The best chili toppings turn a bowl of meat, beans, and tomatoes into a full-blown meal. Seriously, even if you’re just nuking a bowl of canned chili for lunch, good chili toppings can really up the flavor quotient. From shredded cheese to sour cream to some more creative ideas (yes, you should absolutely put Jalapeño Cheddar Cheetos on your chili), here are some Sporked-approved chili bar fixin’s and toppings for chili you love.

You might automatically reach for shredded cheddar when you’re picking up chili toppings at the grocery store, but give this Kraft Mexican blend a shot. It’s super melty and it has a salty tang that settles on the sides of your tongue. Stir this into your crock of chili for a little bit of creamy flavor and a little extra salt, too. 

Read the full ranking of the best Mexican blend cheese

Yes, we are officially treating pimento cheese as a topping for chili—come at us! It’s like shredded cheese and cream cheese all rolled into one. This is brilliant and we won’t be taking questions. Thanks

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If you like sour cream on your chili but could use some live and active cultures in your life, Wallaby’s Greek yogurt is a great choice. This stuff is thick, creamy, and super tangy, so you’ll be able to taste it even in a really flavorful chili. Note: This is not a low fat alternative to sour cream! This Greek yogurt is full fat and it shows. It’s chili weather. Just enjoy yourself!

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When it comes to chili toppings, ya gotta have sour cream on the ol’ chili bar. And this sour cream is just so, so good. It’s thick and creamy. If you make a chili with a lot of heat, this will cool things down for the folks who can’t handle all that cayenne. 

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Everyone knows Fritos make a good chili topping, but have you ever put Cheetos on the chili bar? Unreal. We especially love Crunchy Cheddar Jalapeño Cheetos, which have a little bit of heat and an amazing fresh jalapeño flavor that complements a beefy, beanie chili. Crush these up and add the crumbs slowly so you get some crunch as you eat, too. 

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Ritz crackers kind of go with everything, and chili is no exception. These buttery, crispy, perfectly golden crackers are a classic for a reason—and a classic chili topping, too.

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Looking for a novel chili topping for the chili bar? Put away the Scoops and grab a bag of these honey BBQ twists instead. When they ranked the best BBQ chips, Sporked senior writer Jordan Myrick wondered why we aren’t making Frito pies with these instead of regular Fritos. Make their dreams come true! The tangy, savory, slightly sweet flavor of these chips will be a dream come true for your chili, too. 

Read the full ranking of the best BBQ chips

If you love heat but can’t douse your whole pot of chili with hot sauce because you’re feeding people with sensitive stomachs (or tongues), then you should have a bottle of this on the chili bar for the other heat freaks in the house. El Yucateco is seriously spicy (look at all those Xs in XXXtra), but it’s also flavorful: fruity, slightly peppery, and super savory. 

Read the full ranking of the best hot sauce

If you don’t put dark chocolate in your chili, you’re missing out. But the good news is that you can use it as a topping for chili after the fact. Shave some of this salted dark chocolate bar on top of your bowl of chili for extra depth of flavor. It’s the ultimate secret ingredient for chili.

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