Easy Chili Cornbread Casserole (One-Skillet Recipe!)

On a chilly evening, what’s the ultimate comfort food you crave most? Is it a hearty, simmering pot of savory chili, packed with beans and spices? Or is it a warm, golden slice of cheesy, tender cornbread, fresh from the oven? It’s a delicious dilemma, but what if you didn’t have to choose?

Get ready to meet your new favorite one-skillet meal. This Chili Cornbread Casserole is the glorious, all-in-one answer to all your comfort food cravings. We’re talking a rich, flavour-packed chili base that’s simmered to perfection and then topped with a fluffy, cheesy, jalapeño-spiked cornbread batter, all baked together in a single pan. It’s a simple, satisfying, and incredibly delicious meal that the whole family will love.

What You’ll Need: Ingredients

This recipe is divided into two simple components: a rich and savory chili base and a moist, cheesy cornbread topping.

Component	Ingredient	Amount/Quantity
For the Chili Base	Ground beef or turkey	1 pound
	Avocado oil	1 tablespoon
	Small sweet onion, diced	1
	Jalapeños, finely diced	1-2
	Fresh garlic cloves, finely minced	3
	Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
	Chili powder	2 tablespoons
	Cumin	2 teaspoons
	Paprika	1 teaspoon
	Ground cinnamon	¼ teaspoon
	Cayenne pepper	⅛ – ¼ teaspoon
	Canned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes	1 (28-ounce) can
	Canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed	1 (15-ounce) can
	Canned black beans, drained and rinsed	1 (15-ounce) can
	Beef broth	¾ cup
	Brown sugar, packed	2 tablespoons
	Salt	2 ½ teaspoons
	Black pepper	1 teaspoon
For the Cornbread Topping	Medium-grind cornmeal	1 cup
	All-purpose flour	1 cup
	Baking powder	2 teaspoons
	Baking soda	1 teaspoon
	Salt	½ teaspoon
	Large eggs	2
	Buttermilk or whole milk	1 cup
	Honey	¼ cup
	Salted butter, melted	4 tablespoons
	Jalapeño, finely diced	1
	Fresh chives, finely chopped	2 tablespoons
	Shredded sharp cheddar cheese	1 cup

Timing

This incredible all-in-one meal comes together in just about an hour, making it perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: Approximately 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Step-by-Step Instructions

This entire dish comes together in one oven-safe skillet, making for easy cooking and even easier cleanup! A 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet is perfect for this.

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Brown the Beef

First, get your oven ready for the final bake. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook for 7-8 minutes, using a spoon to break it apart as it cooks. Once the beef is browned, carefully drain any excess fat from the skillet.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics and Toast the Spices

Add the diced onion, finely diced jalapeños, and minced garlic to the skillet with the browned beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the onion has softened and the garlic is fragrant. Now, for a crucial flavour-building step: stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Toasting the spices like this awakens their aromas and creates a much deeper, richer flavour in your chili.

Step 3: Simmer the Chili Base

Add the tomato sauce, drained and rinsed kidney beans and black beans, beef broth, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir everything together until it’s well combined. Bring the mixture to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. This gives the flavours time to meld and allows the chili to thicken up slightly.

Step 4: Mix the Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread Topping

While the chili is simmering, prepare your cornbread batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, honey, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Pro Tip: The secret to tender, fluffy cornbread is to not overmix! Stir the batter with a spatula only until it is just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine.

Finally, gently fold in the diced jalapeños, chopped chives, and the shredded cheddar cheese.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake the Casserole

Your chili should be nice and thick by now. Carefully spoon the cornbread batter evenly over the top of the simmering chili in the skillet, spreading it out to cover the entire surface. Transfer the entire skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is a beautiful golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Let the chili cornbread casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the chili to set up a bit. Serve warm, garnished with additional chopped chives and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Nutritional Information

This is a hearty, all-in-one meal. Here is an estimated nutritional breakdown per serving, assuming the casserole is divided into 8 servings.

