What To Eat With Chili Dogs

Savory Chili Dogs are a classic summer bbq food that I absolutely adore! But sometimes I run short on ideas of what to eat with chili dogs. That’s why I started putting this list together, and now I want to share it with all of you! Here are 40+ of my favorite sides to serve with my Best Baked Chili Dogs!

Pan of chili dogs with toppings, ready to dig into.

Chili dogs are a great meal all on their own, but to paraphrase a book I read somewhere: You can’t live on chili cheese dogs alone.

That’s why I put together over 3 dozen great go-alongs for your delicious hot dogs. And this isn’t just fair food or potato chips! But those are great too. These are ideas for complete family-friendly meals everyone will enjoy.

From simple salads to luxurious mac and cheese (which also goes great ON a chili dog!), you’ll find no shortage of classic combos for the best side dishes to serve with your chili dogs to make a super delicious complete meal. Here are just a few simple ideas to get you started, but be sure to check out the full list of linked recipes in the sections below.

Green salad
Potato salad or cole slaw
Pasta salad
Mac and cheese
Baked beans
Corn on the cob
More chili con carne
Crispy fries
Chili cheese fries

How To Make Baked Chili Dogs

Baked Chili Dogs are the perfect party food or simple dinner everyone always enjoys! They come together in minutes and are a great way to use up leftover chili.

Serve these tasty chili dogs with a sides and toppings bar using selections from below for great game day party fare everyone will love. Get my full Baked Chili Dog recipe here!

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

Heat the chili until warm in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Cook hot dogs over medium heat on a grill until warmed through.

Hot dogs in buns in a prepared baking dish.

Step 3

Place the hot dogs in the buns and place in a single layer in a lined casserole dish or baking sheet.

Top with a generous amount of chili and cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 25-ish minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Pan of prepared chili dogs just out of the oven.

Toppings for Chili Dogs

These are just a few ideas for some great toppings for your chili dogs! Make sure you’ve got sturdy hot dog buns to hold all this deliciousness!

Chili, mac and cheese, chili mac
Gooey cheese sauce, shredded cheddar cheese,
Crumbled bacon pieces
Diced or pickled onions or jalapeno peppers
Sauerkraut or pepperoncinis.

Tips & Tricks

Be sure to serve your chili dogs as soon as possible after pulling them out of the oven to avoid soggy buns.
Make the chili dogs and put out a selection of hot dog toppings for everyone to choose from.
You can use turkey chili if you avoid ground beef.
Use canned chili as an easy swap for homemade.