Slow Cooker Chili Dog Casserole

Some dinners earn their place in the rotation not through technique or complexity, but through sheer, uncomplicated reliability. This slow cooker chili dog casserole is exactly that kind of recipe. Everything goes into the crockpot in about 10 minutes, the lid goes on, and several hours later dinner is ready without any further involvement from you.

The flour tortilla wrap is what makes this more than just hot dogs sitting in chili. Rolling each dog tightly in a small tortilla before nestling it into the chili creates something closer to an enchilada in texture, a soft, chili-soaked casing that holds its shape through the long cook and lifts out in a single piece rather than falling apart the way a standard bun would under those conditions. A thick layer of cheddar melted across the top finishes it into something that looks and tastes like a proper casserole.

This crockpot chili dog casserole feeds five to six people, requires almost no hands-on time, and is built from ingredients most families already keep on hand. It’s a reliable weeknight dinner and a practical option for game days or any occasion where you want the slow cooker to handle things while you do something else.

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chili Dog Casserole

The prep is genuinely minimal. Ten minutes to grease the insert, open the cans, roll the hot dogs, and layer everything. That’s the full extent of the active work.

The tortilla wrapping method is a meaningful improvement over putting hot dogs directly into buns in a slow cooker. Buns disintegrate in the moist heat. Flour tortillas absorb the chili and soften into a cohesive layer that holds together and actually tastes better than the hot dog packaging they replace.

The recipe is also extremely flexible. Turkey dogs, veggie dogs, chili without beans, extra heat from jalapeños folded into the layers, a handful of diced onion stirred into the top chili layer before the cheese goes on. All of it works without changing the method.

The broiler finish is worth mentioning as an optional step that significantly improves the result if your slow cooker insert is oven-safe. Two to three minutes under the broiler turns the cheese golden and crisps the tortilla edges in a way the slow cooker alone can’t achieve.

Ingredients for Crockpot Chili Dog Casserole

The ingredient list doesn’t get much shorter than this.

For the main components:

• 1 package (16 oz) beef hot dogs, usually 8 to 10 dogs
• 10 small flour tortillas, taco size

For the chili sauce:

• 2 cans (15 oz each) chili with beans, or without if preferred

For the cheesy layer:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, one 8 oz package

Optional toppings:

• Diced onions
• Sliced jalapeños
• Sour cream

For the hot dogs, a standard beef package works well here, but this is also a recipe where quality hot dogs make a noticeable difference since they’re the primary protein and their flavor carries through the chili and cheese. A natural casing beef frank has more snap and a cleaner flavor than a standard processed dog.

For the canned chili, I find a chili with beans gives the casserole more body and substance. The beans absorb some of the moisture during the long cook and help thicken the sauce around the tortilla wraps. Chili without beans produces a slightly looser, saucier result that still works well. If you want to use a homemade chili here, a thicker, less brothy version is better suited to the slow cooker than a thin one.

On the tortillas, small taco-size flour tortillas are the right call. Corn tortillas are more prone to cracking when you roll them cold around a hot dog and they break down more completely during the long cook, which makes serving messier. Flour holds its structure better throughout.

How to Make Crockpot Chili Dog Casserole

The assembly order matters here since it determines how evenly the tortillas cook and how cleanly the casserole serves.

1. Spray the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray, covering the bottom and sides thoroughly. The bottom layer of chili provides most of the protection against sticking, but a light spray on the sides prevents the tortillas from bonding to the walls during the long cook.

2. Open one can of chili and spread it evenly across the entire bottom of the slow cooker. This bottom layer does two things: it keeps the tortillas from making direct contact with the insert surface, and it provides the moisture that steams up through the wrapped dogs during cooking.

3. Place one hot dog in the center of a flour tortilla. Roll it tightly from one end, tucking the sides in as you go if the tortilla is large enough, then place it seam-side down directly into the chili base. Work across the slow cooker, fitting the wrapped dogs snugly against each other. Snug is actually preferable to spacing them apart since they support each other structurally and the tortilla seams stay closed when they’re held in place by neighboring rolls.

4. Pour the second can of chili over the top of the wrapped dogs, spreading it with a spoon to cover all the tortillas and reach the edges of the insert. Every tortilla surface that gets coated with chili will stay soft and moist through the cook. Any section left exposed to air will dry out slightly, which isn’t ideal. In my experience, tilting the slow cooker insert slightly and letting the chili run to the lower edge before settling back helps get it under and around the rolled tortillas.

5. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar generously and evenly over the entire chili surface.

