Air Fryer Chili Cheese Dogs

by: Air Fryer Eats Team
Updated: August 22, 2024

These Air Fryer Chili Cheese Dogs are quick to make, easy to assemble, and perfect for feeding a crowd! You’ll dream of ballpark days with these chili dogs.

chili cheese dog topped with diced red onion in a yellow basket with red and white paper

recipe overview

Everyone has comfort foods โ€” things they grew up eating that still bring back those fond memories, even with just a whiff.

These chili dogs can easily be made vegetarian with a veggie hot dog and vegetarian chili.

This recipe lists some basic ingredients, but feel free to mix it up!

Not everyone is a fan of mustard or raw red onion, but most people love a great chili dog.

Need more air fryer ideas for a cookout without the grill? Try my Air Fryer Hamburgers for a quick, juicy hamburger without all the smoke.

how to make them

steps to make air fryer chili cheese dogs
  1. Start by scoring your hot dogs with a knife or fork and place them in the air fryer basket. Cook for about 5 minutes at 390 degrees F (or 198 degrees C!), flipping hot dogs about halfway through cook time.
  2. During the cook time, prep your toppings! I like to use chili, shredded cheese, and diced red onion.
  3. Remove hot dogs from the basket and place them into buns.
  4. Top the hot dogs with chili.
  5. Add your shredded cheese.
  6. Add the red onions (or any ingredients you’re adding other than mustard, ketchup, and other sauce options) and move loaded chili dogs into your air fryer basket, and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve with your favorite party sides and enjoy!

serving ideas

Everyone has their ideal hot dog toppings โ€” I prefer to keep it simple with some chili, cheese, onions, red onions, and a little mustard.

Looking for more crunch? Add some corn chips, potato chips, or maybe a sweet onion instead of a red onion for the same crunch but less bite.

Want to kick this up a notch? Use your own chili! Canned chili is great in a pinch, but homemade is always the best.

Need a new vegetarian chili recipe? This Instant Pot Four-Bean Chili goes GREAT on a chili dog and gives you that same hearty flavor without the meat.

how to air fry frozen hotdogs

Ready for dinner but realized your hot dogs are still frozen? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!

Luckily most hot dogs are pre-cooked, so it’s all about warming it up instead of cooking it to a safe temperature like chicken or pork.

And since hot dogs are also skinny, they’re perfect for a quick defrost!

If you have the time, a bowl of cold water will thaw your hog dogs in less than an hour for sure, but if you’re on a time crunch, you can defrost them in the air fryer while they cook!

Drop the temperature down to 350 degrees F (or 177 degrees C!) and cook them a little longer, about 8 minutes.

Lowering the cooking temperature helps the hot dogs thaw and then cook instead of burning the outside and leaving the inside frozen and raw.

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5 from 7 votes

Air Fryer Chili Cheese Dogs

These Air Fryer Chili Cheese Dogs are quick to make, easy to assemble, and perfect for feeding a crowd! You'll dream of ballpark days with these chili dogs.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 229kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 hot dogs beef, turkey, or veggie
  • 1 can chili
  • Shredded cheese for garnish
  • Diced red onion for garnish
  • 4 hot dog buns regular or gluten free, optional
  • Condiments for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Score each hot dog with a knife or fork and place into air fryer basket.
  • Cook hot dogs 4 to 5 minutes at 390 degrees F (198 degrees C), flipping hot dogs halfway through cooking.
  • Place hot dogs into buns and top with chili, cheese, and red onion. Place loaded chili dogs back in air fryer basket for another 2 minutes at 390 degrees F (198 degrees C) until cheese is melted and chili heats through.
  • Remove from basket and top with any other condiments you'd like. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg
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16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love making hot dog in the air fryer, but hadn’t thought about doing chili dogs. Genius idea! My hubs and I loved them!

  2. 5 stars
    Hot dogs are a staple here for my boys. I just got an air fryer a couple of weeks ago and this was great. Dinner on busy scout nights just got so much easier!

  3. I don’t have an Air Fryer yet but after seeing this recipe and that it would make my life easier, it’s going on my Christmas wish list!

  4. 5 stars
    While I don’t currently have an Air Fryer, after seeing this recipe and how easy it is to make, I’m putting it on my Christmas wish list. I’ll be back!

  5. 5 stars
    You have my mouth watering! I have this pinned to make the very next time I can make it to the grocery store!

5 from 7 votes

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