Have you tried Chili Cheese Dog Mac n’ Cheese? It is a slightly spicy spin on the regular Mac and Cheese. It’s definitely worth a try!
Chili Cheese Dog Mac n’ Cheese
This is a kid-friendly recipe if I ever saw one. Mac and cheese is a favorite of many kiddos! Kids also love hot dogs …. so you see where this is going, right? We’re making Chili Cheese Dog Mac n’ Cheese, folks! I know what you’re thinking – she’s gone and made another “blue box” recipe? Yes, I sure did …. I have 5 kiddos who love the stuff. Homemade mac and cheese is more my thing, but I’m ok with taking shortcuts every now and then – and those blue boxes of mac and cheese do help me out on occasion! 🙂
I have a few variations of the “amped up” blue box mac n cheese recipes, and I’ve shared two others with you (you can find them at the bottom of this post!). There are a few more to share at a later date!
I know some people shy away from using convenience food, and that’s ok – I have other posts you may love! 🙂 Cooking strictly from scratch is something I wish I had the patience and time to, but I don’t. My life is just too hectic sometimes – and I’m guessing that there are many other families in the same boat as me. I would rather have meals that are semi-homemade versus hitting the drive-thru … so I make sure I have things that are easy to make! 🙂
Making Chili Cheese Dog Mac n’ Cheese
I came up with this recipe a few years ago when I intended on making regular chili dogs – ya know the kind with hot dogs and chili sauce on buns – but I forgot the buns. I had one of those “a-ha moments” and wondered if I could just mix the chili dogs into the mac and cheese we were having on the side – and just skip the buns altogether. Needless to say, this was a huge hit – and there are times, we don’t mind skipping the buns on purpose now!
If you’re really pushed for time, you can substitute cans of hot dog chili sauce for the homemade chili sauce in this recipe. You’ll need 2 cans for this recipe!
For more “amped up” blue box mac n cheese recipes, be sure to check out:
Featured at Home Maid Simple, Susie QT Pies Cafe and The Country Cook
Other recipes you may enjoy
Chili Cheese Dog Mac n’ Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Mac and Cheese dinner 7.25 oz. each
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 package hot dogs, chopped 14-16 oz.
- A few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 8 ounce water use the empty tomato sauce can to measure
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the cheese packets from both boxes of mac and cheese and set them aside. When the water comes to a boil, cook the mac and cheese dinners according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and crumble the beef with the salt, pepper, onion and hot dogs until the beef is no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Return the mixture to the skillet. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, tomato sauce and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired consistency. (I like ours the consistency of Sloppy Joe’s, but make yours how you like it).
- After the pasta has been drained, return it to the pan and add the butter, milk and cheese powder. Stir to combine. Add the chili dog sauce to the mac and cheese and stir well. Serve.
Notes
- This is a fun recipe to experiment with different flavors of mac and cheese. Just make sure you still have about the same total weight of pasta.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Originally published on September 5, 2013. Updated on April 24, 2021.
I love this kinda of fun recipe that the kids will get a kick out of making. Jamie, thanks for sharing it with us on foodie friday.
Hey firstly anyone who doesn't have 5+ kids doesn't get that even blue boxes require effort due to volume! Anything the kids can make themselves is a double win in my book, thanks or sharing Jamie
Just dropping by to let you know this is featured on Foodie Friday. I absolutely love this!
I made this tonight for the first time and it was a big hit. The only thing I did was added 2 onions being that we love onions. I will be making this again for sure.