6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours or on High for 2 to 3 hours. The hot dogs are fully cooked going in, so you’re really waiting for the cheese to melt completely, the tortillas to absorb the chili and soften, and the whole casserole to heat through uniformly. By the end of the cook time, the cheese should be fully melted and slightly set on top.

7. For a golden cheese top, if your insert is oven-safe, transfer it to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is browned and the visible tortilla edges are slightly crisped. Watch it closely since the broiler moves fast at this stage.

8. Serve by lifting the wrapped dogs out with a flat spatula, keeping each one intact. Offer diced onions, sliced jalapeños, and sour cream at the table for topping.

What to Serve with Crockpot Chili Dog Casserole

This is a filling, self-contained dinner, but a few sides round it out into a proper spread.

Creamy Coleslaw: The cool, tangy crunch of a creamy coleslaw is a natural contrast to the warm, cheesy richness of the casserole. The acidity in the dressing cuts through the chili and cheese in a way that a neutral starch wouldn’t. It also takes about 5 minutes to put together from bagged coleslaw mix.

Corn on the Cob: Boiled or grilled corn alongside chili dogs is a combination with clear thematic logic. The natural sweetness of the corn balances the savory chili, and it’s the kind of side that makes the whole meal feel like a deliberate cookout-style dinner rather than a quick weeknight throw-together.

Baked Beans: A small serving of baked beans alongside this casserole keeps the flavors cohesive and adds sweetness that complements the chili base. It’s a classic combination that works especially well when feeding a crowd.

Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad with a vinaigrette dressing adds freshness and lightens the plate for anyone who wants something beyond the heavier components of the casserole.

Potato Chips or Fritos: For a casual dinner or game-day spread, a bowl of chips alongside the casserole for scooping up any extra chili and cheese provides crunch without any additional prep.

Pro Tips & Variations

Use the broiler finish. If your slow cooker insert is oven-safe, the 2 to 3 minutes under the broiler at the end transforms the casserole. The cheese goes from melted and flat to golden and slightly crisped at the edges, and the visible portions of tortilla develop a texture that adds contrast to the soft interior layers.

Layer diced onion into the top chili. Stirring diced raw onion into the second can of chili before pouring it over the wrapped dogs adds flavor that develops throughout the cook. It softens to a tender, savory layer that runs through every serving.

Add jalapeños between layers. Sliced pickled jalapeños layered directly over the wrapped dogs before the second can of chili goes on builds heat into the casserole itself rather than relying on table toppings. It distributes more evenly this way.

Skip the tortillas for a low-carb version. Cut the hot dogs into coins and stir them directly into the chili in the slow cooker. Skip the rolling step entirely. The result is closer to a traditional chili with hot dogs, which is its own perfectly valid dinner, and it reduces the prep to under 5 minutes.

Swap in turkey or veggie dogs. The method works identically with turkey franks or plant-based hot dogs. Both hold up well to the long cook time and absorb the chili flavor effectively.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tortillas continue to absorb moisture from the chili during storage, which makes them even softer and more integrated into the casserole by day two. The flavor also deepens overnight as the chili and cheese settle together.

To reheat, I find the microwave works well here for individual portions since the casserole has enough moisture that it reheats without drying out. Cover loosely and microwave at medium power in 60-second intervals until heated through. For reheating a larger portion, cover with foil and warm in the oven at 325°F for about 15 minutes.

The casserole doesn’t freeze particularly well since the tortillas become very soft and the texture breaks down during freezing and thawing, so plan to finish it within the refrigerator window.

Common Questions

Can I cook this on High the whole time to speed it up? Yes. High for 2 to 3 hours produces the same result as Low for 4 to 6 hours. The High setting is a reliable option when you need dinner faster. Just check at the 2-hour mark to make sure the cheese is fully melted and the tortillas have softened before serving.

My tortillas are falling apart. What happened? This usually means the tortillas weren’t fully covered by chili on all sides, leaving exposed sections to dry and crack during the long cook. Make sure the second can of chili covers every visible tortilla surface when it goes in. Rolling the tortillas tightly and placing them seam-side down also prevents them from unrolling and losing structural integrity.

Can I use corn chili or a different chili variety? Any canned chili works here, including vegetarian chili, turkey chili, or chili verde. The main consideration is thickness. A very thin, brothy chili will produce a soupier result. A thicker chili produces a casserole that serves more cleanly and holds its shape better when you lift the wrapped dogs out.

Slow cooker chili dog casserole earns its place on the weeknight menu by delivering maximum comfort with minimum effort. The tortilla wrap method elevates it beyond a basic dump-and-cook recipe into something with actual texture and structure, and the broiler finish pushes it into genuinely satisfying territory. Set it up in the morning and dinner handles itself.