Ingredients for beef chili scoops arranged on a kitchen counter
Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, for 6–8 minutes or until fully browned and no pink remains. Drain off excess grease carefully into a heat-safe container.
Make the quick chili filling: Return the drained beef to the skillet. Stir in the can of chili beans with their sauce. Let the mixture simmer over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper only if needed, then turn off the heat. The filling should be thick enough to spoon without running.
Skillet of beef and chili beans simmering on the stove
Arrange the scoops: Pour a single layer of tortilla scoop chips into the glass casserole dish, nestling them close together so they stand upright and form little cups. It’s okay if they overlap slightly, but try to keep most of them facing up like small bowls.
Fill the cups: Using a small spoon, add a spoonful of the warm beef chili mixture into each tortilla scoop, filling them almost to the top. Try to keep the filling mostly inside the chips so they stay crisp around the edges.
