These mouthwatering chili cheese fries are loaded with flavor without all the guilt of regular chili & cheese-covered fries.
First off, I feel like I need to mention that today is National Taco Day!
I love making all different kinds of tacos... Lentil Tacos, Shrimp Tacos, Tofu Tacos, Fish Tacos, and Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos.
But today, I'm not here with another taco recipe. Something better...Chili Cheese Fries!
These are made with butternut squash for a fun little twist.
They are worth every single second of time it takes to peel your squash {which happens to be one of my least favorite things to do, so I included step-by-step pictures for the butternut squash}.
If you're in a pinch or don't want to deal with butternut squash, you can use sweet potatoes - no need to peel them.
Note that the nutrition facts will change some.
I include the recipe I use to make the chili, but you can make your own chili recipe, use leftover chili, or use leftover taco meat.
The recipe serves two but it can easily but doubled. Basically, one butternut squash makes enough fries for two people.
Total time is probably about an hour to an hour & and a half, start to finish.
Chili Cheese Fries
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash 2 to 2.5 pounds
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon oil avocado or olive oil
- ½ lb lean ground beef or lean ground turkey breast
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup tomatoes with juices {from a 15 oz. can no-salt added diced tomatoes}
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 oz.
Instructions
Make the fries
- Peel* the butternut squash, and slice into fry shapes. Lay on paper towels and sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt.
- Preheat the oven 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil; set aside.
- When the oven is preheated and the squash fries have released their moisture {the paper towel will be damp}, put the fries on the baking sheet. Coat with 1 teaspoon oil and season with ¼ teaspoon chili powder.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping fries halfway through baking.
Meanwhile, make the chili
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, bell pepper, and onion. Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon, and sauté until the beef is browned and the onions & peppers have softened. Reduce heat to medium.
- Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and cumin.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until any juices {from tomatoes} have absorbed. Remove from heat.
Make the chili cheese fries
- Arrange the squash fries is two circles {for two people} on the baking sheet.
- Top evenly with chili, and sprinkle each with ¼ cup cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes, until cheese has melted.
- Serve with chopped green onion, salsa, and/or plain yogurt if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
*Nutrition Facts per serving calculated with 93/7 ground beef.
Michelle
oh my these look delicious. I would love some right now 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday. Can't wait to see what you share this week! Have a wonderful week.
Michelle