Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes

These Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes are out of this world good! I really love some chili, especially in these cold winter months. 

So the past week, I made some Chili Cheese Smash Burgers, and I had a bunch of leftover chili that I wanted to put to good use. We made some BBQ Potato Volcanoes a while back, so I thought stuffing these potatoes with chili would be perfect. Let me tell you, I was right! These are a fun twist on your regular ole baked potatoes and are great for serving the whole family!

Why You’ll Love Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes

The perfect fusion of comfort and deliciousness is found in these Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes. Spicy chili and gooey melted cheese taste fantastic on top of the soft, creamy potato interior. These stuffed potatoes are filling and indulgently wrapped in crispy, flavorful bacon. 

These Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes are a crowd pleaser! Whether you’re serving them at a backyard barbecue or are just searching for a great variation on the traditional baked potato. In addition, they are simple to personalize with your own toppings and seasonings. You won’t believe how tasty these Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes are till you give them a try!

How to Make Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes

Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes Ingredients

Ingredients:

• Russet Potatoes (or any potato you prefer)
• Leftover Chili
• Bacon Strips
• Salt, Pepper & Garlic
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Diced Jalapeños
• Chopped Scallions
• Sour Cream

Let’s Get Cooking

Note: You can cook the potatoes any way that you like. We just need to be able to easily scoop out the insides. So baking them in the oven or even using the microwave can work. Since I’m a fire cookin’ guy, I’ll be smoking mine. However, I understand that sometimes we need faster, easier solutions… So no harm, no foul.

 The big key is being careful while scooping out the center of the potato. Get too close to the edge, and you could break the potato. All in all, this is a fun recipe, so let’s get cookin!

Cook Your Potatoes

Preheat your smoker to 275F for indirect cooking.

Begin by poking holes in the potatoes and place potatoes onto the smoker to cook until softened (about 1.5-2 hours). Once the potatoes are soft, pull them off and let them cool for 5 minutes.

Hollow Your Potatoes

Next, take your cooked potatoes and slice the top and bottom off of the potato so that they can stand vertically either way. Choose one side and gently hollow out the core of the potato so that most of the inner meat is gone, and you are left with a potato “cup” (save the potato meat for mashed potatoes or mix it into your stuffing for a more hearty flavor).

Pro tip: Use a melon ball scooper to remove the potato centers, being careful not to get too close to the edge.

Get Stuffing

Finally, stuff the potato with your chili and wrap the outside with 1-2 slices of bacon. Secure each piece of bacon with toothpicks. Repeat this for each of your potatoes until done.

It’s worth noting – I purposefully filled my potato with chili first, and then wrapped it with bacon. The hollowed potatoes are very delicate, so filling it with chili helps provide some internal pressure to the potato while I wrap it in bacon. You still have to be careful, but I think the potato already being filled with chili did help. 

Okay, now kick up the heat in your Bronco Drum Smoker to 350F, place the potatoes in a skillet or on the grill grate and cook until the bacon is done (about 30-40 minutes). Top each one with a handful of cheese and let it melt right before removing it from the grill. Pull the potatoes off when done and let cool for 5 minutes.

Serve

Garnish with a drizzle of sour cream and some sliced jalapenos. You can even sprinkle chives on top if that’s what you like. Serve and enjoy! 

For more with potatoes, check out my BBQ Volcano Potatoes, Savory Steak and Potatoes, and Chipotle Espresso Crusted Ribeyes with Potatoes. 

What to Serve with Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes

Wondering what to serve with these Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes? They are great on their own or paired with a side dish. To balance off the hot flavors of the cheese and chili, serve with a crisp green salad with a tart vinaigrette dressing. Alternatively, try zucchini, bell peppers, and onions for an added crunch. There are a ton of tasty choices to go with these stuffed potatoes. It just depends what you like!

Storage

Found yourself with some leftovers? Allow Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes to cool completely after cooking. Then, place the potatoes in an airtight container or wrap them in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing them because the texture of the potato may become slightly mushy when thawed. 

Reheating/leftovers

To reheat your leftovers, place the potatoes in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or until warm. If they are wrapped in foil, you can place them directly in the oven, otherwise, unwrap them and arrange them on a baking tray before placing them in the oven. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 1-2 minutes or until they are warmed to your liking. If you have an air fryer, you can use that as a reheating method.

These Chili Cheese Potato Volcanoes are next level delicious! They are my next addiction. Seriously, if you give them a try, let us know how they turned out by leaving a comment!

For more delicious recipes, check out my second cookbook Flavor X Fire or my first cookbook Food X Fire!

Needing more spice in your life? My spice line can help with that. Check them out here.