This is an amazing chili hash brown casserole that I completely and utterly stumbled into! The reason? Well, I was missing ONE ingredient from a hash brown recipe that I really wanted to make.

I had to get creative and came up with this one. And oh my! It turned out amazing!

This chili hash brown casserole is perfect for potlucks or brunches. I can quickly make it the day before in the crockpot and then put it in the fridge overnight or throw it in the oven 45 minutes before eating.

In the morning, I take it out of the freezer and let it thaw for a few hours. If I’m in a hurry, I simply put it in a sink full of water for about 20 minutes.

We have a large family, so I have developed a fair amount of easy breakfast recipes for large families or groups over the years and this one fits that perfectly.

This recipe is actually an old one that I have been making for many, many years, except for the new change with that one ingredient.

It’s one of those tried and true ones that many of my friends now make too because every time I’ve brought it with me to a potluck, I get asked for the recipe.

Now that I have discovered this renewed recipe, I can’t wait to start taking it to potlucks and get-togethers so my friends can be wowed. Yes, it really is that easy and that delicious!

To save time, you can make this as a freezer meal (make several at one time) and put them in large resealable freezer bags. Take the air out before sealing and freeze flat. On the day you want to make this, thaw the bag and bake.

Chili Hash Brown Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted
10.5 oz. can chili (chili alone or chili with beans, whatever you prefer)
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese*
pepper to taste
1 kg frozen hash browns

*Note: you can also try this recipe with a variety of other cheeses. I often use a combination of cheddar and jalapeño jack cheese to give it some extra kick.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°.
In a large bowl, mix together the chili, melted butter, onion, shredded cheese, and pepper.
Once that is well combined, gently stir in the frozen hash browns.
Pour the entire mixture into a greased oven-safe casserole dish. I use a 9×13 one.
If thawed, bake for about 30 minutes. If still frozen, bake for about 45 minutes. Or cook in a crockpot on high for 3-4 hours.
Serve this chili hash brown casserole as any meal as it is so versatile. It is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Note: I like to serve it with corn chips, but if you really want to go fancy, then you can bake up some cornbread muffins and serve them as a side dish.

Chili Hash Brown Casserole Recipe

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: casserole, chili, hash brown

Servings: 6

Calories: 562 kcal

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter melted
10.5 oz. can chili chili alone or chili with beans, whatever you prefer
1 large onion chopped
1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
pepper to taste
1 kg frozen hash browns

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
In a large bowl, mix together the chili, melted butter, onion, shredded cheese, and pepper.
Once that is well combined, gently stir in the frozen hash browns.
Pour the entire mixture into a greased oven-safe casserole dish. I use a 9x13 one.
If thawed, bake for about 30 minutes. If still frozen, bake for about 45 minutes. If you have several hours to spare and prefer to use a crockpot, then you can cook it on high for 3-4 hours.
Serve this chili hash brown casserole as any meal as it is so versatile. It is perfect as breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Recipe Notes

*Note: you can also try this recipe with a variety of other cheeses. I often use a combination of cheddar and jalapeño jack cheese to give it some extra kick.
Note: I like to serve it with corn chips, but if you really want to go fancy, then you can make some cornbread muffins and serve them as a side dish.

Other freezer meals you might enjoy:

Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole