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Set Up A Chili Bar + All-Purpose Chili Recipe!

Set up a chili bar with these tips, ideas, and images, plus my all-purpose chili recipe!

How to set up a chili bar with fixings

Set up this chili bar for casual entertaining, including Game Day parties!

Today I’m sharing an idea that you can use for Fall or Winter entertaining, as well as a timely idea for Super Bowl & other Football gatherings. I thought, ‘what could be more hearty, manly, and versatile than a chili bar?’

I didn’t want to do a chili tasting or cook-off because I think most people have seen that already. Instead I thought about the many ways you can serve chili using one all-purpose recipe.  This is how it usually goes at my house: First round is chili & tortillas, next day leftovers are served over pasta, at a fast food restaurant we order chili & baked potato, or chili cheese fries, etc.

This is a fun way to set up a buffet for friends and even the kids loved making their own variations. Using some printable tags to label lots of chili toppers + root beer. You can see my list of chili bar toppings below, plus the delicious recipe I used that goes with everything!

Feel free to add a southwestern touch with this slow cooker fiesta chili recipe. Or go in another direction with this slow cooker white chili with chicken & sausage. For those times when you just want to make something totally indulgent and rich, try this cheesy chili recipe. 

Follow these ideas to Set up a Chili Bar

chili bar signssmall bags of Fritos corn chips in wire basketchili in mini Fritos bagsHot dogs on plate with food name tagbowls of pasta and french fries with name tagschili cheese fries with toppings

Follow these Chili Bar Menu ideas

Prepare Base items that you can top with the all purpose chili recipe

  • Pasta
  • Tortillas
  • Hot Dogs
  • Crinkle cut french fries
  • Small bags of Fritos corn chips
  • Baked Potatoes

Provide chili bar toppings for the chili dishes

  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour Cream
  • Diced Onion
  • Sliced Jalapenos
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • other condiments like ketchup & mustard for the hot dogs

Layer the base items with the chili and selected toppings and you have a great meal.  I suggest small servings so you can have more than one combo. You may even want to cut the hot dogs in half.

One of my personal favorites is the Fritos bags that you can just grab and go.  You fill the bag with the chili and toppings and eat right out of the bag!

To hide the not-so-attractive crock pot, I wrapped it with burlap.  I served root beer from a large urn, which you could also fill with beer of course.

0 soup-bar linkIf you love this post, check out my Soup Bar  for more ideas, tips, and recipes for stylish entertaining at home!

This chili bar was a huge hit with the family.  The husband loved it, the kids loved it, and it could even be used for a tween or teen birthday buffet.
bottled drinks in ice bucket urnchili bar menu itemschili on pasta and tortilla chipshow to set up a chili bar

What’s your favorite chili bar combination? You can get custom printable tags to label your food at Party Box designs. 

Now here is the tasty all purpose chili recipe that goes with everything on the chili bar.

Chili Bar All-Purpose Chili Recipe!

Chili Bar All-Purpose Chili Recipe!

Yield: 8-10 servings
Make this all purpose chili recipe for a chili bar party with all the fixings. Set up a chili bar with all the toppings and meal ideas here.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned
  • Chili Seasoning Packet – “Original” flavor
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 can water

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 6 hours.

© Celebrations At Home
Category: main dish

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. You’ve got some great ideas going on here and perfect timing with the Super Bowl just around the corner. Love all of the make it yourself sections.

    – The Tablescaper

  7. LOVE the chili in the frito bags! So stealing that and what a great idea for camping or tailgating also!

  8. I love chili ANYTHING – fries, hot dogs, nachos…yum! What a great idea. Just in time for Super Bowl

  11. I’m so doing this on Sunday! So easy and you can feed even the pickiest eaters! Btw, another great chili topping is French fried onions, you know the kind you put on old fashioned green bean casserole. They definitely Iadd some extra flavor and texture!

  13. Chris, you have hit the nail on its head…we sri lankans are famous for its chillie and no curry taste as good without it. But this gives me an idea and let me try it at the next family gathering. love the idea

  14. This looks great…I especially love the burlap cover on the crockpot…clever idea since those things are so unsightly! I’ll remember that next time 🙂

  18. Thank you for listing the item in the dishes. So many times I see a great display but wonder what they are serving!

  24. We are thinking of doing this for a fall wedding reception. Much easier than all the traditional reception foods. What do you think?

  25. A chili bar?! That is my kind of buffet! Such a clever idea. I love the choice of chili dogs or frito-pie. 🙂

  26. What a great idea! Thanks do much for sharing! I think I’m going to try this for a baby shower in january. I was wondering, though, how many people did you feed with what you’ve got set up here? I’m not really good at serving sizes. Most of the time I have waaaaay too much left over. Thanks again!

    • Thanks, Peasquared. This was small and casual – only six of us. You would definitely need to double or triple the amount of chili depending on your numbers. But remember, because there’s so much variety you need less of each item too.

  29. I am so excited to do this for my husbands college graduation party in December! What a perfect way to celebrate during the colder months for a group of all ages! I love it and all the details you added!!

    • Thank you Denise. I appreciate you saying so. I’m sure you all will have a great time and congrats to him!

  31. I am having a hard time figuring out how you covered the crockpot with burlap? Could you please explain? Thanks!

    • Hi Katie,
      I used a long strip of burlap and folded it over lengthwise to give it that soft edge at the top. Wrapped it around and held it in place with a rope belt. The bottom is just scrunched up a bit.
      Super easy and quick!

  32. Love this idea and set up!! Perfect for our Halliween party this weekend!

    How many people do you think your chili recipe would serve?

    • Leslie, it could probably serve 8-10 depending on how it’s served. You can easily double the recipe or make a couple of batches.

  33. I found your website because I am planning Chili Bar Party. My idea was a little different: the chili and toppings would be made, but also wanted to give choice of chili mac or chili cheese fries. Wondering how to keep the cooked pasta and the cheese sauce/dip for the fries warm so guests can make their plates without using the oven. Lot of guests…not so much oven.

    • Sheila, I think crock pots may be your best bet, or even fondu pots. If you don’t have them yourself maybe you can borrow extras from family or neighbors.

  34. Love the idea, especially the frito bags, but they don’t sell them in stores around here. Actually, I went to three stores and only 1 actually sold fritos at all. Making this as we speak for my sons birthday party tonight!

  36. Beyond the fact that no stores in Atlanta sell individual frito bags, this idea was easy to duplicatelast night for my hub’s birthday. The Chili bar was a hit! What a fabulous idea. Thanks for posting.

  39. I LUV everything about this! Just needed clarification in your chili recipe, you stated 1can if water. What is that in exact measurements? Tx!

    • Libbie, these are regular size cans – usually 15 oz., but since it’s what I like to call a “dump” recipe it won’t effect the taste is you find 16 oz or 14.5 oz. I know brand’s sizes can vary.

    • Pammyb, you can use crock pots or chafing dishes if you like. However, if the chili is hot it will warm up the pasta when poured over it.

  43. I read through the comments and only saw clarification on the water but what size can of tomatoe sauce and diced tomatoes does the recipe call for? Thanks!