• Calories: ~580 kcal
• Protein: 28 g
• Carbohydrates: 60 g
• Fat: 26 g (Saturated Fat: 12 g)

Healthier Alternatives

While a fantastic comfort food, here are a few simple swaps to customize this dish:

• Leaner Protein: Use 93/7 lean ground turkey or ground chicken, as suggested in the ingredients, to reduce the overall fat content.
• Vegetarian Option: For a delicious vegetarian chili base, omit the meat and add an extra can of black beans and 1 cup of cooked lentils. Be sure to use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
• Reduce Sugar: You can omit the brown sugar from the chili and use an unsweetened tomato sauce to lower the overall sugar content.

Serving Suggestions

This chili cornbread casserole is a complete meal in a single skillet, making serving an absolute breeze.

• Perfect Toppings: The best way to serve this dish is straight from the skillet, scooped into bowls. It’s absolutely delicious topped with a dollop of cool sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of extra chopped chives or cilantro, and maybe a few slices of fresh avocado.
• Game Day Star: This is the ultimate dish for a game day party. It’s easy to serve, incredibly satisfying, and feeds a crowd.
• Family Dinner Favorite: This is a guaranteed hit for a cozy family dinner on a chilly night. It’s a full meal that everyone will love.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Follow these simple tips to make sure your casserole is perfect every time.

• A Dry Cornbread Topping: The number one cause of tough, dry cornbread is overmixing the batter.
  • Solution: When you combine the wet and dry ingredients for the topping, mix them only until you no longer see big streaks of dry flour. A lumpy batter is a good thing—it means your cornbread will be tender and moist!
• A Bland Chili Base: The flavour of the chili is crucial. If it tastes flat, it’s likely because the spices weren’t given a chance to wake up.
  • Solution: Don’t skip the step of toasting your spices in the skillet with the tomato paste for a minute before adding the liquids. This simple action blooms the spices and deepens their flavour immensely.
• Using the Wrong Pan: If you try to bake this in a skillet that isn’t oven-safe, you’ll have a big problem.
  • Solution: A large, 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet is the ideal tool for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can prepare the chili in a regular pot on the stove, then transfer it to a 9×9-inch or similar-sized baking dish before adding the cornbread topping and baking.

Storing and Reheating Tips

Leftovers of this casserole are absolutely delicious and easy to handle.

• Storing: Let the casserole cool, then cover the skillet tightly with foil or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: You can reheat individual portions easily in the microwave. To reheat a larger amount, you can place the oven-safe skillet back in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.

Conclusion

This Chili Cornbread Casserole is the ultimate comfort food mashup, combining two beloved classics into one easy, delicious, and satisfying meal. The rich, savory chili bubbling up around the edges of a fluffy, cheesy cornbread topping is a truly irresistible sight. It’s the perfect, no-fuss dinner for a cozy night in, a family gathering, or your next game day party.

We are so excited for you to bring this one-skillet wonder into your kitchen. Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think in the comments below! We love hearing about your cooking adventures. Don’t forget to rate the recipe and subscribe for more easy and delicious comfort food ideas.

FAQs

Q1. Can I make this chili cornbread casserole vegetarian?

Absolutely! To make a vegetarian version, simply omit the ground beef and add an extra can of beans (like pinto beans) and about 1 cup of cooked brown or green lentils. Be sure to use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.

Q2. Can I use a boxed cornbread mix as a shortcut?

Yes, you certainly can! For a quicker topping, prepare a standard-sized box of your favorite cornbread mix according to the package directions. Before spreading it over the chili, just fold in the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and the diced jalapeño.

Q3. Is this recipe very spicy?

The heat level is easily adjustable. As written, with one or two jalapeños and the cayenne, it has a mild to medium kick. For a spicier version, leave the seeds in your jalapeños or add a little extra cayenne. For a completely mild version, omit the jalapeños and the cayenne pepper.