The Chili, Cheese & Potato Casserole Experiment

I have always loved chili. Having grown up in close proximity to Ohio, my mom always added a bit of cinnamon to her chili. I've experimented over the years with different approaches in my own kitchen and my newest approach is to combine different types of chili powders with dried and fresh herbs; including:  ancho chili powder, good ol' MacCormicks chili powder, dried marjoram, dried oregano, dried thyme, fresh cilantro, etc.. 


Because I make chili throughout the season, I am often looking for a way to turn chili leftovers into something interesting. Right now I have a plethera of potatoes, compliments of a bag of russets my mom left behind from her last visit, as well as chili and all of the 'fixins'. In the past I would have just added baking potatoes to my store list and not given it a second thought. However, I'm trying to do a better job of managing our grocery budget, so I was looking for a way to use what I have on hand. The resulting recipe is below. 


I did a bit of an internet search and didn't find anything like this out there. However, if you have a similar recipe, please share it. I'd love to see another example :)


The Results
I started out making the casserole as I thought it would work, but ended up making a few modifications along the way. First, I only had enough of the sour cream and cheese mixture for one layer, so it became the middle layer in the casserole rather than half in the middle and half on top. Second, I didn't cover the casserole and by the time I removed it from the oven to add the cheese layer (based on when the potatoes were fork tender), the chili was hot, but looked a little dry and was starting to turn dark as if it would eventually burn. So, I incorporated the foil technique. Other than those two changes, the casserole was really pretty good. I'm not sure it will completely replace chili over baked potatoes with cheese and sour cream in our house, but it gives me another viable option for when I don't have bakers on hand.


A note about the side dish...
I ended up serving this along side a salad made with butter lettuce, matchstick carrots and a fresh pear diced into large chunks. I dressed this simple seasonal salad with a mixture of apple cider vinegar, apple cider, EVOO, salt and pepper and a bit of honey to round out the flavors. The salad was excellent and may have just become one of my go to staples for fall and winter!


Chili, Cheese, Potato Casserole

• 3 cups left over chili
• 4 medium/small potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3" slices (I needed 26 slices to cover my casserole and fill in the "holes" between the slices)
• 8 oz light sour cream
• 8 oz grated cheese, divided (your choice, I used a 2% mixture of jack and cheddar)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp if using table salt
• Pepper to taste, prefer fresh ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 


Spray an 8x8 casserole with non-stick cooking spray, layer potatoes on the bottom of casserole dish. Use left over potato slices to fill in the gaps between the bottom layer so that none of the cheese mixture can seep through to the bottom of the casserole dish. Set aside.


In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, half the grated cheese, melted butter and the green onions. Spread the mixture across the top of the potato layer ensuring the mixture covers all of the potatoes, including the corners. Next, add the chili layer and spread to ensure chili covers the cheese mixture. Cover casserole with foil.


Place casserole in hot oven and allow to bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and add the remainder of the grated cheese. Return the casserole to the oven and allow to remain baking uncovered for 15 minutes. 


Serve with a fresh green salad. 


~Enjoy!