Red Chile Frito Pie Recipe
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
50 minutes
Servings:
6 Servings
Ingredients
  • 5-6 dried New Mexico red chiles, stemmed and de-seeded
  • 3 chiles de árbol, stemmed and de-seeded
  • 2 cups chicken broth or water
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • ½ teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (2-ounce) bag Fritos corn chips
  • 8 ounces finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
  • 2 roma tomatoes, for topping
  • 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, for topping
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Toast the chiles in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, and broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer, submerging peppers as much as possible, until chiles are softened and bright red, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the chiles, garlic, onions, broth, and seasonings to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Strain to remove seeds and solids.
  4. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, crumbling while it cooks. If needed, drain excess grease. Add the kidney beans.
  5. Add the tomato sauce and red chile sauce to the meat mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  6. Arrange half the bag of Fritos chips in a single layer on the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Layer with the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the cheese.
  7. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven and add the remainder of the Fritos. Top with lettuce, tomato, and the remainder of the cheddar cheese.