Chili Cornbread Casserole

White bowl full of Chili with Cornbread.

Chili Cornbread Casserole, also called cowboy cornbread casserole, is a hearty and comforting dish that combines the bold flavors of chili with the crumbly, slightly sweet texture of cornbread. It can also be made with smoked chili or chile verde.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Black Beans, Chili, Cornbread, Ground Beef, kidney beans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 402kcal

Author Darcey Olson

Cost $1st 5

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

CHILI RECIPE

1½ tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 lb ground beef *Note 1
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 medium jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper *Note 2
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp dried oregano
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp beef bouillon concentrate or 1 beef bouillon cube.
1 15 oz can black or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper, to taste
6 oz meltable cheese, shredded *Note 3

CORNBREAD

½ cup cornmeal *Note 4
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½-1 tbsp sugar *Note 5
1 tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp baking soda
½ cup milk
1 large eggs
3 tbsp butter, melted and slightly cooled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Preheat a large cast iron skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned (approx. 7-9 minutes). Line a glass or metal mixing bowl with paper towels. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer the beef into the bowl to drain.
Use paper towels to wipe the skillet and remove most of the remaining oil. Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook until soft (approx. 4-5 minutes). Add the ground beef, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and ground cayenne and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef bouillon. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. There should be a little bit of liquid left, but not a ton like regular chili.
Mix in the beans and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a oven-safe baking dish. Top evenly with shredded cheese.
In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and butter. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Gently pour the cornbread batter over the chili. Bake for about 25-38 minutes or until cornbread is cooked throughout.
Serve in individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Note 1 - Lean ground beef is best. You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.

Note 2 - To make extra hot chili, add in a 1 tsp. of cayenne pepper and go up from there, to taste. The called for amount adds flavor, but not much heat.

Note 3 - Good cheese options: monterey jack, pepper jack, and cheddar cheese.

Note 4 - Instead of making cornbread from scratch, you can replace with 1 box of store bought corn muffin mix.

Note 5 - If you don't care for overly sweet cornbread use 1/2 tbsp. If you like it on the sweet end, use the full 1 tbsp.

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