the microwave for 12 minutes, and then in the air fryer for another 12 minutes. while the potatoes are cooking, make the chili.

step six: heat up a large pot or pan, and add some oil to the pan. add chopped onion, and cook this in the pan until it becomes a light golden colour.

step seven: add fresh garlic to the pan, and cook this slightly.

step eight: add the red chilli, as well as the tomato paste, and cook this over medium heat.

step nine: add the seasonings (cumin seeds, red chilli powder, ground coriander, black pepper, salt, paprika and garlic powder), and cook this over low-medium heat, just slightly. if you feel like your spices are going to burn, just add a small amount of water (1-2 tbsps) to the pan.

step ten: add the beef mince to the pan, and cook this over medium heat for a good 2-3 minutes.

step eleven: to the pan, add the can of tomatoes, as well as the cooked kidney beans and the chopped red bell pepper. cook this for a minute or two over medium heat.

step twelve: add the chicken or beef stock and mix it into the chili mixture, then cover the pan with a lid, and leave this to simmer over low-to medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.

step thirteen: at this point, your chili should be fairly thick but if you want it to thicken up a little more, just let it simmer for longer.

step fourteen: once the potatoes are done, remove them from the air fryer and set them out on a plate. they should be quite crispy on the outside. slice them up in the middle, making sure not to go all the way down, so that they don’t cut completely in half. then, just push them open slightly.

step fifteen: use a spoon to scoop any filling out from the sides of the potato skin and just mash it together slightly until fluffy.

step sixteen: add butter to the potato filling and mix it in gently. because the potato filling inside is warm, it will melt the butter as you mix it in.

step seventeen: sprinkle salt and pepper to your taste and mix it into the mashed potato filling.

step eighteen: sprinkle cheese on top of your baked potato. once you add the chili on top, the warm chili will melt the cheese, too.

step nineteen: top your baked potatoes with the warm chili.

step twenty: serve, add your favourite toppings, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• the best potatoes to use would probably be russet potatoes for the best texture.

• make sure your potatoes are completely dry before you add the oil and salt.

• before microwaving potatoes, you need to make sure that you use a fork or knife to poke holes or thin cuts all over the potatoes – this will allow any steam to escape and prevent them from exploding in the microwave.

• when scooping out the mashed potato from the skin, make sure to leave a thin layer of it still on the skin. you don’t want to remove too much from the sides as a thin layer will help the baked potato keep its structure.

• adjust any seasonings to your taste – i did use some spices in this chili baked potatoes recipe, but i found that everything balanced out quite nicely. as a result, i didn’t find it particularly spicy. however, if you don’t like much spice or are worried about the spice, feel free to reduce the amounts of some of the spices in the chili, and/or leave out the red chili pepper as well.

• the can of tomatoes that i used in this recipe are the ‘napolina chopped tomatoes with pepper and chilli’ – this just helped add some extra flavour and spice. of course, not everyone will have access to this, and really, it shouldn’t make too much of a difference. but if you find that the chili needs some extra flavour and spice, you might want to add a little bit more of the seasonings listed in this chili recipe.

• if you want your chili to be a little spicier, you can also add a jalapeño or even some hot sauce to the chili.

• feel free to experiment with meat options in this chili recipe – i used beef but turkey would also be a great option! if you want to keep the chili recipe vegetarian, you could also just leave out the meat and swap the chicken/beef stock for vegetable stock.

• i only used kidney beans in this chili recipe, but you are welcome to use a variety of beans for added flavour and texture. make sure you cook them before adding them in, or just use a can of beans, rinsed and drained.

• for the best flavour, use fresh minced garlic in the chili recipe.

• i would recommend making the baked potatoes first, and then cooking the chili while the potatoes are cooking. that way, both the potatoes and chili should be warm and ready to eat at around the same time.

• it took a total of 24 minutes for me to cook these potatoes – 12 minutes in the microwave and 12 minutes in the air fryer. these were large potatoes, weighing around 350g or around 12oz each. if you use smaller potatoes, your potatoes will take less time to cook, so keep an eye on them.

• season the mashed potato filling with salt and pepper to your taste. i used salted butter, so i didn’t need much extra salt, but if you’re using unsalted butter you might want to use a bit more.

• i just added some mozzarella to my baked potato, but feel free to add any kind of cheese you like if you want a little bit more flavour e.g. sharp cheddar or pepper jack.

• a squeeze of lime or lemon would be a good idea if you’d like to add a little bit of brightness to the flavours at the end.

• depending on how much chili you add on your baked potatoes, there might be some leftover. i would say that there will be enough chili for around 3 servings. any leftover chili can be stored in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container, and then reheated later.

• if you want to make this chili cheese loaded baked potato in advance, you could always make the chili ahead of time and then store it in the fridge in an airtight container. make the baked potatoes fresh, then just reheat the chili on the stove and have it on top of your baked potatoes.

frequently asked questions

1. can i make this chili jacket potato recipe in the oven instead of the microwave and air fryer ?

   – absolutely! i prefer using the microwave and air fryer as it takes less time, but if you’d prefer to use an oven, you can use that. to make these baked potatoes in the oven, preheat oven to 200c or 400f, coat the washed and dried potatoes with olive oil and salt, place on a baking sheet or tray and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour.

   – bear in mind that baking times in the oven will vary depending on the size of your potatoes.

2. how long do i have to microwave the potatoes, and how do i know when they’re done ?

   – cooking times will vary depending on the size of your potatoes. i placed these potatoes in the microwave together for 12 minutes at the highest setting. you’ll know they’re done when you prick them with a fork and the inside feels tender.

3. can i make this as a baked sweet potato and chili instead of a normal potato ?

   – definitely! a sweet potato is a great option if you want this meal to be a little bit healthier. the flavours will be a little different with the sweet potato, but it’ll still work really well with the chili.

4. can i make this as a vegetarian chili baked potato ?

   – if you want to make this chili baked potato recipe vegetarian, you can just leave out the meat in this recipe, and swap the chicken/beef stock with vegetable stock or a vegetable stock cube.

5. how do i store any leftover chili ?

   – any leftover chili can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

6. can i freeze the chili ?

   – yes, you can freeze the chili for up to 3 months. when you remove it from the freezer, let it thaw and then reheat before serving.

7. how do i reheat any leftover baked potato ?

   – for me, the potatoes are best reheated in the air fryer, as this helps crisp them up too. you can also use an oven if you don’t mind it taking a bit more time.

8. is a baked potato and chili healthy ?

   – this chili cheese baked potato recipe can definitely be a part of a healthy diet, as chili can be rich in protein and vegetables. if you want to keep this loaded baked potato with chili recipe on the healthier side, you might be want to be a bit more mindful of the ingredients and portion sizes, e.g using smaller potatoes or using sweet potatoes instead. adding extra vegetables to the chili would also be a great way to add some more nutrition to this meal and make it healthier.

9. is chili good on bake potatoes ?

   – yes! i would say so, anyway. to me, this is a really nice, hearty comfort meal. the spicy, savoury chili works so well with the fluffy mashed potato and crispy potato skin. the baked potato also soaks up the flavours of the chili really well, and the best part is that you can really customise toppings and flavours to your taste.

10. do you have any ideas for chili baked potato sides ?

    – if you’re thinking about what to serve with chili baked potato, these are some good options:

    – a side salad would be a really nice, light side to add some freshness to the hearty and rich chili baked potato. it would also be a good idea if you want to add a bit more nutrition to this meal.

    – some crusty bread would also be a great side to mop up any extra chili.

    – steamed broccoli or any other steamed vegetables would also be a great, light and healthy side to have with these chili baked potatoes.

recipe